and in the Serum of the Blood. 1 23 



kinds ; some of them showing that the uncombined alkali 

 was soda, and others that it was not potash. 



Portions of saline matter being procured from various 

 animal fluids by evaporation and incineration, and brought 

 bv subsequent redissolntion and evaporation to a crystalline 

 state, crystals of determinate forms were obtained, some 

 of which appeared to consist exclusively of subcarbonat of 

 soda, some of muriat of soda, and others of munat of 

 potash ; but none could be delected which appeared to 

 contain any carbonat of potash. 



Other similar portions of the saline matter being treated 

 with acetic acid, in order to bring any uncombined alkali 

 present to the state of acetat ; and alcohol being added 

 with a view to separate these acetals, the residue of this 

 alcoholic solution appeared to consist almost solely * of 

 acetat of soda; whilst, on the other hand, potash was 

 found in the residue left undissolved by the alcohol. 



In these various trials the presence of potash, in a state 

 of combination, was proved by the tests of oxymnriat of 

 platina and tartaric acid, both of which form precipitates 

 with potash, and not with soda. 



The uncombined alkali, on the contrary, was shown not 

 to be potash bv the last-mentioned tests failing to indicate 

 the presence of that alkali ; whilst, on the other hand, it 

 was proved to be soda by the action of nitric acid, which, 

 in combining with it, formed crystals of a rhomboidal 

 instead of a prismatic figure. 



I shall not enter into the particulars of these operations, 

 because they are minutely related in the communication 

 which has given rise to this discussion ; but I shall now 

 rapidly examine the principal ol)jections which Dr. Pearson 

 has made to the above conclu.^ions. 



Dr. Pearson's first ground of complaint is, that instead 

 of showing l)is conclusions to have been erroneous, that is, 

 I conceive, instead of following him step by step in his. 

 inquiry, I have contented myself with exhibiting my 

 own experiments and conclusions. But f beg to observe, 

 that the object of my inquiry was not to repeat Dr. Pear- 

 son's experiments, but to examine dropsical fluids; and 

 that, if in the course of my analysis I met with results 

 which militated against his conclusions, it could not be 

 reasonably cx!)ccted, that in stating these results I should 

 think it incumbent upon me to wade through his laborious 



• A trace of potash wa'i detected in tlie alcoliolic solution ; but it must be 

 remembered tliat alcohol, however rectified, will take u\i minute portiynsof 

 muriat of putash, or indeed of almost any other soluble salt. 



researches 



