in the constituent elements of Living Beings. 245 



vous system has the power of throwing organized atoms into 

 the active or passive state ; that this is the fundamental fact 

 on which all the laws of interstitial death depend ; and that 

 upon this principle — its existing allotropic condition — an 

 organized molecule either submits to the oxidizing influence 

 of arterial blood, or successfully resists that action. 



But it has been stated that there are certain pathological 

 conditions, which, upon these views, meet with a clear expla- 

 nation ; conditions, which, though long and laboriously studied 

 by physicians, remain involved in contradictions and obscu- 

 rity. The conditions to which I refer are those known as 

 inflammation and congestion. 



It is agreed among chemists, that during the prevalence of 

 these conditions the urine assumes a peculiar constitution. In 

 inflammatory actions the relative quantity of urea and sul- 

 phuric acid is much above the normal standard, whilst in 

 congestive cases the reverse holds good, and the urea and 

 sulphuric acid are below the standard. What is the inter- 

 pretation of these remarkable facts ? We shall find they are 

 very significant. 



The quantity of urea and sulphuric acid in the urine un- 

 doubtedly expresses the quantity of proteine matter that has 

 undergone oxidation in the system. In all cases where that 

 quantity is above the normal standard, the destruction of 

 proteine matter has been correspondingly accelerated ; and 

 w^here it is deficient, the destruction has been reduced. The 

 result of inflammations corresponds to the first of these cases, 

 and of congestions to the second. 



Recalling now what has been said respecting the cause of 

 the capillary circulation, we see how all these apparently dis- 

 connected facts group themselves together in the attitude of 

 dependent effects. In inflammation there has been that allo- 

 tropic change in the soft solids involved, that they have as- 

 sumed a disposition for rapid oxidation — they are active. 

 Their relations with arterial blood have become highly exalted; 

 and the blood flows, on the principles I have set forth, to the 

 affected part with energy. Redness of that part and a higher 

 temperature are the result. Oxidation goes on with promp- 

 titude, and urea and sulphuric acid begin to accumulate in 

 the urine. 



But in congestive cases it is the reverse ; the parts affected 

 are thrown into a more passive state. Oxidation goes on in 

 a reluctant way, the amount of tissue metamorphosed dimi- 

 nishes, the urea and sulphuric acid diminish in the urine; and 

 on the principles which I have endeavoured to explain respect- 

 ing the capillary circulation, we perceive that an immediate 



