remark able Tranfpojition of the Vifcera. 361 
may be marked or noted, the fame varieties occurring; in dif- 
O 
ferent animals. 
It cannot be at all important to the fun ft ion of a vifeus, 
whether it be in one mats, or in feparate portions. The flruc- 
ture being the fame, the fame aftion will take place. Hence 
we often find the two kidnies joined together, forming one 
mafs ; and not unfrequently two or three fpleens befides the 
common one. Neither can it be important, whether a vifeus 
fhould always be of the fame fhape, becaufe its functions do 
not depend on fhape, but on ftrufture : we find accordingly, 
in this particular, much variety. 
There are many of the vifcera which are connected together 
in their functions, or by the junftion of large blood- veflels, 
in fuch a way as to require nearly the fame relative fituation 
among themfelves. This becomes alfo neceflary in order to 
preferve the general fhape of the animal. Accordingly we 
find, that when any important vifeus is changed in its fitua- 
tion, it affefts the fituation of other vifcera, requiring in them 
a fimilar change. We law in the perfon who is the fubjeft 
of this Paper, that a change in the fituation of the heart and 
liver was accompanied with a change of fituation in the fto- 
mach, fpleen, pancreas, and in fhort the whole abdominal 
vifcera. This, however, is a great deviation in nature ; for 
it is nothing lefs than changing almoft the whole vital fjftem 
in an animal, and therefore it rarely happens. 
In fuch a change it does not appear, that the functions can 
be affefted, as they depend on flruclure and fituation, which 
are both preferved. Hence the perfon who is the fubjeft of 
this Paper arrived at the age of maturity, and might have 
continued to live to an extreme old age. 
The 
