“I distinguish the Six Senses by the character of noxious and innocent. The first three, Thinking—Seeing—and Hearing—are the innocent. The last three, Feeling—Tasting—and Smelling—the noxious.
“I pursue Happiness, or systematic pleasurable sensation, in the cultivation of the first class—and in the control of the latter.”—See the Life of John Stewart the Traveller, p. 12.
[114] “I took two pieces of Mutton, each weighing 45 grains, and having chewed one as much as I used to chew my food—enclosed them in two separate spheres—and swallowed them at the same time—these tubes were voided at the same time—of the masticated meat there remained only 4 grains—of the other there were 18 left.”
“The necessity of Mastication is sufficiently known—there is perhaps no person who has not, some time or other, suffered from Indigestion, for want of having chewed his food properly. The reason is obvious. Not to mention the saliva which moistens the food, and predisposes it to be dissolved, it cannot be doubted, that when it is reduced to pieces by the action of the Teeth, the gastric fluid penetrates, and attacking it at more points, dissolves it more speedily than when it was whole. This is true of menstrua in general, which always dissolve bodies sooner when they have been previously broken to pieces. This is also the reason why, in other experiments, masticated bread and dressed flesh were more readily dissolved than unchewed bread and raw flesh. The boiling had made it tenderer, and consequently disposed it to allow ingress to the gastric fluid.”—Spallanzani on Digestion, vol. i. p. 277.
[115] In no branch of the practice of Physic, is there more Dangerous Quackery, than in this department—the only means we can furnish our friends with to avoid this—is to recommend them to apply to a scientific Dentist of acknowledged integrity and experience.—Our own Mouth is under considerable obligations to Mr. Edmonds, of Conduit Street, Hanover Square.
[116] “Slave-dealers are well acquainted with the characteristic signs of perfect Health—any defect of which much diminishes the value of a Slave. The want of a Tooth makes a Slave worth two Dollars less.”—Finke’s Medical Geography, vol. i. p. 449.