324 DR ALISON'S OBSERVATIONS ON 



attected with tubercular disease, even in its earliest stage, he had always found the 

 proportion of the red globules, in which the largest part of the albuminous matter 

 is contained, less than the lowest proportion which he had ever found in healthy 

 persons (less than 100 in the 1000 parts, the average proportion being 127). Now 

 there is no proposition, in regard to the external causes of the scrofulous diathesis, 

 which has been more anxiously investigated of late years, or, on the whole, more 

 fully established than this, that it is, octeris paribus, increased by atmospheric im- 

 purity and by sedentary habits, and diminished by pure ah* and exercise. Yet, 

 if the animal frame cannot form albuminous matter, the only effect on the albu- 

 minous portion of the blood, of the increased introduction of oxygen which is im- 

 plied in these circumstances, must be, to hasten the decomposition and expulsion 

 of the albuminous matter absorbed from the primse vise. I do not state this fact, 

 as affording more than a presumirtion against that opinion, because I am aware 

 it may be said that, under the influence of fresh air and exercise, a larger quantity 

 of albumen is taken into, or is absorbed from, the stomach and bowels, than in 

 sedentary persons breathing impure air ; but in so far as we can judge from the 

 quantities taken into the body, I am pretty certain that the experience of medical 

 men goes to prove that, when the quantities and kind of ingesta are the same, the 

 beneficial effects of air and exercise in counteracting the scrofulous tendency, — 

 i. e., as I believe, in increasing the proportion of albuminous matter in the blood, 

 may be distinctly perceived. 



Indeed, independently of disease, I am strongly inclined to believe, that the 

 nourishment of the animal body, and especially of the muscular textures, by a 

 given quantity of ingesta, may be distinctly observed to be promoted by exercise, 

 which is hardly conceivable on the supposition, that the only truly chemical 

 changes which take place in the body are of the nature of oxidation, or slow 

 combustion, and consequent excretion, in which the oxygen of the air is the chief 

 agent. 



3. The phenomena of Diabetes seem to me very adverse to the idea of the 

 amylaceous matter taken into the system, being wholly inapplicable to the forma- 

 tion of albumen. In that disease, the digestion and appropriation of albuminous 

 matter appear to go on even with unusual rapidity ; and the urea which is con- 

 tained in the urine, often in increased quantity in the early stage, and which is 

 always easily obtained from it in full quantity immediately before death, shews 

 that this matter is ultimately disposed of in the usual way in the animal econo- 

 my ; the amylaceous matter taken in must be the source of all the sugar which 

 is formed in so great quantity, and which characterizes the disease ; and it seems 

 to be liable only to that kind of decomposition to which such matter is liable, by 

 simply chemical affinities, at that temperature, and under the influence of water 

 and oxygen ; it is converted into sugar, and runs off by the kidneys, i. e., it 

 seems to be actuated by no vital affinity. Now, if all the starch taken into the 



