British Association. 463 



auxiliary in the process of digestion. Second, with reference to the 

 state of the stomach in disease. Dr. Thomson observecl, that the 

 most common form in which chemical re-agents were affected, was 

 by a redundancy of acid, occasioned by the introduction into that 

 viscus of acid fruits and vegetables, which gave rise to fermenta- 

 tion, and the symptoms of heart-burn, a very familiar complaint. 

 He next proceeded to describe the only other form of disease of the 

 stomach, which was indicated peculiarly by the action of re-agents, 

 by an alkaline state occurring in the disease commonly termed 

 porosis or water-brash. Having investigated this disease very 

 carefully with regard to its chemical nature, he showed that it pro- 

 ceeded from the diseased state of the secretion in the stomach, — 

 alkali having taken the place of the free acid. By chemical analysis 

 he found that the alkali was ammonia, and probably, also, a little 

 soda was present. Having observed this very remarkable and 

 important fact, the practice consequent upon it was evident, and the 

 result proved of the most satisfactory nature ; he found that the 

 administration of acid gave immediate relief. If the case was of 

 a chronic nature, he prescribed also anodynes, — asconium and hyoscy- 

 amus, in order to act directly upon the nerves, should they have been 

 long subjected to the action of the diseased secretion. The author 

 detailed the particulars of several cases. In one instance, a female 

 had become greatly emaciated, in consequence of the disease having 

 existed daily for three months, — the patient ejecting by the mouth, 

 in the course of the day, not less than a pint of tasteless fluid. Dr. 

 Thomson immediately prescribed for her an acid mixture, and in 

 the course of two days, when he next saw her, the disease had 

 entirely disappeared ; nor was she again affected by it. The author 

 stated that he had been unable to detect any general laws, which 

 would seem to regulate this complaint. He had met with it in all 

 constitutions and ages, and equally as abundantly in England as in 

 Scotland. Butter and all oleaginous substances were liable to pro- 

 duce it, as well as the simultaneous use of apples and porter, at least 

 in some individuals. 



II. First, The author next proceeded to detail the results of his 

 experiments upon the chemical state of the fluids of the mouth 

 during health, which, in confirmation of the experiments of Donn^, 

 of Paris, he had found to be alkaline, and sometimes neutral. He 

 noticed the experiment of Donne, which would appear to prove that 

 the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal (which is alkaline) and 

 the skin (which it is well known is acid) constitute a kind of voltaic 

 pile ; for when one of the poles of a delicate galvanometer is placed 

 in contact with the mouth, and the other with the skin, very distinct 

 electric currents are produced, which cause the needle to deflect 15°, 

 20"^, and sometimes 30°. 



Second, the author stated that he had found the mouth indicating 

 an acid re-action whenever inflammation existed in any of the mem- 

 branes in connexion with it, as in laryngitis, pleuritis, bronchitis, 

 gastritis, and enteritis, and in other diseases of an inflammatory 

 nature. He directed the attention of medical men to this fact, as a 

 most important feature in the diagnosis of such diseases. He stated 



