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. XXXI. Of the manner of Chylification.

HAving Discoursed somewhat in the precedent Chapter of the Matter, Meat and Drink, as the Materia substrata, out of which the milky Humour is generated in the Stomach, it may now seem agreeable to me∣thod, to speak a little how Chylification is modelled, of the manner how Chyle is produced in the Stomach.

The Antients have given their Sentiments, as Praxagorus, Empedocles, which Hyppocrates seemeth to back With his Suffrage in his Book, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sectione Quinta, speaking of a Lientery, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, The Lientery doth throw off the Meat not putrified, and moist, not painful, whereupon the Body decayeth, and a few lines after, this great Author doth seem farther to assert this Hypothesis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And therefore when it is produced, (meaning a Lientery,) the Meat is cooled and moistened, and a quick dis∣mission made of the not putrified Aliment: whence this inference may seem to be made, that if an ill, or rather no Concoction of the Stomach (which the Antients called improperly a Lientery, or smoothness of the Guts, the Meat is over-hastily expelled the confines of the Stomach unputrified; where∣upon it may be conceived, * 1.1 that if the Meat had been longer entertained in the Ventricle, it would have acquired a putrefaction. But I beg pardon for this apprehension, because I conceive we are bound in Duty, to receive the sense of the Antients with Candor, and then the words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, being not taken strictly (which I humbly conceive) was the true sense of our great Master Hyppocrates, do signifie Meat unconcocted, in which, little

or no separation of parts was made by natural Heat, exciting the Ferments of the Stomach to a Concoction of the Aliment.

Learned Dr. Highmore seemeth to concur with Hypocrates, * 1.2 in his sense re∣lating to the manner of Digestion, in his Third Chapter De Ventriculo. Verum∣enimvero nondum nobis constat, cur non calore tantum humido, hoc est menstruo proprio, animae tanquam instrumento, opus hoc perficiatur; cum coctio nihil aliud sit quam putrefactio & partium separatio. But notwithstanding it doth not ap∣pear to us, (saith the Learned Author) why this Work is not accomplish∣ed by moist Heat only (as a proper Menstruum) the instrument of the Soul, when Concoction is nothing else but a putrefaction and separation of parts. And this his Assertion concerning the work of Nature, he endeavoureth to Illustrate by the operations of Art. Adhaec in administrationibus Chymicis, hoc solummodo efficiente, calore scilicet in corpore humido in particulas corporis insinu∣ante, producatur, ut in maceratione, digestione, putrefactione, & fermentatione, quibus operationibus, a calore humido, mistum aliquo modo dissolvitur, vel compage naturali soluta, ad artificialem aptius redditur, quae operationes in omni separatione, vel singulae, vel altera earum permittuntur.

Furthermore, This Learned Author affirmeth in Chymical Operations, this may be produced by Heat, working only in a moist Body, insinuating it self into inward recesses of it, as in Maceration, Digestion, Putrefaction, and Fermentation, by which operations the mixed Body is after a manner dissolv'd in a moist Heat, as its natural Compage is loosened, which is most fitly resembled to Art, whose Administrations, either all (or one of them) are premised in every operation.

Ingenious Vanhelmont (as I humbly conceive, being a person of greater Fancy than Judgment) granteth the same putrefaction in order to Chylifi∣cation, though upon more improbable terms; saying in his Book, De Spi∣ritu Vitae, page 576. In nobis autem etsi cibus cum potu quadantenus putrescant (nimirum ista putredo est modus, atque medium transmutandae rei in rem, atta∣men in digestionibus nostris, per ejusmodi putrefactionem, actionemque fermenti lienari, non educitur ex oleribus, leguminibus, frumentalibus, aut pomis, spi∣ritibus aquae vitae: Siquidem naturae nostrae intentio, non est sibi procreare aquam vitae, verum longe aliud in nobis est Fermentum, quo res resolvuntur in Chylum, at∣que aliud, quo res putrescant, atque separantur in aquam vitae. But though Meat and Drink do after a manner putrify in us (to wit, that putrefaction is a kind of transmutation of one thing into another) yet in our Digestions, the Spirit of the Water of Life is not extracted out of Pot-Herbs, Pulse, Corn, Apples, by the same putrefaction, and action of a Fer∣ment derived from the Spleen, because the designe of our Nature is not to procreate for it self a Water of Life, but a far different Ferment in us, by which things are resolved into Chyle; and another, by which things do putrify, and are separated for the Water of Life.

