I20 MEMOIR ON THE 



a£tive fluid when applied to the moft fenfible parts of 

 the healthy body, and was eflentially different from the 

 coffee-ground vomit. 



Analyjts of Jiuids^ ejeBed a few hours before the com- 

 mencement of black vomiting. 



The fluids, on which the fubfequent experiments 

 were made, were obtained from three patients, from 

 one to fixteen hours previous to the vomiting of the 

 brown-coloured matter, which has been defcribed as 

 generally pteceding the black difcharge. In all of thefe 

 cafes, the fick refufed every other drink but plain wa- 

 ter. Notvvathflanding the fimplicity of the drink, the 

 fiuids, which are the fubjeCl of inveftigation, were of 

 the following colours : The firft had nearly the appear- 

 ance of whey ; the fecond was of a yellowifh colour,, 

 occafioned by the mucus it contained. The third ap- 

 peared like muddy water, or refembled water that had 

 been coloured by afhes. Thefe fluids had a difagrceable 

 liiccharine tafle, and emitted an odour analogous to that 

 arifing from fluids which had been eje£led from debiUtated 

 ftomachs, after paroxyfms of indigeftion. They under- 

 went but little change after remaining at refh for twenty- 

 four hours, except that fome part of the mucus-mat- 

 ter aflumed a white afpe£t, and fubfided to the bottom 

 of the veffel. 



[a) Thefe fluids changed the Infufion of turnfole to a 

 red colour ; paper ftained yellow with turmerick re- 

 mained unaltered, but, when previoufly changed 

 by an alkali, was reftored to its prifline colour. 

 [b') Caloric, or diluted acids, would not coagulate this 

 fluid. 



C. 



