1 8 1 3.Q Analysis of the Chyle of the Horse. 221 



aqueous liquid. They conceived that chyle contains a cheesy 

 matter, which they considered as more earthy than the other 

 constituents, and by the precipitation of which they accounted 

 for the calculous concretions found in the reservoir of the chyle 

 by Schars, in the thoracic duct by Ledran, and in the vessels by 

 Goelik. Mart, Musgrave, and Lister, announced that indigo, 

 mixed with the food, and given to animals, tinged the chyle of 

 a blue colour; and this observation was confirmed by Bailer, 

 Gould, and Fcelix. Mattei says that he communicated a red 

 colour to chyle by giving beet to animals for food. Several 

 observers speak of a green colour in the chyle of herbivorous 

 animals. M. Halle, to whom we are indebted for several inte- 

 resting experiments on the same subject, never observed in the 

 chyle of dogs to which he had given pastry coloured blue, red, 

 and black, by means of vegetable substances, any trace of these 

 colours. The physical properties which we have observed in the 

 chyle of the horse are very similar to those which M. Halle" 

 observed in the chyle of dogs. Such are the principal facts 

 which, arc to be found in authors respecting chyle. I now pass 

 to the analysis. 



Chyle, No. 1. — Physical State. 



This portion of chyle, of a red colour, was coagulated when 

 brought to me. It contained a small quantity of liquid, U 

 coloured than the coagulated portion, which was itself of a 

 much lighter colour than blood. It was red, andsemitransparent, 

 like currant jelly badly boiled; yet its consistence was prettv 

 firm. 



Chemical Examination of the Liqvid Portion, or the Scrum of 



the Chyle, No. 1. 



1 . This liquid quickly restored the blue colour to litmus, red- 

 dened by acids; which proves that it contained an uncombined 

 alkali. 



2. Heat and acids coagulated it into a greyish white mass. 



3. Alcohol likewise occasions an abundant coagulation in it. 

 The coagulum is white, but acquires a reddish tint by desicca- 

 tion. It becomes at the same time transparent, and exhibits a 

 vitreous fracture. When thus dried it decrepitates, and melts on 

 red-hot coals, exhaling an empyreumatic ammoniacal odour. 



This coagulum dissolves in caustick potash; but the liquor 

 remains milky, and docs not become transparent, as happens 

 to a solution of the albumen of blood in the same circumstances. 

 The alkaline solution is precipitated by acids, and at the same 

 time there exhales from the mixture an odour ofsulphur, which 

 has some analogy to the smell perceptible in stables. 



