SMt 



New Species of Animal Concretions. *^ f . 



X : v.sy . 



The phosphoric acid is therefore in the tribasic state, and the 

 formula of the salt will be P0 6 2(CaO), HO, + 4aq. I think 

 it right to state that the analysis of this concretion had been 

 printed some months previous to the publication of Prof. 

 Wohler's paper, and its analysis was made in 1843. 



Intestinal Concretions. 



The composition of the different kinds of intestinal concre- 

 tions has been very little studied by chemists ; a circumstance 

 the more remarkable, as they present many points of interest 

 both to the chemist and physiologist. The only description 

 of these bodies to be found in the systematic works on che- 

 mistry, is almost wholly derived from the paper of Messrs. 

 Fourcroy and Vauquelin, published in the 4.-th volume of the 

 Annates du Museum National. 



By these chemists intestinal concretions were divided into 

 the following species: — 1, Calculi consisting of superphos- 

 phate of lime; 2, of phosphate of magnesia; 3, of phosphate 

 of magnesia and ammonia ; 4, of a biliary matter analogous 

 to the colouring matter of the bile ; 5, resinous concretions ; 

 6, fungous concretions; and lastly, hair-balls. Their descrip- 

 tion of these bodies is however exceedingly slight and imper- 

 fect, and much inferior in accuracy to their previous re- 

 searches on urinary calculi. In no instance did they deter- 

 mine the relative proportion of the constituents of the earthy 

 concretions, and under the head of resinous concretions two 

 essentially distinct species were included. 



In the Catalogue I have endeavoured to supply these de- 

 ficiencies by submitting most of these calculi to quantitative 

 analysis, and by the addition of some new species. The fol- 

 lowing list includes all the intestinal concretions with which I 

 am at present acquainted: — 1, Calculi consisting of animal 

 hairs ; 2, of vegetable hairs ; 3, of ellagic acid — the oriental 

 bezoar; 4, of resino-bezoardic acid — the occidental bezoar; 5, 

 of phosphate of magnesia and ammonia; 6, of diphosphate of 

 magnesia ; 7, of diphosphate of lime ; 8, of oxalate of lime ; 

 9, of ambergris. 



The Ellagic Acid Calcidus. — The Oriental Bezoar. 



The composition of this species of calculus was described 

 in a report to the Museum Committee in 1841, and in May 

 1843 I was permitted to insert a short notice as to its compo- 

 sition in the London and Edinburgh Philosophical Magazine. 

 Since that period the ellagic acid calculus has been examined 

 by MM. Merklein and Wohler, who have confirmed my state- 



