OF THE SECRETIONS IN GENERAL. 293 



contains. It reddens litmus, is most soluble in alcohol, and this 

 spirituous solution contains the muriates of the blood, together 

 with free lactic acid, much lactate of soda (the soda being, the 

 free alkali of the blood, neutralised by this acid), and the ex- 

 tractive matter, which always accompanies this neutral salt. 

 The part insoluble in alcohol contains a distinguishable quantity 

 of phosphate of soda, a little of a similar animal matter to that 

 found in the secretions, and also the earthy phosphatas which 

 were held in solution by the lactic acid, and were precipitated 

 by the action of the alcohol. The urine possesses also a number 

 of other substances, which will be specified when describing this 

 excretion in particular." * 



(B) It should be remembered that galvanic experiments 

 prove solid matter able to traverse pieces of bladder and even 

 of metals, wonderful and inconceivable as is the fact. 



(C) Mr. Hodgson, on opening the body of a diabetic person, 

 found the cavity of one renal artery obliterated by an accumu- 

 lation of atheromatous and calcareous matter in its coats. The 

 glandular structure was perfectly natural. The pelvis contained 

 urine, and a considerable quantity of that fluid was found in 

 the bladder. The kidney was supplied with blood by a large 

 branch from one of the lumbar arteries and by the arteries of the 

 renal capsule. f 



(D) Every chemical change is a galvanic process, and secre- 

 tion, being a decomposition and composition, must necessarily 

 be connected with galvanism, which again, however, must be 

 completely subservient to the vital power. 



* General Views of the Composition of Animal Fluids, by J. Berzelius, M.D. 

 Medico-chirurgic. Trans. Vol. ill. p. 234. 



f A Treatise on the diseases of arteries and veins, Sfv. 



