THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES RESPIRATORY. 587 
water — man’s proper beverage in common with the rest of the 
animal creation. Here, I should say, was an abundant source of 
power for animating, not only the capillary vessels of the liver, but 
the lacteal absorbent vessels also, vital action being thus imparted 
to these vessels by their fluid contents, in like manner as to the ca- 
pillaries of the arterial system. These views are borne out by the 
analysis of Majendie, who found oxygen in combination with ni- 
trogen in the stomach of an executed criminal, but no oxygen in 
the bowels. And thus also the purpose of chewing the cud in 
ruminant animals, which are all herbivorous, and require, there- 
fore, from the increased volume of food necessary for them, a 
more active condition of the absorbing and hepatic functions, and, 
by re-masticating their food, are accordingly so furnished*. At 
the same time, the product is farther animalized by receiving an 
accession to it of nitrogen also. These views are supported, again, 
by the fact, that herbivorous insects have, in substitute for this 
power of chewing the cud, air-cells diffused over their body, in 
addition to the spiracles which are common to insects. 
If, Sir, these views are correct (which I am of opinion can 
hardly admit of doubt), how many important deductions with refer- 
ence to health and disease arise out of them ! I shall at present 
only mention one, which involves an argument of the highest im- 
portance in favour of temperance and cold water. It is well known 
that fish and aquatic animals are maintained in vitality simply by 
the air contained in the water they inhabit : boil the water, and its 
vital properties are dissipated. With this fact before us, and seeing 
that half the population never allow a drop of water to enter their 
stomachs which has not been boiled or contaminated in some way 
or other, is it surprising that constipation or torpor of the stomach and 
bowels or liver are of such frequent occurrence ? And, in a moral 
point of view, could any fact be adduced half so cogent in favour of 
unsophisticated cold water as man’s best beverage as the one I 
have given, namely, its power of adding vitality to the blood ? 
Bath, June 1846. 
* The horse species, though “ herbivorous,” are not ruminant. But they 
drink, and have capacity for large quantities of water. — Ed. Vet. 
