102 
STOMACHIC ABSORPTION. 
neous stagnation in the whole venous abdominal system ; 
perhaps more on account of our believing one to be esta- 
blished between the caecum and the kidney; in any case, the 
study of it being of service to anatomy and physiology, we 
have resolved to pursue experiments to clear up and confirm 
this point, and particularly to practise on the same animal 
ligature of the vena portae and pylorus, as soon as circum- 
stances shall prove favorable. 
6. Notwithstanding these facts (elicited by experiment) are 
not conformable to the theory of the learned Bernard, in re- 
gard to the function of the post-renal, which is an aid to 
the posterior vena cava in the act of digestion, they furnish 
no argument in opposition to it; and after having shown 
some doubts, suggested by anatomy, we find ourselves con- 
strained, for the moment, to return to them in explanation 
of an obscure phenomenon. 
7. It seems a matter of truth, that ligature of the pylorus 
produces absorption through means analogous to those ob- 
served by Bernard in digestion, and these are not reproduci- 
ble bv distension of the walls of the stomach ; they require 
the state of turgescence which follows such an operation, and 
is paticularly seen in the roots (or branches) of the vena 
portae. This conclusion rests upon the observation of the 
presence in the urine of a large quantity of cyanine of iron 
and potass, introduced some minutes before into a stomach, 
flabby and relaxed through an absolute and prolonged 
regimen. 
8. The vena azygos has likewise, in the horse, numerous 
communications with the posterior vena cava, in the lumbar 
region. 
9. The presence of cyanuret of iron and potass, and the 
ioduret of potass, is disguised in the horse’s blood if the 
mixture be made during the circulation. The venous blood 
of horses affected with chronic disease, particularly glanders, 
with which this salt has not entered into combination, often 
displays an opaline aspect, such as might make one suspect 
its presence. 
JO. Ligature of the pylorus constantly occasions very 
abundant secretion of liquid within the gastro-enteritic canal : 
the fluid of the stomach accumulates in proportion to the 
time which has elapsed since the operation. 
11. The intestinal tube, submitted to the operation of liga- 
ture, yields analogous phenomenon. 
12. In the production of this hyper-secretion, we suppose 
that the stagnation of blood, occasioned by compression of 
the nerves, takes the greatest part ; but we may not exclude 
