14 ANIMAL TISSUES ARE 



tion, of which each piece of bladder must contain 

 one half, or 4 volumes, if the absorbent power of 

 the portion saturated with the original saline solu- 

 tion were increased by the addition of water in the 

 same ratio as the absorbent power of the portion 

 saturated with water was diminished by the addi- 

 tion of salt. The saline liquid would have given 

 up 1^ volume of saline solution to the other, and 

 would have received from it 2^ volumes of water. 

 In this case, the mixture in the two upper pieces 

 of bladder would occupy the same space which its 

 constituents, water and saline solution, occupied in 

 each singly. But the efflux of the liquid towards 

 the third or lowest piece of bladder, saturated with 

 saline solution, proves, that the two upper pieces 

 retain a smaller volume of the mixture newly 

 formed in their pores, than the one piece absorbed 

 of w r ater alone, and the other of saline solution 

 alone. The power of retaining water is diminished 

 by the addition of salt to the bladder saturated with 

 water ; liquid is expelled ; but by the addition of 

 this water to the bladder moistened with saline 

 solution, the absorbent power of this piece of 

 bladder is increased, not in the same ratio, accord- 

 ing to which the proportion of salt is diminished, 

 but in a less ratio. 



The experiments above described shew that the 

 attraction of the porous substances for the water 

 which they have absorbed does not prevent the mix- 

 ture of this water with other liquids. 



