A systeme of anatomy, treating of the body of man, beasts, birds, fish, insects, and plants illustrated with many schemes, consisting of variety of elegant figures, drawn from the life, and engraven in seventy four folio copper-plates. And after every part of man's body hath been anatomically described, its diseases, cases, and cures are concisely exhibited. The first volume containing the parts of the lowest apartiments of the body of man and other animals, etc. / by Samuel Collins ...

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Serous Ferment of the Stomach.

HAving presented you in the former Chapter, with the nervous, I make bold to offer you in this the serous Liquor, derived from the arteri∣ous Blood, as a ferment concerned in the useful operation of Chylification.

Some Ananomists exclude all Ferments in the production of Chyle, assert∣ing, that the Aliment is furnished within its own Confines, with principles sufficient to Concoct the Aliment, without any access of bitter, acide, sa∣line, or any other extraordinary Ferment, and do found Chylification in the contrary Elements of Meat and Drink, making contests between Volatil and Fixed, Sulphurous, and Saline Particles, which are not such active Com∣batants, as to enter the List of themselves in order to a Fight, except they were backed, and set on by the heat of the Stomach, and other adjacent parts; as also the Ferments of Salival Liquor, Embodied with Air in the Mouth, and various Liquors (flowing out the extremities of the Nerves and Arteries, implanted into the Stomach) one of which is our present Con∣cerne.

The Antients have been great admirers of an acide Juyce, transmitted (as they conceived) from the Spleen to the Stomach, by the Vas breve, which being a Vein, cannot Impart to, but Export Liquor from the Ventricle. Avicen, a Learned Author, doth favour this Opinion: Ʋtilibus vero, ait, ac∣cidit, quia in Os Stomachi (humour acidus) quasi mulgendo profluit, & haec quidem utilitas est duobus modis, uno, quia Os Stomachi stringit & confor∣tat & inspissat: alio, ut in Ore Stomachi, Commotionem, propter acredinem, & excitationem ad famem.

Curtellus, a Roman Physitian is of the same sense in an Epistle to Severinus a Chyrurgeon of Naples, Scribens portionem acidae bilis, e liene transmissam, panis fermenti ritu, omnia miscere, amovere, & ebullire facere, atque ita ra∣refactione ista, & rarefactione & spongiositate cibariorum, quae a spiritibus conci∣tatis fit, ob acidos spiritus moventes, & inquietos, adjuvante calore ciborum con∣coctionem, & digestionem primam Confici.

Vanhelmonte doth also in some sort comply with this Opinion, and making a great search into the nature of Stomacic Ferments, doth consigne the in∣testine motion of the Ventricle, to a Ferment propagated from the Spleen, and found it very difficult to maintain the transmission of the Liquor from it by Veins to the Stomach, because it is contrary to the Oeconomy of Na∣ture, and Rules of Circulation of Blood, demonstrable by Autopsy. This acute Author streined his Wit to find out some unheard-of way, to convey the fermentative Liquor from the Spleen to the Stomach: Nimirum, ait ille, non excrementum melancholicum acidum lieni fermentum, sed lienem singulari modo fermentum ventriculo inspirare; But I am afraid, if the more open Ducts do evade our Sight, it will be more difficult to discover some insensible pores, through which the pretended inspired Liquor may be imparted from the Spleen to the Stomach.

Quercetan doth assign Chylification to famelick, hungry, and thirsty Spi∣rits resident in the Ventricle: Spiritus in Ventriculo (agnoscit ille) familli∣cos, esurientes, & bibentes, qui post assumptam alimenti & ciborum materiam, aliam novam appetunt, quam attractam, acida sua & mordaci dissolvendi ac conterendi facultate, confringant: quae dissolutio ac contritio, postea a Medicis ap∣pelletur Concoctio, sive Digestio.

This I conceive to be a Dream of this ingenious Author, as being very Hungry in the night, going Supperless to Bed; Because these Esurient Spi∣rits, cannot exist of themselves without some vehicle (and thereupon (I conceive) they are founded in some acide Liquor) else they being so thin and subtle, would easily evaporate through the pores of the Body; and so farewel Hunger and Thirst, those useful Appetites, instituted by Nature to Court us to the enjoyment of Meat and Drink without which we would be very careless in Eating and Drinking, and much prejudice our Health and Life.

So that (as I apprehend) these Famelick, Esurient, and Sitient Spirits are not the Ferments productive of Concoction in the Ventricle, but only incentives, ordained by nature to render us desirous of Aliment, to repair the decaying frame of our Body.

