108 THE SECRETIONS: 



phuretted hydrogen, which continued during evaporation, and 

 ultimately merged into a nauseous animal smell. Its specific 

 gravity was comparatively high, being 1008 ; and it yielded 9*9 

 of solid constituents, which, after being exposed to the influence 

 of a red heat, were found to consist of a large proportion of 

 chloride of sodium, carbonate of soda, a little phosphate of lime, 

 and a fair amount of sulphuric acid. 



The statements which we possess from other sources, regarding 

 the morbid changes of the sweat, are very loose and inconclusive ; 

 in fact we have no accurate observations on the subject. 



1. The quantity of the sweat is sometimes increased in an 

 extraordinary degree. 



Thus critical sweats are usually very abundant, continuous, 

 and watery, in intermittent fevers, in rheumatic affections, and 

 in colliquative disorders. 



2. The quality of the sweat is changed. 



a. The sweat may be distinguished by a peculiar odour. 

 The sweat of persons with the itch is said to have a mouldy 

 odour, while that of syphilitic patients is said to smell sweet. 

 The sweat of rheumatic and gouty persons has an acid smell, 

 while in putrid fever and scurvy, it has a putrid odour; in 

 jaundice it is said to resemble musk in its smell. In Stark's 

 ' General Pathology/ (p. 1126,) we find it stated that the odour 

 of the sweat in scrofula resembles that of sour beer, while in 

 intermittent fever it smells like fresh-baked brown bread. The 

 determination of odours is, however, very subjective, and (with 

 a few exceptions) it is more than probable that different ob- 

 servers would detect different resemblances. 



b. Some of the normal constituents may be abnormally in- 

 creased. 



1st. The free acid of the sweat may be increased. Lactic 

 acid, which is the ordinary free acid, is usually increased in 

 cases of rheumatism and gout; the sweat in these diseases has 

 a strong acid reaction. When there is also an acid odour, 

 acetic acid is present. Prout has found free acetic acid in the 