Here the witty Author doth plainly hold, that Meat and Drink are re∣solved by putrefaction, in reference to Concoction, and that the Vital Spi∣rit is not immediately produced out of divers sorts of Aliments in the Sto∣mach by putrefaction, and action of the Ferment, relating to the Spleen, by which the nourishment is resolved into Chyle; and another Ferment, by which the alimentary Liquor doth putrifie, and is separated from the Liquor of Life: and here he plainly affirmeth, that Meat and Drink are turned in∣to Chyle, and Chyle into Blood (which he stileth, as I conceive, the Wa∣ter of Life) by putrefaction, telling a little after: Tot nempe esse, Fermenta

Digestiva specifica, tot putrefactionum varietate, that there are many speci∣fick digestive Ferments, as there are distinctions of putrefactions.

In order to make a Reply to the improbability of this opinion, it may be reasonable to give an account of the nature of putrefaction, which Aristotle thus defineth, lib. 4. meteorum, cap. primo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: That putrefaction is a corruption of the proper and natural Heat, existing in a moist Body by extraneous Heat is Lodg∣ed in an ambient Body.

This definition doth comprehend in it, * 1.3 all the terms of a perfect demon∣stration, wherein it doth demonstrate the proper Affection to be in a proper Subject, by a proper Cause. The proper Subject is a moist Body, for nothing is capable of putrefaction, but under the notion of moisture, and the Cause is ambient Heat, which is not only seated in the Elements of Air and Wa∣ter, but in every Body, encircling another within its warm embraces, which may give a trouble to its inward native Heat, by rendring it too intense and unkindly; so that in fine, putrefaction is a corruption of the natural Heat, so far destructive of the material dispositions of the Body, that it cannot entertain its more active and noble Principle, as its ultimate perfection, which is con∣founded by extraneous Heat.

Whereupon, according to this definition of Aristotle, if the natural Heat and inward Principles of the Aliment be corrupted by the ambient Heat of the Stomach, and neighbouring parts; the viscera, and the different operations of the various Ferments corrupting the body of the Nourishment, lodged in the Ventricle; * 1.4 it must necessarily induce such depraved Dispositions into the ali∣mentary Liquor, which are inconsistent with the support of the mass of Blood, as it is compounded of pure Spirituous, Sulphurous, and Saline Particles, great enemies to putrefaction, and can in no wise be subservient to nutricion (as foetide and putride) which is sustained by sweet, and well tempered parts of Chyle and Blood, and nervous Liquor, and not by putrid degenerate Mat∣ter, the result of an unnatural Heat, and ill qualified Ferments in the Sto∣mach.

Wherefore it is requisite to preserve the select Oeconomy of Nature, * 1.5 well instituted by our Glorious Maker, that the Heat of the Stomach, and adjoyn∣ing parts, assisting it, should be Soft, Delicate, and Natural, holding Ana∣logy with the temper of the Aliment, and so gently sever the Alimentary parts from the excrementitious, not at all affecting them with noisom putride qualities; because if the Meat and Drink be corrupted in the Stomach, it can∣not contribute any proper wholsome dispositions, for the support of Strength, Health, and Life; by reason the putride qualities of the Chyle, when recei∣ved by the lacteal Vessels into the subclavean, and from thence transmitted by the Cava, into the Right Chamber of the Heart, must necessarily create un∣natural Fermentations in it, causing Fevers, Inflammations of the Lungs, Pleu∣risies, and the Plague it self, and many other Epidemial Diseases.

