[ 449 ] 
a£t on this fame matter, when deprived of the liv- 
ing principle, and entirely to decompofe it. The 
number of powers, which thus aCt differently on 
the living and dead animal fubftance, is not afcer- 
tained : we fhall take notice of two, which can 
only affect this fubftance when deprived of the 
living principle ; which are, putrefaction and dr- 
geftion. Putrefaction is an effeCt which arifes 
fpontaneoufly ; digeftion is an effeCt of another 
principle aCting upon it, and fhall here be confi- 
dered a little more particularly. 
Animals, or parts of animals, poifeffed of the 
living principle, when taken into the ftomach, 
are not the leaft affeCted by the powers of that 
vifcus, fo long as the animal principle remains ; 
thence it is that we find animals of various kinds 
living in the ftomach, or even hatched and bred 
there : but the moment that any of thofe lofe the 
living principle, they become fubjeCt to the di- 
geftive powers of the ftomach. If it were poffible 
for a man’s hand, for example, to be introduced 
into the ftomach of a living animal, and kept there 
for fome confiderable time, it would be found, 
that the diflolvent powers of the ftomach could 
have no effeCt upon it ; but if the fame hand were 
feparated from the body, and introduced into the 
fame ftomach, we fhould then find that the fto- 
mach would immediately aCt upon it. 
Indeed, if this were not the cafe, we fhould 
find that the ftomach itfelf ought to have been 
made of indigeftible materials ; for, if the living 
principle was not capable of preferving animal 
Vol. LXII. M mm fubftances 
