Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 002.djvu/177

 the Structure of the Stomach, which he thinks highly considerable for the understanding of the action and use of this Viscus, and hitherto not taken notice of by others that he knows. Then he teacheth, that time Food is not digested in the Stomach by Heat, nor by acid dissolving Juices only, but that many Causes concurring to that digestion, the Aliment is there fermented, both by the warmth of the Stomach it self, and of the neighbouring parts, but especially by the acrimonious steams that pass through the Gastrick and Splenick Arteries into the Stomach, which advances also its Concoction by its compressing and relaxing motions, and is assisted by an apt Liquor, bedewing, dissolving, and diluting the Meat, and so converting it into a Pulse or Cream-like substance. Next, he teacheth, that the Chyle passeth not through the milky Veins (so called by Asellius) to the Liver, nor all of it through the Channel of Pecquet to the Heart, but a great part of it through the common Veins of the Stomach and the Mesentery, to the Liver. Nor will he admit, that the Sanguification is performed in any one part of the Animal, as the peculiar Shop or Elaboratory of it, whether Liver, Heart, Spleen, &c. Nor that the parts are increased and nourished by the red part of the Blood, but that, as to the former action, it is done by the means of a Liquor, and by hot steams, giving the red colour to the Chyle, as Chymists use to change white juices into red, by the affusion of Oyl of Sulphur, or the like Liquors; that redness being much advanced by the motion and agitation of the blood in the Veins and Arteries. But as to the latter, vid. the Nutrition, it is performed by that whitish Juice, which is mixed with the Blood, and separated from it by the straining Glandules of the Body.

To these particulars he adds several not unconsiderable remarks touching the Gall, Spleen, Lymphatick Vessels, &c. Observing also, that the whole kind of Birds is destitute of milky Vessels; and occasionally taking notice, that Worms are bred in almost all the parts of Animal Bodies; of which he alledges very odd Observations and Histories.

7. De Vita: This he affirms to consist in the continued motion of the Blood, depending from that of the Heart; yet so, that this latter proceeds not from the heat of the Blood (as Des Cartes