Farthermore, it is so contrary to all Reason, that Nature should contrive an ill constituted, and a putrid principle of Chyle, which being the foun∣dation of Blood, and nervous Liquor, would ruine all the operations of Life, Sense, Motion, and Generation, in disposing the Organs (in which the nobler and meaner Faculties reside) with impure and noisome qualifica∣tions, so that they cannot exercise their Functions, which would speedily speak a period to the subsistence of Man, and other inferior Animals.

Wherefore I conceive it not rational to believe, that the Concoction of Meat and Drink in the Stomach, should be performed by any Putrescent Fermentation, which tendeth to a state of Corruption, when the principles of the Body are disunited, and the bond of Mixtion united by some unna∣tural heat, and ill qualified Ferment, and the Intestine Motion endeth in the Dissolution, and Putrefaction of the Body.

But on the other side, the Elaboration of the Alimentary Liquor, * 1.6 is ac∣complished by a Perfective Fermentation, which is not founded in Corrup∣tion, but exaltation of the Concocted Liquor, separated from its gross Faeces, by a gentle natural heat of the Stomach, and nearly confining parts, and by laudable Ferments, well proportioned to the nature of the Ali∣ment.

The Intestine Motion, by which the Alimentary Liquor is rendred pure, * 1.7 and not putrid, doth not exactly answer the Fermentation relating to the Juyces of Fruits, as Wine, Sider, Perry, and the like; nor to the Fermen∣tation of artificial Liquors of Ale, Beer, &c.

And though Unctuous Substances, as Butter, Oyl, and Fat of Meat, and other Sulphureous Liquors, are immitted into the Retort of the Ventricle, * 1.8 yet they do not vitiate the Intestine Motion of a well qualified Stomach, in reference to Concoction; whereas if you inject Lard, or any other fat Flesh, or other Unctuous Liquor, into Vessels filled with New Wine, Ale, or Beer, the Must is checked in its too high Ebullition, by quelling the acti∣vity of the Ferments, which doth preserve the sweetness of the Wine, which it first obtained in the Must: And I conceive it very difficult for a Chymist, though very Skilful, to raise a Fermentation in Fat and Oily Bodies.

Again, By adding Salt of Tartar, or other Salts, we take off, * 1.9 or hinder at least the Fermentation of Wines, and do refine them by the Precipita∣tion of their Faeces; but we daily eat Salt with our Meats, to render it more Savory and Pallatable, which no way spoileth, nor giveth allay to the Fermentation of the Stomach, in point of Chylification; which is farther evident in good Stomachs, which easily digest Salt-Meats, as Hung Beef, salt Pork, Herrings, Ling, Salt-Fish, and this salt Flesh or Fish, some Stomachs will more easily Concoct, then some fresh Flesh or Fish; which I conceive, proceedeth from proper Ferments of the Ventricle, more easily dissolving Salt, then Fresh-Meats.

Though the Serous Liquor of the Blood is impraegnated, not with acid, * 1.10 but saline Particles, yet Vinegar (whose essence is founded in Salt, brought to a Fluor) besprinkling and impraegnating Herbs, made of variety of sa∣vory parts, as also cold Meat, with their acid Particles, doth not give a disturbance to the Fermentation of the Stomach, by reason those acid parts being exalted by the natural heat, and proper Ferments of the Stomach, do acquire a sweetness, when they are turned into Chyle.

The Fermentation in the Juyces of Fruit, Corn, and the like, * 1.11 made by arti∣ficial Ferments, doth raise up the subjects fermented, to greater Dimensions, whence it being puffed up, doth possess a larger place then before; wherefore, if the Intestine Motion of the Stomach, doth in some sort run parallel, in like∣ness with artificial Fermentation, then the Cavity of the Stomach must be much enlarged, and puffed up, and the Abdomen and Face, and other parts, must be swelled in this strong Fermentation, which is not agreeable to the Stomach, and other parts of Mans Body: But this Fermentation of Vegetables, doth not suit with a Humane Stomach, which is acted with a soft heat, and kindly

Ferments, making no intumescence in our Bodies, as is made in the artificial Fermentations of Fruit, and the like.

