324 On the Alkali in the Animal Fhdds. 



tion with a destructible acid, or with animal oxide. This 

 acid from some trials, 1 was inclined to propose is the 

 inalic acid, but I subsequently did not venture to ofi'er it : 

 however, I find from the conversation of Professor Berze- 

 lius, now in London, that he coincided with me in an 

 analogous, if not a similar result. " You very nearly," 

 said he, " made a capital discovery, for I have ascertained 

 it is the lactic acid in union with the alkali of the animal 

 fluids." I hope the British public will soon be edified by 

 the translation from the Swedish language of the works of 

 this most acute chemist, and- as I hear by a most able 

 editor. Hence much light will be aiforded, especially in 

 animal chemistry. This fact is however only within the 

 record before us, to refute any a priori conclusion from a 

 case of simple elective attraction. I had long considered 

 the case of this kind noticed by my opponents, for it was 

 too glaring to be unnoticed, ff reasoning from principle 

 could be depended upon I would argue ; that as all animals 

 either immediately or mediately live upon vegetable matter ; 

 and as vegetables very generally contain potash combined 

 \vith acids, or some other things destructible by fire, it is 

 reasonable to conclude that the fluids of animals must be 

 impregnated with potash in such a state of combination. 



I know it has been inferred by some able chemists that 

 the potash must be united to muriatic or sulphuric acid, 

 and soda must be united to some weaker acid, such as car- 

 bonic, lactic, acetous, malic, See. agreeably to the assumed 

 law that the stronger menstruum unites with the stronger 

 basis, and the weaker menstruum with the weaker basis : 

 but there are so many exceptions to this rule that I appre- 

 hend it cannot tightly be termed a law. 



Lastly, in his P.S. Dr. Marcet says he has instituted 

 the processes above examined, on a large quantity, some 

 gallons of bullocks blood, with the same results as on small 

 quantities of animal matter. I believe such evidence is 

 inadmissible ; for, if mere general statements of results be 

 received as tcitimonv, much error will be liable to be in- 

 troduced, as the public in these cases cannot be in pos- 

 session of the means of repeating' the experiments and 

 judging of their accuracy. It is to be regretted that the 

 author did not render his experiments- -instructive by a due 

 detail : however, if ihey were a mere repetition of his for- 

 mer ones, the questionable fact would still remain undeter- 

 mined. 



The chemical world may now perhaps be furnished with 

 the means of jud^in^ whether or not Dr. Marcet has "re- 

 moved 



