THE VISCOSITY OF BILE 



R. BURTON-OPITZ 



(Physiological Laboratory of Columbia University, at the College of Physicians 



and Surgeons, New York) 



Guided largely by the supposition that the viscidity of a fluid 

 bears a direct relationship to its viscous resistance, it has generally 

 been assumed that the viscosity of bile is very great. Moreover, as 

 the composition of bile differs widely in different groups of animals 

 and varies considerably even in the same species, it has been con- 

 jectured that its viscosity is subject to equally pronounced varia- 

 tions. Both of these assumptions, however, are not substantiated, 

 because, as will be shown later, the viscidity of bile does not neces- 

 sarily suggest its viscous resistance and neither is it permissible to 

 estimate the latter solely with the aid of data pertaining to its com- 

 position. 



In attempting to procure exact values for the viscosity of bile 

 I have made use of the procedure previously employed by me in de- 

 termining the inner friction of various types of shed blood.^ A 

 glass capillary the dimensions of which have been accurately meas- 

 ured, is placed in a horizontal position in a long metal box filled 

 with water. The lumen of the capillary-tube communicates, on the 

 one hand, with a small tubulär receptacle containing the bile to be 

 tested and, on the other, with the receiving cups of the "switch". 

 The free end of the receptacle is connected in turn with a pressure 

 bottle and with a mercurial manometer. The temperature of the 

 surrounding water must be kept constant by placing a small flame 

 imderneath the metal box. The bile is permitted to flow through the 

 tube during a definite period of time which is accurately recorded 

 by means of tambours and a Chronograph. 



This arrangement permits of the determination of the exact 

 quantity of bile which is forced through the capillary-tube in a given 

 time and under a certain pressure. When taken in conjunction with 



1 Burton-Opitz : Pflüger's Archiv, 1900, Ixxxii, p. 464. 



351 