Other latter Artists, better versed in Anatomy, do derive the serous Fer∣ments, subservient to Chylification, from the Arteries (terminating into the inmost Tunicles of the Stomach) which emit an acide Liquor (endued with a power, dissolving the Aliment, and extracting an Alimentary Li∣quor, which is of a mixed Sense, some part true, and the other improba∣ble, because on the one hand it may be granted that the Stomach doth af∣fect the Aliment in some imperfect Degree of Concoction with a kind of Acidity; and on the other side it must be opposed; that the Ratio forma∣lis of Chylification, is wholly founded in an acide Ferment, as the sole ef∣ficient of it, by reason the Essence of Alimentary Liquor is not constituted in its primary Production of acide Principles, but rather consisteth accord∣ing to its true temper in a pleasant sweetness, amicable to Nature, plainly discernible in Milk, and Cream those grateful Extracts of the Stomach, and Acidity is so far distant from the natural Constitution of the Alimenta∣ry Liquor in the Ventricle, that when it is exalted to a high Degree it spoileth Concoction, and destroyeth the nourishing Juyce, which is extracted out of Meat and Drink.

And the Stomach doth impart a kind of Acidity to the Chyle, in its cru∣der State, according to Learned Dr. Glysson's Observation; As First, When a Secretion is made in Concoction of Matter, advanced by delicate Parti∣cles

from the Recrements, that degenerate into Acidity, as separated from the sweet Alimentary Juyce (the end of Concoction) which is quickly trans∣mitted out of the Stomach into the intestines, while the more useless parts staying in the Ventricle, do contract an Acidity.

Farthermore, when the Stomach laboureth with some great indisposition, or when oppressed with too great a quantity, or affected with an ill quali∣fied Aliment, the Stomach throweth up four Belchings, the effects of an ill Concoction, proceeding from fixed, saline parts, as too much exalted and brought to a fusion; the cause of Acidity, which is promoted to a great height, as the Saline Particles obtain a more eminent Degree of volatility; as crude vitriol in its prime Constitution, hath some degrees of Acidity; but when it is driven through a retort, with a fierce Fire, it is affected with such an In∣tenseness of Acidity, that the Palate is impatient of it, unless it be diluted with some insipid or soft Liquor; and upon this account, the reliques of the former Concoction do sometimes arrive to so great an Acidity, that the Teeth are set on edge upon vomiting this troublesome Acide Matter.

And this is the third Cause how the Stomach produceth an Acidity in Di∣gestion, when the Aliment newly received, is embodied with the Recrements of the former Concoction, with an acide Phlegme, destitute of Sweetness; whereupon the Chyle cannot be conceived to be improved with this acide Mixture, but groweth more impure, and degenerate, and the lacteal Vessels receive only the purer parts of the concocted Liquor, as Secerned from all acide Atomes, wherefore we may conceive, that the Acidity in the Stomach, to be no constituent part, or ingredient of Chyle, but an In∣strument, as some will have it, by which the more solid parts of Aliment are Dissolved.

The Fourth Cause of Acidity is found in Vegetables, wherein a Fusion is made of Saline Elements, which is not produced in Flesh; which being exalted, doth not degenerate into an Acidity, after the rate of Vegetables; because animal Salts being elaborated, and reduced to Fusion, do not contract a sourness, but rather rankness, and cannot arrogate to them∣selves the nature of a due Ferment in Concoction; and Aliment compo∣sed of Vegetables, have divers steps of Elaboration, and first of all grow∣eth Acide, then acquireth another degree of Saltness; and last of all arri∣veth at a greater perfection of Concoction, and endeth in a pleasant Sweet∣ness, most evident in the production of Chyle.

But that we may speak more clearly to the Serous Ferment, distilling out of the Extremities of the Arteries, into the Cavity of the Stomach, this Question may be fitly propounded, Whether this Serous Ferment hath its Operation in the Production of Chyle, as endued with Acide, or with Sa∣line Particles, to which a Reply may be made with this distinction, either of the sweetness of Chyle, proceeding from Vegetable Aliment, as Sugar, Honey, and the like, and then the nourishing Liquor first groweth Acide and then Sweet; but if the Sweetness of the Alimentary Juyce, proceed∣eth from Concocted Flesh, it is first brought by Fusion, to a Saline, and then to a sweet disposition, which is derived from the disposition of a Se∣rous Ferment, in a good constitution of Body, which is Saline and not Acide, as may be plainly proved from the nature of this Crystaline Liquor, which is highly impregnated with a great quantity of Volatil Salt, (which may be extracted by Chymical Operations) a very active Instrument in Chy∣lification, by which the body of the Aliment is opened, and the Alimen∣tary Liquor extracted and exalted.

