362 
EXPERIMENTS ON DIGESTION. 
of effect will be produced : the very fact of blisters rising and rowels 
discharging being a proof of the decline or remission of inflamma- 
tory action. In cases at all urgent a blister should be applied to 
the breast ; that being a situation in which it will most readily take 
effect, even when no impression can be made upon the sides. 
Should it be deemed advisable to stimulate the sides as well, mus- 
tard embrocations will be found preferable to cantharides. A rowel 
may be inserted in the breast in any case wherein, from its slight- 
ness or subacute nature, and consequent tendency to the chronic 
form, it is not thought worth while to inflict the pain and temporary 
blemish of a blister, and wherein it is of consequence that counter- 
irritation should be kept up for some time. 
Towards the close of the case, at the time that the disorder appears 
to have exhausted its inflammatory tendency, and manifests effects 
of loss of condition and debility, it may be proper to commence 
a course of tonic medicine, which it is highly advisable should have 
some diuretic ingredients in order to prevent or counteract any dis- 
position to dropsical effusion that may be left behind. In such 
cases as this also great benefit may be expected from local deriva* 
tives, such as issues in the form of plugs, rowels, or setons. 
In such cases as assume the chronic form, even though they be 
mild in their character, yet at the time that febrile excitement is 
present, a small blood-letting will often prove very serviceable. 
And from counter-irritation more is to be expected than when the 
disorder is acute. Should there be much flux from the nose, giv- 
ing the disorder the character of nasal gleet, such medicines may 
be administered with a view of checking or suppressing it as will 
be found recommended in my description of this latter complaint. 
EXPERIMENTS ON DIGESTION. 
By Professors TlEDEMANN and GMELIN, of the University of 
Heidelberg. 
Mastication. 
The extension of the cheeks and the lips, by the depression of 
the lower jaw, enables the cavity of the mouth to be considerably 
enlarged. The aliment which is introduced into this cavity, and 
which the sphincter of the lips retains, undergoes certain changes, 
partly attributable to the masticatory organs, and partly to its 
mixture with the saliva. If it is soft, the pressure of the tongue 
crushes it against the arch of the palate, after which it is swal- 
lowed by the animal ; but if it is hard, dry, and cohesive, it 
