ON THE STOMACHS OF RUMINANTS. 
o37 
ttempt; and in such a state it probably would have left me, 
but for the notice Mr. Friend has taken of two of my cases, for 
which I heartily thank him, though he has all but said I am a 
stupid fellow ; which imputation (with your favour) I can very 
well bear, if it should not be in my power to shake it off. I 
hardly know how to begin about this, as I would not willingly 
tread one step upon the ground of dispute between Messrs. 
Friend and Harrison, whose controversy does them credit; there¬ 
fore, without pretending to a perfect knowledge, either as re¬ 
gards the anatomy, physiology, or pathology of the organs prin¬ 
cipally in question, I will state my ideas, from which, if correct^ 
a deduction may be drawn, applicable to the cases noticed by 
Mr.F. 
The first three (so called) stomachs, consisting principally of 
muscular fibres, placed and acting in different directions, are 
lined with a cuticular membrane, with singularly different ap¬ 
pearances in different parts; from the surface of which it is not 
proved (to my knowledge) that absorption takes place, or secre¬ 
tion, farther than something of the nature of mucus, intended 
for its own protection (which in some cases forms a coat upon 
their contents, and which, if I mistake not, has been taken for a 
membrane, as mentioned by Mr. F.), or to my Satisfaction that 
they are susceptible of immediate impression from purgative or 
other medicines : nay, more, I very much question if we have 
any immediate means of emptying them, except the mechanical 
one of washing them out, by the introduction of fluids in large 
quantities. Of the functions of the three, I shall only say, that 
the first is the receptacle of the solids taken in, possessing the 
power of returning quid after quid for rumination, and which 
action appears, in some measure, under the influence of the will : 
that the second is apparently intended for the retention of water, 
which it parts with as occasion or the nature of the food requires 
(not, perhaps, by any effort, but by being absorbed by the solid 
aliment) : that the third receives the ruminated mass, and sub¬ 
jects it to something of the nature of tituration within its many- 
folds, and passes it into the fourth or true stomach, with which 
I have, at this time, nothing to do. The principal causes or 
affections interfering with the above functions are as fol¬ 
low : -Over-distention, by which the power of supplying the 
quid for rumination is destroyed, fermentation takes place, car¬ 
bonic acid gas is formed, its discharge is prevented, and the 
disease called hoove is produced, want of muscular energy from 
deficiency of nourishment and other debilitating causes, with 
which may be mentioned a deficiency of water at some seasons, 
constituting chronic indigestion ; all acute diseases of a febrile 
