The stomach and its difficulties / by Sir James Eyre.

  • Eyre, James, Sir, 1792-1857.
Date:
1856
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The stomach and its difficulties / by Sir James Eyre. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    his teeth and the structure of his digestive ap- paratus. It is true that many instances have occurred of individuals who have lived to old ag-e without ever tasting meat—the late Sir Richard Phillips^ Sheriff of London, Dr. Lamb,* and others. John Hunter, it is recorded, fed an eagle entirely on vegetable, and a sheep on ani- mal food; and yet life and apparent health were sustained. Rabbits, if kept flisting a long time, will eat meat greedily. The teeth, however, were no doubt intended by our Creator to be our main guide on this point. Animals which are destined to be supported by aliment of a mixed character have teeth adapted to the minute division of flesh ; and also such as belong to the vegetable-eating tribes. It would seem best, therefore, to adopt the evident design of our structure, and acquiesce humbly in the course pointed out by nature, and justified by common sense ;—inasmuch as the food, whether animal or vegetable, or both, requiring much commix- ture (or its due digestion, there are salival manu- factories, so to say, established, one on each side of tlie face and under the jaw, which abundantly * The ddctor died, ])rciri;iturcly, as 1 must believe, at (■iglity-threc. li 2
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