Secretions undergo during Cholera Morbus. 13$ 



no precipitate by standing, and was quite neutral in its relation 

 to litmus. Its composition was very analogous to that of 

 healthy urine, though the solid ingredients were in a much 

 smaller proportion. It contained muriatic, phosphatic, and am- 

 moniacal salts, as well as urea. Its specific gravity was 1.006 ; 

 Now, taking the quantity of solid matter in urine of the natu- 

 ral specific gravity 1.020 to be 6.7 proc, the fluid of specific 

 gravity 1.006 can only contain about 2 proc. less than a third 

 of the natural quantity. Mr Hermann is of opinion that, 

 whilst the suppression of urine takes place, the formation of 

 urea, believed by many to be one of the chief modes by which 

 nitrogen is separated from the living body, is entirely stopped, 

 as no trace of this substance was to be found either in the blood 

 or any other fluids of the body. 



Analysis of the Bile of Cholera Patients. — The gall-bladder 

 of patients affected with cholera, is known to be in general un- 

 usually full and distended with bile. 



Mr Hermann obtained three gall-bladders, which contained, 

 respectively 14, 15 and 16 drachms of bile, of specific gravity 

 1 .043. The usual quantity of bile found in the gall-bladder is,; 

 according to John, 1 ounce, and its specific gravity 1.026 ; 

 there is, therefore, during cholera, nearly double the quantity 

 of bile in the gall-bladder, and its specific gravity is considerably 

 greater. 



The three specimens of bile which Mr Hermann analyzed, 

 were all of nearly the same colour as ox's bile, of a thready con- 

 sistence, like thick syrup. Its chemical constituents were, a 

 large quantity of mucus, some albumen, colouring matter, re- 

 sin of bile, picromel, cholesterine, and oleic acid, &c. In com- 

 paring this analysis with that given by Tiedemann and Gmelin, 

 of healthy bile, the only apparent diff'erence, besides the greater 

 consistence and specific gravity of cholera bile, is probably in 

 the greater quantity of resin of bile, as indicated by the copious 

 precipitate thrown down by acetate of lead. 



From these experiments it appears that, during cholera, the 

 change in the composition of the blood consists in its being de- 

 prived of a large quantity of water, and some acetic acid, which. 