Liquors in these Fermentations, being made hot, receive an allay by the mixture of cold Water, which disorders the Intestine Motion in artificial, but not in natural Fermentations, and in that of our Stomachs; in which though the Intestine Motion hath begun its Course, yet we please our selves in large draughts of Small-beer, * 1.12 which do no way disturb, but rather promote our Con∣coction, in diluting the more solid Meat with fluid Liquor, which doth ren∣der it soft, and more apt to have its Alimentary Juice extracted; and sometimes we take off our Cups freely in the beginning, sometimes in the middle, and other times in the close of our Repast, without the violation of Nature, in order to the digestion of Aliments.

Whereupon it is most evident by the Premises, * 1.13 that the Intestine Motion of our Stomach, is very different from the Fermentation of other Vegetable Juices: And when we drink freely of Wine in the Must, and other Liquors not defaecated from their Lees by a due Fermentation, they raise an unkindly Intestine Motion in our Stomach, and Intestines, and spoil our Concoction, often attended with great Pains and Gripes of the Stomach and Bowels, and large Evacuations upward and downward, of bilious and acid Humours, and gross Excrements.

Furthermore, * 1.14 Plants and Seeds after Fermentation, retain somewhat of the same Figure, in the Still which they had before Distillation, and chiefly change their more noble and volatil parts, which they impart to the extra∣cted Waters and Spirits, but Aliment when it is elaborated in the Sto∣mach, doth not only part with its more Spirituous Particles, but with its out∣ward form too, in the production of Chyle.

Upon this account, * 1.15 some do seem to be of an opinion, That in the Conco∣ction of Aliment, it doth not only receive alterative Impressions, and acci∣dental Changes, by vertue of the heat and Ferment of the Stomach, but puts on a new substance, specifically and essentially different from the for∣mer, which seemeth very difficult (if strictly taken) to be allowed as abso∣lutely true, by reason the Meat is not wholly changed into Chyle; and thereupon the dispute is not whether a part be disunited from the whole, or whether the Colliquated parts of the extracted Tincture, do specifically dif∣fer from those parts, which before were united to the whole, but whether the Chyle be essentially distinguished from that body, out of which it was lately produced; and here the Controversie is not of the previous dispositions, but of a substantial mutation of the Alimentary Liquor.

To which may be replied, That many things received into the Stomach, are liable to a substantial Mutation, before they are discharged the Intestines, whose grosser Recrements very probably do essentially differ from the Ali∣ment first entertained in the Stomach: So that these Recrements, which are thrown off as disserviceable to Nutricion, are affected with a substantial change by the power of Concoction, and much more (some may say) are those things altered in their Substance, which are prepared for the nourish∣ment and support of the Body. But the Consequence drawn from this Ar∣gument is lame, by reason the alimentary parts of the Meat, are refined only as receiving more excellent Dispositions, which are different only acciden∣tally, according to more perfect and higher degrees of Qualities; but the Excrements severed from the Aliment, as unprofitable for Nourishment, do lose their whole Nature, and degenerate into Corruption, essentially diffe∣rent from the preexistent Aliment, before it received any Concoction.

So that the Stomach in the Concoction of Chyle, is master of a double Operation: The one Perfective, in reference to the extraction of Alimen∣tary Liquor, which is the primary design of Nature; and the other Corrup∣tive, (and ministerial only to the former action of the Ventricle) which is effected by putrefaction and separation of the reliques of Concoction, which are discharged by the strong contraction of Fibres, lessening the Ca∣vity of the Stomach, and by consequence do turning the Excrements out of the Ventricle into the Guts.

