224 Kuyal Society : — 



through all the well-known phases of the strise, the mercury again 

 becoming quite level. 



At first almost the slightest heat applied to the potash alters the 

 form of the stratifications ; as the heating is repeated, longer appli- 

 cation is necessary ; but it shows how sensibly the electrical discharge 

 denotes the perfection of a vacuum, which cannot be detected by the 

 ordinary method of mercurial siphon-gauge. 



Jan. 26. — Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, Bart., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 

 " On the alteration of the Pitch of Sound by conduction through 

 different Media." By Sydney Ringer, Esq. 



" On the frequent occurrence of Phosphate of Lime, in the crystal- 

 line form, in Human Urine, and on its pathological importance." By 

 Arthur Hill Hassall, M.D. Lond. 



The author concludes from his observations and investigations : — 



First. That deposits of crystallized phosphate of lime are of fre- 

 quent occurrence in human urine, much more so, indeed, than those 

 of the amorphous or granular form of that phosphate. 



Second. That the crystals present well-marked and highly charac- 

 teristic forms, whereby the identification of this phosphate by means 

 of the microscope is rendered easy and certain. 



Third. That there is good reason to believe that deposits of phos- 

 phate of lime are of greater pathological importance than those of 

 the phosphate of ammonia and magnesia. 



Feb. 2. — Sir Benjamin C. Brodie, Bart., President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



" On the Saccharine Function of the Liver." By George Harley, 

 M.D., F.C.S., Professor of Medical Jurisprudence in University Col- 

 lege, London. 



From his experiments the author draws the following conclusions: — 



1st. Sugar is a normal constituent of the blood of the general 

 circulation. 



2ndly. Portal blood of an animal on mixed diet contains sugar. 



3rdly. Portal blood of a fasting animal, as well as of an animal 

 fed solely on flesh, is devoid of sugar. 



4thly. The livers of dogs contain sugar, whether the diet is animal 

 or vegetable. 



5thly. Under favourable circumstances, saccharine matter may 

 be found in the liver of an animal after three entire days of rigid 

 fasting. 



6thly. The sugar found in the bodies of animals fed on mixed 

 food is partly derived directly from the food, partly formed in the 

 liver. 



7thly. The livers of animals restricted to flesh diet possess the 

 power of forming glucogen, which glucogen is at least in part trans- 

 formed into sugar in the liver ; — an inference which does not exclude 

 the probability of glucogen (like starch in the vegetable organism) 

 being transformed into other materials besides sugar. 



