844 



SWEAT. 



sweat, he found [22'9 of these fixed saline 

 matters. 



But little is known concerning the sweat of 

 the lower animals. Fourcroy analysed the 

 white powder which hangs to the coat of the 

 horse when sweat has dried upon it ; he de- 

 tected urea in that substance, but Anselmino 

 could not. According to the latter chemist, 

 the white matter is made up of the following 

 constituents : 



1. A substance of acid reaction, with an 

 alkaline lactate or acetate. 



2. Extractive matter possessing the odour 

 of the animal ; and chloride of sodium. 



3. A brown extractive matter soluble in 

 water and precipitable by infusion of 

 galls. Alkaline chloride and sulphate. 



The ash consisted of alkaline sulphates 

 and chlorides, but no carbonates or phos- 

 phates ; phosphate of lime and magnesia, 

 with traces of oxide of iron. 



Sweat in disease, The sweat in disease 

 has been submitted to examination in a very 

 unsatisfactory manner, but few analyses 

 having been made. Dr. Piutti, of Elgerslnirg, 

 made analyses of the sweat obtained from 

 three patients who were undergoing the water 

 cure, and obtained the following results : 



,1. Patient suffering from chronic gout, 



sp. gravity of the sweat 1003'5. 

 Water - - 995'5 



Chloride of sodium - 3'0 



Phosphate of ammonia - '5 



Acetate of ammonia - - '5 



Hydrosulphate of ammonia - a trace 

 Extractive matters '5 



1000- 



2. Patient the subject of gout during six 

 years, sp. gravity of the sweat 1004. 

 Water - 993'0 



Chloride of sodium - - 4*0 



Phosphate of ammonia - - - 8 

 Acetate of ammonia - - O'G 

 Hydrosulphate of ammonia - a trace 

 Extractive matters - - 1'6 



1000- 



3. Patient suffering from paraplegia, 



otherwise healthy, sp. gravity of 

 the sweat 1003. 



Water - - 994'G 



Chloride of sodium - - 3-3 



Phosphate of ammonia - - ] 1 



Acetate of ammonia - - 0'5 



Hydrosulphate of ammonia - a trace 



Extractive matters - - O'o 



1000^ 



The animal matter possessed a green co- 

 lour in this case. Soluble in ether, but not 

 in alcohol. 



The perspiration in different forms of 

 disease possesses a peculiar odour, and many 

 very fanciful opinions have been given on this 

 point. Scabies is said to afford a mouldy 

 odour; jaundice is musky, and syphilis 



sweet. In ague, the odour of fresh-baked 

 brown bread is said to pass from the skin. 

 Stark states that the quantity of lactic acid 

 is increased in the sweat in scrofula, rhachitis, 

 and some cutaneous eruptions. 



Prout noticed an increase in the quantity 

 of salts in sweat in a case of dropsy. An 

 excess of salts has also been noticed by An- 

 selmino in a severe case of gout. It has been 

 said that in cases of gouty and urinary con- 

 cretions the quantity of phosphate of lime is 

 increased. As regards the latter form of dis- 

 ease, there is no good reason to believe the 

 opinion above stated to be true. 



A great increase of lactic acid is observed 

 in cases of rheumatism and gout ; the sweat 

 in such cases is always extremely acid. An- 

 selmino, however, states, that he has ob- 

 served the sweat after a gouty attack has 

 passed off, containing a large proportion of 

 ammonia. Anselmino and Stark state that 

 they have detected albumen in sweat ; the 

 former in rheumatic fever, the latter in gas- 

 tric, putrid, and hectic diseases, and in cases 

 generally immediately before death. Simon 

 could not detect it in sweat which he obtained 

 from the breast of a person suffering from 

 phthisis in the colliquative stage. 



Fat is also said to be found in large quan- 

 tity in colliquative sweats. Bilin and biliary 

 colouring matter, or bilipba?in, have been found 

 in the sweat of icteric persons. Berend says 

 he has observed it in bilious fevers. 



Voigtel states, that he observed blood to 

 sweat from under the arm of a young man 

 after violent exertion. Such perspiration is 

 also said to have been observed in scurvy and 

 low typhus fever. Uric acid has been found 

 in the sweat of gouty patients, probably in 

 the form of urate of soda. 



Landerer observed a red-coloured sweat 

 in a fever patient's axilla, which he believes 

 to have contained the red colouring matter 

 of the urine (uroerythrin). Blue perspira- 

 tion has been noticed by several writers. Dr. 

 Bleifuss noticed it coming from the foot of a 

 patient suffering from abdominal disease. 

 Michel noticed it in hysteria and hypochon- 

 driasis. Sugar has been detected in the per- 

 spiration of persons affected with diabetes, 

 by Nasse. Various substances used internally 

 as medicines, as articles of diet, or taken for 

 the purpose of experiment, have been recog- 

 nised in the sweat. These are, according to 

 Stark, sulphur, mercury, iodine, iodide of po- 

 tassium, assafcetida, garlic, saffron, olive oil, 

 rhubarb, indigo, Prussian blue, and copper. 



Landerer observed, that if he took quina 

 his sweat became bitter. 



In cases of Morbus Brightii I have been 

 able more than once to detect urea in the 

 perspiration, and I am inclined to believe it 

 constantly present both in cases of suppres- 

 sion and retention of urine. 



I have stated that experiments lately made 

 by Landerer, the Athenian chemist, have 

 proved urea to exist in the sweat in health. 

 If this be proved, we of course can no longer 

 regard it as an abnormal constituent of that 



