1 78 Mr. Home on the Structure of the Stomachs 
of the stomach which coagulates albumen. This appears to 
be proved, by every part of the fourth cavity of the calfs 
stomach having the property of coagulating milk. 
This property in the general secretion of the stomach, 
leads to an opinion, that the coagulation of fluid substances is 
necessary for their being acted on by the solvent liquor ; 
and a practical observation of the late Mr. Hunter, that 
weak stomachs can only digest solid food, is in confirmation 
of it. 
That in converting animal and vegetable substances into 
chyle, the food is first intimately mixed with the general 
secretions of the stomach, and after it has been acted on by 
them, the solvent liquor is poured upon it, by which the 
nutritious part is dissolved. This solution is afterwards con- 
veyed into the pyloric portion, where it is mixed with the secre- 
tions peculiar to that cavity, and converted into chyle. 
The great strength of the muscles of the pyloric portion 
of some stomachs, will, by their action, compress the contents, 
and separate the chyle from the indigestible part of the food. 
In animals whose food is easy of digestion, the stomach 
consists of a cardiac and pyloric portion only ; but in those 
whose food is difficult of digestion, other parts are super- 
added, in which it undergoes a preparation before it is sub- 
mitted to that process. 
