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Aristotle - On The Parts Of Animals
Atec Февраль 16 2008 20:01:06
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. It is the case
also in oviparous quadrupeds, where the spleen is excessively
minute, and in many of the scaly fishes. These same animals are also
without a bladder, because the loose texture of their flesh allows the
residual fluid to pass through and to be applied to the formation of
feathers and scales. For the spleen attracts the residual humours from
the stomach, and owing to its bloodlike character is enabled to assist
in their concoction. Should, however, this residual fluid be too
abundant, or the heat of the spleen be too scanty, the body becomes
sickly from over-repletion with nutriment. Often, too, when the spleen
is affected by disease, the belly becomes hard owing to the reflux
into it of the fluid; just as happens to those who form too much
urine, for they also are liable to a similar diversion of the fluids
into the belly. But in those animals that have but little
superfluous fluid to excrete, such as birds and fishes, the spleen
is never large, and in some exists no more than by way of token. So
also in the oviparous quadrupeds it is small, compact, and like a
kidney. For their lung is spongy, and they drink but little, and
such superfluous fluid as they have is applied to the growth of the
body and the formation of scaly plates, just as in birds it is applied
to the formation of feathers.
On the other hand, in such animals as have a bladder, and whose lung
contains blood, the spleen is watery, both for the reason already
mentioned, and also because the left side of the body is more watery
and colder than the right
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