r 183 ] 



In the ninth and tenth experiments, this author gives an 

 account of the efFedls of vegetable acid on bile: He found that 

 vinegar and lemon juice inftantly coagulated it, at the f4rae 

 time changing its colour to yellow. 



From thefe fads then it appears that the affertions of Sylerus, 

 Harris and others, in regard to the mixture of bile and acids, 

 are but partially true. It is to be remembered that the mineral 

 acids only form a green compound with bile. Nothing equiva- 

 lent to any of the mineral acids can with probability be fup- 

 pofed to be generated in the intcftines of an infant, and 

 therefore recourfe muft be had to fome other mode of accounting 

 for their green foeces. Why fhould four milk, granting its 

 exiftence, give rife to them in infants and not in adults ? Have 

 butter-milk, fummer-fruits of the moft acefcent kind, lemon or 

 orange juice, always this effeft in adults by their admixture with 

 bile } This is a queftion which cannot, I believe, be anfwcred in 

 in the affirmative. 



Upon the whole, I hope it will appear probable to the generality 

 of readers, that predominant acidity in the primas viag is by no 

 means fo general as to be confidcred the only or even principal 

 fource of infantile difeafes ; that fuch a morbid caufe may now 

 and then occur in infancy as in adult age, from weaknefs of 

 ftomach, coftivenefs or improper food, can admit of no doubt. 

 Fosces changing paper ftained by vea;etable blues or purples to 

 a red colour, afford fatisfaflory evidence of the fad; but any 

 conclufions drawn from their colour or fmell muft from the 

 nature of things be liable to great uncertainty. Thofe writers 



who 



