CHAPTER XXII

Of the Ostrich.

The common opinion of the _Ostrich_, _Struthiocamelus_ or _Sparrow-Camel_ conceives that it digesteth Iron; and this is confirmed by the affirmations of many; beside swarms of others, _Rhodiginus_ in his prelections taketh it for granted, _Johannes Langius_ in his Epistles pleadeth experiment for it; the common picture also confirmeth it, which usually describeth this Animal with an horshoe in its mouth. Notwithstanding upon enquiry we find it very questionable, and the negative seems most reasonably entertained; whose verity indeed we do the rather desire, because hereby we shall relieve our ignorance of one occult quality; for in the list thereof it is accounted, and in that notion imperiously obtruded upon us. For my part, although I have had the sight of this Animal, I have not had the opportunity of its experiment, but have received great occasion of doubt, from learned discourses thereon.

For _Aristotle_ and _Oppianus_ who have particularly treated hereof are silent in this singularity; either omitting it as dubious, or as the Comment saith, rejecting it as fabulous. _Pliny_ speaketh generally, affirming only, the digestion is wonderful in this Animal; _Ælian_ delivereth, that it digesteth stones without any mention of Iron; _Leo Africanus_, who lived in those Countries wherein they most abound, speaketh diminutively, and but half way into this assertion: _Surdum ac simplex animal est, quicquid invenit, absque delectu, usque ad ferrum devorat_: _Fernelius_ in his second _De abditis rerum causis_, extenuates it, and _Riolanus_ in his Comment thereof positively denies it. Some have experimentally refuted it, as _Albertus Magnus_; and most plainly _Ulysses Aldrovandus_, whose words are these: _Ego ferri frusta devorare, dum Tridenti essem, observavi, sed quæ incocta rursus excerneret_, that is, at my being at Trent, I observed the _Ostrich_ to swallow Iron, but yet to exclude it undigested again.

Now beside experiment, it is in vain to attempt against it by Philosophical argument, it being an occult quality, which contemns the law of Reason, and defends it self by admitting no reason at all. [SN: _How_ (_possibly_) _the stomack of the_ Ostrich _may alter Iron_.] As for its possibility we shall not at present dispute; nor will we affirm that Iron ingested, receiveth in the stomack of the _Ostrich_ no alteration at all; but if any such there be, we suspect this effect rather from some way of corrosion, then any of digestion; not any liquid reduction or tendance to chilification by the power of natural heat, but rather some attrition from an acide and vitriolous humidity in the stomack, which may absterse and shave the scorious parts thereof. So rusty Iron crammed down the throat of a Cock, will become terse and clear again in its gizzard: So the Counter which according to the relation of _Amatus_ remained a whole year in the body of a youth, and came out much consumed at last; might suffer this diminution, rather from sharp and acide humours, then the strength of natural heat, as he supposeth. So silver swallowed and retained some time in the body, will turn black, as if it had been dipped in _Aqua fortis_, or some corrosive water, but Lead will remain unaltered; for that mettal containeth in it a sweet salt or sugar, whereby it resisteth ordinary corrosion, and will not easily dissolve even in _Aqua fortis_. So when for medical uses, we take down the filings of Iron or Steel, we must not conceive it passeth unaltered from us; for though the grosser parts be excluded again, yet are the dissoluble parts extracted, whereby it becomes effectual in deopilations; and therefore for speedier operation we make extinctions, infusions, and the like, whereby we extract the salt and active parts of the Medicine; which being in solution, more easily enter the veins. [SN: _What the Chymists would have by their_ Aurum Potabile.] And this is that the Chymists mainly drive at in the attempt of their _Aurum Potabile_; that is, to reduce that indigestible substance into such a form as may not be ejected by siege, but enter the cavities, and less accessible parts of the body, without corrosion.

The ground of this conceit is its swallowing down fragments of Iron, which men observing, by a froward illation, have therefore conceived it digesteth them; which is an inference not to be admitted, as being a fallacy of the consequent, that is, concluding a position of the consequent, from the position of the antecedent. For many things are swallowed by Animals, rather for condiment, gust or medicament, then any substantial nutriment. So Poultrey, and especially the Turkey, do of themselves take down stones; and we have found at one time in the gizzard of a Turkey no less then seven hundred. Now these rather concur unto digestion, then are themselves digested; for we have found them also in the guts and excrements; but their descent is very slow, for we have given them stones and small pieces of Iron, which eighteen days after we have found remaining in the gizzard. And therefore the experiment of _Langius_ and others might be fallible, whilst after the taking they expected it should come down within a day or two after. [SN: _How Cherry-stones may be thought to prevent surfets upon eating Cherries._] Thus also we swallow Cherry-stones, but void them unconcocted, and we usually say they preserve us from surfet; for being hard bodies they conceive a strong and durable heat in the stomack, and so prevent the crudities of their fruit: And upon the like reason do culinary operators observe, that flesh boiles best, when the bones are boiled with it. Thus dogs will eat grass, which they digest not: Thus Camels to make the water sapid, do raise the mud with their feet: Thus horses will knable at walls, Pigeons delight in salt stones. Rats will gnaw iron, and _Aristotle_ saith the Elephant swalloweth stones. And thus may also the _Ostrich_ swallow Iron; not as his proper aliment, but for the ends above expressed, and even as we observe the like in other Animals.

And whether these fragments of Iron and hard substances swallowed by the _Ostrich_, have not also that use in their stomacks, which they have in other birds; that is, in some way to supply the use of teeth, by commolition, grinding and compression of their proper aliment, upon the action of the strongly conformed muscles of the stomack; as the honor'd Dr. _Harvey_ discourseth, may also be considered.

What effect therefore may be expected from the stomack of an _Ostrich_ by application alone to further digestion in ours, beside the experimental refute of _Galen_, we refer it unto considerations above alledged; Or whether there be any more credit to be given unto the Medicine of _Ælian_, who affirms the stones they swallow have a peculiar vertue for the eyes, then that of _Hermolaus_ and _Pliny_ drawn from the urine of this Animal; let them determine who can swallow so strange a transmission of qualities, or believe that any Bird or flying Animal doth separately and distinctly urine beside the Bat.

That therefore an _Ostrich_ will swallow and take down Iron, is easily to be granted: that oftimes it pass entire away, if we admit of ocular testimony not to be denied. And though some experiment may also plead, that sometimes they are so altered, as not to be found or excluded in any discernable parcels: yet whether this be not effected by some way of corrosion, from sharp and dissolving humidities, rather then any proper digestion, chilifactive mutation, or alimental conversion, is with good reason doubted.