A Litter tn an[iver to mother of Mr, Hen. Oldenburgtl's, therein he 
defred an Explanation of a Paragraph, the uje of the Intefti- 
niim Caecum, puhhjht m the Philofoh. Tranfadt. N-j^-/?. 9/ 
/inno 1673. whici Paragraph ^ 
The ufe of the Intefnmmt Cdcum, fubfervient to that of the Co^ 
I n ^.VidiRtEium'^ maiiifeft in fuch Animals, where Nature in- 
tends a certain and determinate Figure to the Excrements. 
Sir, 
Idid not tWnk of Explaining my Senfe of the ufe of the C^- 
cum until 1 had had the leifure and oppert«nity of purpofely 
examining the Inteftines of moil kinds of Animals. But be- 
caufe I am much miftaken by the Perfon, who as you tell 
me, is defirous to be amnjmom to me, him I mean who rai- 
fed^ the Scruples you fent me, upon the lecond Paragraph, 
which fays the ufe of the Intejttnuyn c^scum to be fubfervient, 
I fliall be forcd to tell you, what I prefume may prove as 
near the truth, as any one of the many Conjectures extant 
in Authors, about the unknown uf^ of this Part. ^ 
I underftand by determinate Figure, i . The Excrements 
divided into many fmall parts of a like fhape, fuch as Sheep, 
Deer, Conies, Hares, Rat^, Mice, Horfes Caterpillers, fome 
Snails,d^r. do naturally void. 2 In a greater latitude,! oppofe 
figured Excrements to liquid, as c, cdfm in fome place doth : 
Thus the Dung of Pigeons, Geefe, and Men, Cats, Dogs, &c^ 
may be faid to be figured. Now the c^ami in my Opinion is 
fubfervient in fome meafure to the figuration of both, but 
moft manifeft in the firfl kind My meaning is, that proba- 
bly the ufe of the C^cum is to keep the Excrements, which 
lhall pafs into its Cavity ( and I believe ail or moft part of 
them do fo in found Animals ) fo long, until they are fuilici- 
ently drained, baked, hard'ned, or of a due confiftence (as 
Clay is tempered for the mould) to receive the Figure to 
be given it from the Cdon and Redum, This ufe I fay of the 
Cacum^ feemstome to be much more manifeft in fuch Ani- 
mals, as have figured Excrements of the firft kind In Rats 
for example, whofe Excrements are conitantly alike iigared, 
the c^cam is very large, more capacious than the Stomach it 
felf But its ufe in receiving the Excrements or exhaufted 
Chyle, is not more appai'ent, from its large Capacity, than 
that other of farther drawing and tempering them to a ftif- 
nefs, for the fervice of the Colon ^ from the admirable coa- 
D trivance 