And to give a farther confirmation, that the Serous Liquor distilling in∣to the capacity of the Stomach, is not acted with Acide, but Saline parts; I will endeavour divers experimental Instances in the production of Chyle in the Stomachs of divers Animals: An acute Author giveth out, that the Concoction in the Ventricles of Birds, is managed by Acide Ferments, which may be clearly determined by tasting Chyle in their Stomachs; and to this effect I have opened the Crop of a Pullet, and the extended Gulet of a Curlue, which supplieth the place of a Crop; in both which, and many other Birds, I have found a Liquor of a Whitish colour, in good proportion, affected not with an Acide, but Saltish Taste; and if the Aliment be Lodged too great a time in the Ventricle, it rather resembleth a stinking than sou∣rish Smell, not unlike that of the grosser Excrements belonging to the Inte∣stines.

Learned Moebius giveth an Account of a young Dormouse, about a fort∣night old, whose Stomach he opened, and found it empty of all Ingests, ex∣cept a white Milky Humour, of which he receiving a little into his Mouth, did affect his Tongue, not with any Sourness, but with a sharp Saline pun∣gent Taste, not unlike that of Crowfoot, or Cuckooe-pintle, which gave a disgust to his Palate for some time, though he frequently gargarized it with Water.

I have frequently tasted of a Cineritious Liquor (which I conceive to be Chyle) in the Stomachs of Skaits, Thornbacks, Pikes, and other Fish, and have found it of a high Saline, or Armoniack Taste, without the least relish of sourness, and in the Stomachs of Crabs, Lobsters, being opened, you may plainly discern the inward Coats of their Ventricles, to be highly tinged with a nitrous Saltness.

And in the Stomachs of Lambs newly killed, being cut open, plainly may be discovered a Saline, and no sour Liquor, adhaering to the inward Coat of the true Ventricle.

In a Dog opened alive, Maebius maketh mention of Chyle contained in the Ventricle, emitting a strong smell, like that of the Intestines, and having taken it into his Mouth, did savour of a Saline Taste.

And I have made trial in the Stomachs of Brutes and Men, and have disco∣vered the inward Coats of their Stomachs, affected with a succulent Mat∣ter, impregnated with Salt Particles, and not with Sour: except in Scorbu∣tick, and Hypocondriacal, and other unhealthy persons.

The serous Ferment being severed from the Blood (in the glandulous Coat of the Stomach) participates of its nature, and is impregnated with Saline Particles, as may easily be discovered by Chymical Operations made upon Blood, out of which, by Art, may be extracted a Spirit highly exalt∣ed with volatil Saline Atomes; and also out of variety of Alimentary Li∣quor it self, in divers sorts of Milk, may be extracted by Chymistry, great quantities of volatil Salt; whereupon it may be easily evinced, both by the Ali∣mentary Liquor it self in divers sorts of Milk, wherein may be extracted by Chy∣mistry, great quantities of volatil Salt, wherein may be easily proved, both by the Alimentary Liquor, as having received Saline Particles from the Serous Liquor; and from which the Serous Juice it self being lately a part of the Blood, secerned in the Glands of the Stomach, which doth retaine the Elements of the Blood, and participates of its plentiful Saline Particles, which being transmitted with their vehicle, the Serous Juyce through the Terminations of the Caeliack Ar∣teries, do penetrate the Body of Aliment, reposed in the Bosom of the Sto∣mach, and by loosening its Compage, do assist the Concoction of the Ventricle.

Notes

• Serous Liquor severed from the Blood, is a Ferment, in order to Con∣coction.
• The Antients conceived an acide Juyce to be transmit∣ted by the Vas breve in∣to the Sto∣mach.
• Quercetan as∣signeth the production of Chyle to fa∣melick, hun∣gry, and thir∣sty Spirits.
• Modern Phy∣sicians assign serous Liquor. to be ministe∣rial to Chy∣lification.
• Acidity is on∣ly an imper∣fect degree of Concoction, which when perfected, is rather sweet.
• Soure belch∣ings, the ef∣fect of an ill Concoction.
• The Chyle is often embodi∣ed in the Sto∣mach, with acide Recre∣ments, the reliques of a former Con∣coction.
• Acidity is a fusion of sa∣line Eliments, as in the fer∣mentation of Vegetables.
• The serous Liquor con∣veyed to the cavity of the Stomach, is not acted with Acide, but Saline parts.
• The Sto∣machs of Fish, in point of Concoction, are endued, not with Acide, but Saline Parti∣cles.
• The Stomach in Scorbu∣tick, and Hy∣pocondriacal Distempers is affected with four Hu∣mors.