ON THE ACID OF MILK. 73 



5thly, I macerated in water what was not dissolved by the 

 alcohol, filtered the liquor, concentrated it by evaporation, 

 and distilled it with phosphoric acid. By these means I col- 

 lected in the receiver a fluid, which possessed all the proper- 

 ties of acetous acid. 



It follows then, from the various experiments I have de- General con- 

 scribed, 1st, that urine probably contains no free phosphoric 

 acid* but that there is to be found in it, as well as in the 

 milk and sweat, acetous acid. 2dly, That the sweat con- 

 tains, beside this, a great deal of water, some muriate of 

 soda, a small quantity of animal matter, and some traces of 

 oxide of iron and phosphate of lime. 



It is probable, that the acetous acid exists in several other Acetous arid 



substances. Several observations lead me to believe, that probabiy 1 ex ! st3 



' . in several other 



it would be found in cantharides: the analogy of thebombic substances, 

 and formic acids with vinegar have already been suspected : 

 and I would almost venture, to generalize this idea, and say, 

 that it exists in almost all animals, as in the sap of almost perhaps in 

 all vegetables: at least we may affirm, that of all the acids 

 its formation costs nature least; its principles having such a Most easily 

 tendency to unite, that we can scarcely ever disturb the * ormed - 

 equilibrium of the molecules of organized substances, with- 

 out producing more or less of it. If the decomposition be 

 rapid, acetous acid is formed; if slow, it is formed still: 

 Avitness the distillation of vegetable and animal substances, 

 their treatment by nitric and by oxigenized muriatic acid, 

 their spontaneous decomposition, and their transformation 

 into vegetable mould oradipocire. 



In cases of indigestion it is known, that the food becomes Formed in iu~ 

 ncid, and this too is owing to acetous acid. In several cir- d, S estl0U ' 

 cumstances however, its production has not yet been tho- 

 roughly appreciated : it remains to be seen, whether it exist Farther inqui- 

 in the milk of all kinds of animals; whether it be found in riesi,,tended * 

 the sweat of all, and whether the sweat of different animals 

 be identical; and lastly, whether it be not in the state of 

 acetate in such urine as is alkaline. This is an inquiry which 

 I propose to undertake, and the results of which 1 shall sub- 

 mit to the judgment of the Institute, if they prove worthy 

 its attention. 



XIV. 