Whereupon the Elaboration of the Nutricious Juice, * 1.16 is first performed by Fermentation, when the more Spirituous and Volatil parts, are freed from the confinement of the more gross and crude, and afterward transmitted into the Lacteal Vessels. While the Aliment is despoiled of its delicate Particles, then Nature is sollicited to sever the Faeces from the more pure parts, which is the second work of Fermentation in order of Nature, and not of Time, because in the same moment, they are both accomplished; both the perfective Fermentation of the Alimentary Liquor, and the Corruptive of the Excrements, wherein a fusion is made of the saline Elements of the Meat, which being highly exalted, the Mass groweth acid, and the alimentary parts are first Colliquated, and afterward a Tincture (diluted with the Potulent Matter) is extracted: and last of all, in the order of Na∣ture, the Excrements, the gross, earthy, saline, and sulphureous parts, are separated from the more refined Alimentary, and transmitted to the Inte∣stines.

And now that we may give a more clear account of the manner of Pro∣duction, relating to Chyle, the Stomach seemeth to resemble an Alembick, * 1.17 as it were set in Balneo Mariae, warmed with the heat of the Blood, flowing into the Ventricle, from all the adjacent parts: And as in Chymical Opera∣tions, the Destillation is performed by a moist heat, as by a proper Men∣struum, insinuating it self into the Pores of the Ingredients, in order to be Destilled. As in Maceration, Digestion, Fermentation, by which Artifi∣cial Administration, the mixture is first prepared, and afterward in some manner dissolved by a moist heat, encompassing its Compage in the Still.

And as in Destillation, the Oily and Spirituous Particles are easily extra∣cted after Maceration and Digestion, which determine in the separation of one part from another; The Chymist, that he might the better Extract out of Plants, Spirits, Oyls, Essences, doth first Infuse them in a moist heat, as in a proper Menstruum, that he might sever the more refined parts from the more gross: And so after some sort, the Concoction of the Sto∣mach, may be likened to Destillation, as it is assisted by the moist heat of the Blood, which doth help to enlarge the Pores of the Aliment, and open its Compage, that the Ferments of the Stomach, may more easi∣ly penetrate into the body of the Meat and Drink, acted with moist Colli∣quating heat.

The Meat being broken into small Particles, * 1.18 by Mastication in the Mouth, is then embodied with Salival Liquor (flowing out of the Parotides, Tonsils, and Oral Glands) as a kind of Universal Menstruum, which con∣sisting of Saline, Sulphureous, and watry Elements (doth associate with the Aliment, composed also of Salt, Oily, and watry Particles) doth dilate, open, and relax the body of Aliment mixed with Air (often received into the Mouth by frequent inspiration, in the time of Mastication) impraegna∣ted not only with saline and oily Steams, transpiring the Pores of Vege∣tables, Animals, Minerals, but is also inspired with aethereal Atomes (ex∣alted

with the influence of the Sun, Moon, and other Planets) rendring the substance of the Air more thin and Spirituous, and its Elastick Particles most active and brisk, * 1.19 and making it more apt to insinuate it self into the inward recesses of Aliment, and to enlarge its Compage.

And when the Meat is hightned by these choice Dispositions, it is trans∣mitted from the Mouth through the Gulet into the Stomach, where it is im∣proved by various Ferments flowing out of the Terminations of the Nerves and Arteries (into the Cavity of the Stomach) which raise a Fermentation in the Meat and Drink, by exciting their contrary Elements to Intestine Motion.

The Liquor (dropping out of the Extreamities of the Nerves, into the bosome of the Stomach) is inspired with fine Animal Spirits, and exalted with Volatil Saline Particles; which being of a subtle Constitution, enobled with Spirituous parts, are easily received by secret passages, into the body of the Aliment (lodged in the Kitchin of the Stomach) affected with Inte∣stine Motion, by stirring up the contrary principles of the Nourishment.

