MUCUS. 



77 



[Nasse 1 has analysed pulmonary mucus expectorated in the 

 morning hy a healthy man. Analysis No. 1 refers to the mucus 

 itself, and No. 2 to the solid residue. 



Water 



Solid constituents 



Mucin, with a little albumen 



Water-extract 



Alcohol-extract 



Fat 



Chloride of sodium 



Sulphate of soda 



Carbonate of soda 



Phosphate of soda 



Phosphate of potash, with traces 



Carbonate of potash . 



Silica, and sulphate of potash 



3. Mucus from the intestinal canal. 



When evacuated with watery motions after the administra- 

 tion of a purgative, I found it occurring in yellow gelatinous 

 masses, which, on being examined with the microscope, were ob- 

 served to contain a large quantity of mucus-corpuscles. Berzelius 

 found that the mucus discharged with the faeces becomes hard 

 and black on drying ; if it is then placed in water it becomes 

 softer, and if the water contains any free alkali it again becomes 

 viscid. It is thoroughly soluble in caustic potash, and it may 

 be precipitated from its alkaline solution by the addition of any 

 acid. According to Gmelin, 2 the mucus from the small in- 

 testines of dogs and horses appears, after being washed in cold 

 water, in the form of white shreds or flocculi. Dilute acids 

 increase its coagulation, but concentrated acetic acid dissolves 

 the greater part. It also dissolves in the alkalies, from which 

 it may be precipitated by an acid. 



4. Mucus from the gall-bladder. 



When bile is submitted to nitration a certain quantity of mucus 

 which is suspended in the bile is detained on the filter, while 

 another portion chemically combined with an alkali passes 

 through in a state of solution, and may be precipitated by 



1 Journal fiir praktische Chemie, vol. 9, p. 59. 



2 Handbuch der theoretischen Chemie, vol. ii, p. 1118. 



