154- Mifcellanea Curiofe. 



ratione. So where he takes notice of the void- 

 ing of fuch Faeces, as appear to be like the 

 Food that has been eaten ; he adds, Conftat cnim, 

 fane ventriculum^ cibcrum copiam, ut concoquat, 

 calefacere non fojfe. And there are other' Paffa- 

 ges in the fame Book, from which we may con- 

 clude, that hefuppos'd the Heat of the Stomach 

 to be the great Caufe of the Digeftion of the 

 Food. 



There are others that make the Stomach it- 

 felf to be the great Inftrument of Digeftion, 

 but in a different manner : And they fuppofe it 

 to be perform'd by an Attrition, as if the Sto*- 

 mach, by thofe repeated Motions, which are 

 the neceffary Effects of Refpiration, when it is 

 diftended by the Aliment, did both rub or grind 

 off fbme minuter Particles from the groffer 

 Parts \ and by continually agitating the Mafs 

 of Food, make thofe Parts, which are not con- 

 tiguous to the Stomach, ftrike one againft ano- 

 ther, and break one another in pieces, until 

 they are all attenuated. It is evident enough, 

 that the fides of the Stomach do in Expiration 

 prefs upon the Content^ fb as to oblige, at 

 leaft fbme Parts of them, every time the Mus- 

 cles of the Abdomen are contracted, to move 

 and (hift their places. So in Infpiration, when 

 the Diaphragm and Liver prefs upon the upper 

 part of the Stomach, the Aliment muft be mo- 

 ved again. So that by thefe reciprocal Motions, 

 that* part of the Food which is contiguous to 

 the Stomach, and moves in a Line parallel to it, 

 muft rub againft it ; and all the other Parts be- 

 ing moved by fuch a Compreffion, as gives them 

 a different Tendency, it is certain they muft be 

 continually ftriking one againft another. And 

 for Bread, and fuch things as are made of Flower, 



that 



