of the University of Pennsylvania. 37 



as a vehicle for the administration of hydrobronaic 

 acid. The curd thus formed is fine and flocculent, 

 the mixture closely resembling buttermilk in taste 

 and appearance, and in no wise suggesting medicine. 

 I have taken as much as a tablespoon ful of the di- 

 lute acid in a tumbler of milk without any repug- 

 nance. The milk used must be raw. With this, 

 as with most other acids, boiled milk gives tough 

 and bulky coagula. 1 



As regards the exhibition of the iodide of potas- 

 sium, the rationale of its time relations is altogether 

 different. Although this drug is distinctly alkaline, 

 its presence in a mixture of hydrated starch and 

 saliva certainly does not suspend the action of the 

 amylolytic ferment, nor, so far as I can determine, 

 materially retard it. 2 When, however, the iodide is 

 added, even in very small amount, to a mixture of 

 artificial gastric juice and egg albumen or fibrin, the 

 rapidity of peptone formation, as determined Jby the 



1 Randolph : Verbal Communication on Differences be- 

 tween Raw and Boiled Milk. Proc. Acad. Nat Sci. of 

 Phila., 1884, p. 120. 



2 Langley & Eves, Jour, of Physiology, iv., p. 19, have 

 shown that although a distinctly alkaline medium retards 

 salivary action, the presence of a proteid body in the digest- 

 ive mixture will prevent this retardation. 



4 



