170 Mr. Home on the Structure of the Stomachs 
of digestion ; of this kind are the stomachs of the squirrel and 
monkey. These in their general appearance resemble very 
closely the human stomach; at least the few opportunities 
which have occured to me of examining them, have not en- 
abled me to detect any circumstances in which they differ. 
The human stomach appears to be the uniting link between 
those that are fitted only to digest vegetable substances, and 
those that are entirely carnivorous ; and yet we find in its 
internal structure it is in every material respect similar to those 
of the monkey and squirrel, which only digest vegetable 
productions, and also equally similar to those of carnivorous 
animals. From this it would appear that many parts of 
vegetables are as easily digested as animal substances, and 
require the same organs for that purpose ; but others again 
require a particular preparation, without which they cannot 
be converted into chyle ; of these last the principal are the 
grasses, which the human stomach is unable to digest. 
The human stomach is divided into a cardiac and pyloric 
portion, by a muscular contraction similar to those of other 
animals ; and as this circumstance has not before been taken 
notice of it, may be necessary to be more particular in describ- 
ing it. 
The first instance, in which this muscular contraction was 
observed in the human stomach, was in a woman, who died in 
consequence of being burnt. She had been unable to take 
much nourishment for several days previous to her death. The 
stomach was found empty, and was taken out of the body at 
a very early period after death. It was carefully inverted to 
expose its internal surface, and gently distended with air. The 
appearance it put on has been already described. The con- 
