On the 25th of November he weighed 1 cwt. 1 qr. 12 lbs. 4 oz., having gained in the interval 1 lb. 14 oz. Michael Griffiths, on the 18th of November, cwt. qr. lbs. oz. before the experiment, weighed 1 1 14 10 after the experiment 1 1 12 2 having lost 0 0 2 8 On the 25th of November, before the experiment, he weighed 1 cwt. 1 qr. 15 lbs. 8oz., having gained 14 oz.; but on the 3rd of June he weighed 1 cwt. 1 qr. 8 lbs. 8 oz., having lost between the 18th of November and the 3rd of June, 6 lbs. 2 oz. 896. John Kenny, on the 18th of November, cwt. lbs. oz. before the experiment, weighed 1 26 10 after the experiment 1 24 1 having lost 0 2 9 On June the 3rd he weighed 1 cwt. 22 lbs. 2oz., having gained in the interval 4 lbs. 8 oz. 897. Bryan Glynon, November 18th, cwt. qr. lbs. oz. before the experiment, weighed 1 1 0 4 after the experiment 1 0 24 1 having lost 0 0 4 3 On the 3rd of June he weighed 1 cwt. 27 lbs., having lost 1 lb. 4 oz. 898. Thus, in the course of their ordinary occupation, these men are in the habit of losing from 2 lbs. to 5 lbs. and upwards twice a-day; yet, when weighed at distant intervals, it is found that some have actually gained in weight and others have lost only a few pounds; it follows that the activity of the daily absorption must be proportionate to that of the daily transpiration. 899. According to the prevalent opinion, the liver is the cause of a large proportion of the maladies which afflict and destroy human life. It certainly exercises an important influence over health and disease, the true reason of which is but little understood by those who attribute most to its agency. 900. The liver is an organ of digestion and an organ of excretion. It is an organ of digestion in a two-fold mode: 1. By the secretion of a peculiar fluid, through the direct action of which chyme is converted into chyle. The several phenomena attending this operation have been fully described (668 _et seq._). 2. By subjecting alimentary matters which have been partly acted on by the stomach and intestines to a second digestion.