And the Nervous Juice, is also made up of many Minute parts, adorned with various Figures, and Magnitudes, different from the solid and fluid atomes of Meat and Drink; which being endued with contrary Elements, do enter into fight with each other, and by opposite Manners, and processes of Operation, do bring their disagreeing Tempers, by a middle allay, to an amicable Reconciliation, consistent with each others subdued Nature.

And the Nervous Liquor doth also associate with the Serous Juice (flow∣ing gently out of the Extreamities of the Arteries) separated from the Red Crassament of the Blood, in the Glandulous Coat of the Stomach; and this Serous Liquor, * 1.20 being acted with various saline and oily Principles, received from the Blood, is conveyed into the Ventricle, wherein divers Ferments (compounded of different Minute Heterogeneous parts, of various shapes and sizes) do reduce into act, the several Elements of Meat and Drink, whose parts are opened by Volatil, Saline, and elastick Atomes of divers Ferments; whereupon the gross, and fixed Saline, and sulphureous parts of the Aliment, are put into Fusion, and being further attenuated, and ex∣alted, are brought to maturity, as being rendred more subtle, and spiritu∣ous, and the more solid Atomes of the Meat being diluted, with the wa∣try parts of a potulent Matter, are prepared, and colliquated by a moist Heat (derived from warm Blood) extracting a White creamy Liquor, which is severed by a kind of precipitation from the more faeculent parts, (as disserviceable to the Body) in order to give a due Repair to the decayed mass of Blood, exhausted by a free and constant transpiration through the finest passages of the Skin.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Meat is Con∣cocted in the Stomach-without Cor∣ruption and Putrefaction.
• * 1.2

  Dr. High∣more's opini∣on, that Con∣coction is a putrefaction, and separati∣on of parts.
• * 1.3

  Putrefaction is made in a moist Body, by ambient Heat, which corrupteth the natural.
• * 1.4

  The putrefa∣ction of the Aliment de∣praveth the mass of Blood.
• * 1.5

  The Excre∣mentitious parts are se∣vered from the Alimen∣tary, by a gentle Heat, not produ∣ctive of pu∣trefaction in the nourish∣men
• * 1.6

  The elabora∣tion of the Aliment is ac∣complished by a perfective not corrup∣tive Fermen∣tation.
• * 1.7

  The Intesline Motion in the extracted Aliment, re∣sembleth the Fermentation of Vegetable Juyces.
• * 1.8

  Fat substances do not hinder Concoction in a good Sto∣mach.
• * 1.9

  Salt of Tartar doth check the too high Fermentation of Wines, and precipitate their Faeces.
• * 1.10

  Acid parts turn sweet in the Stomach, as exalted by proper Fer∣ments, and a kindly heat of the Ventricle.
• * 1.11

  The Fermen∣tation of Ve∣getable Juices require a greater expan∣sion then the Intestine Mo∣tion of Ali∣ment in the Stomach.
• * 1.12

  Wine and strong Liquor assisteth the Stomach in Concoction.
• * 1.13

  The Fermen∣tation of Meat and Drink in the Stomach, is different from that of Vegetable Juices.
• * 1.14

  Vegetables retain some∣what of their form after De∣stillation, but Aliment loo∣seth it in Con∣coction.
• * 1.15

  Meat recei∣veth a new substance in Concoction, as some are of an opinion.
• * 1.16

  The Fermen∣tation is dou∣ble in Conce∣ction: The first perfective in the extra∣ction of the Alimentary Tincture. The second corruptive in point of Ex∣crements, the reliques of Concoction.
• * 1.17

  The manner how Chyle is produced, as holding analo∣gy with ope∣rations of Art in Chymistry.
• * 1.18

  The Ferment of Meat masti∣cated in the Mouth, is Sali∣val Liquor in∣spired with airy and aethe∣thereal Atoms.
• * 1.19

  The Meat in the Stomach is exalted by Nervous and Serous Li∣quors.
• * 1.20

  The Alimen∣tary Liquor is extracted by Ferments, and afterward the Faeces are se∣parated by a kind of pre∣cipitation.