' ' On Expectorated Mailer. 19 



sent, and others of a different kind be present, agreeably" 

 to the different stutes, on different occasions of the other 

 secretions. 



" 4. It is manifest that the different states of consistence 

 of expectorated matter are owing to the proportion of al- 

 buminous orcoagulable oxide; but I purposely avoid giving 

 an account of the different conditions of heallh> on which' 

 the differences of consistence depend. 



'*' 5. The thicker the matter, the smaller I <*ommonly 

 found the quantity of sahne impregnation. . Hence, in 

 sudden and copious secretions of the bronchial membrane, 

 the niatrer is asserted to be salt, and to feel hot. In such 

 instances., the proportion of coagulable matter was small,' 

 but that of the saline impregnations, particularly of the 

 muriate of soda, and neutralized potash, so great, that the 

 exsiccated expectorated substance tasted very salt, and pre- 

 sently grew moist, or even partially deliquesced ; but the 

 opaque ropy or puriform matter atTorded a much larger 

 proportion of exsiccated residue, which was but slightly 

 salt, and generally only became soft on exposure tu the 

 air. This property of growing moist depends upon the 

 potash. 



" 6. Each of the human fluids, according to my experi- 

 ments, contains neutralized potash ; at least, tliis is the fact 

 of the blood, dropsy ffuid, pus of abscesses, and pus se- 

 creted without breach of surface; the fluid effused by vesi- 

 cating with cantharides; the urine; and in course in the 

 very abundant secretion from the nose by a catarrh. The 

 alkali beuig united to ox'^le of animal matter in these fluids, 

 it is easily demonstrable. 



" 7* Although I think I have discovered many proper- 

 ties by which expectorated secretic;n may be distinguished 

 from expectorated pus, 1 shall not speak of them, on this 

 occasion, further than just to observe that the saline im- 

 pregnation of pus, particularly that of potash, and muriate 

 of soda, is in very much less proportion than in expectorated 

 secretion ; and hence it does not become moist after exsic- 

 cation, on exposure to the air. 



" 8. It has been, I believe, uniformly asserted, that the 

 circulating and secreted fluids are impregi-ljated with soda; 

 that it is especially in the matter secreted by the bronchial 

 membrane. The experiments of others must confirm or 

 disprove mine. It seems, however^ much more reasonable, 

 that the human fluids should be found to contain potash 

 than soda, united to some oxide or destructible acid ; be- 

 cause the former alkali is daily introduced with the vege- 



b 2 table 



