156 On the Effect of Madder Root 



" place. The muriatic acid combining with 

 *^ the soda, remains suspended, or dissolved 

 " in the water ; wliilst the phosphoric acid, 

 " thus deprived of its soda, combines with the 

 " lime, which the muriatic acid parted with, 

 *' and forms phosphate of lime or earth of 

 " bones. This substance, however, being in- 

 " soluble in water falls to the bottom ; but 

 '' having combined at the instant of its forma- 

 " tion, with the colouring matter of the 

 " madder, they fall down united into a crim- 

 " son lake ; precisely of the same tint with 

 " that of the bones of young animals, which 

 " have been fed with madder. From this 

 " simple representation of the matter, we have 

 " a ready explication of every circumstance, 

 '^ which has been remarked as extraordinary 

 '^ respecting this subject.'* 



Whilst Dr. Rutherford thus gives a most sa- 

 tisfactory explanation of the colour of madder 

 being communicated to the bones alone, of all 

 the white parts of an animal ; we find that he 

 embraces the same opinion, as other physiolo- 

 gists ; that the osseous materials agquire their 

 colour previous to their deposition, whilst in a 

 state of solution or mixture in the blood ; from 

 whence they are afterwards deposited, and 

 concrete lil th^ form bf a bright lake. In no 

 part of his ingenious remarks does he Mnt- at 



