SEMEN. 359 



In 100 parts there are 



Peculiar extractive matter . . 6 



Phosphate of lime . . .3 



Soda . . . .1 



Water . . . .90 



According to John, the seminal fluid contains a substance 

 resembling mucus, with small quantities of a peculiar form of al- 

 bumen, of a substance slightly soluble in ether, of soda, phosphate 

 of lime, chloride of sodium, sulphur, and a volatile odorous 

 principle. 



The prostatic fluid which mixes with the semen of the male, 

 at the moment of emission, has never yet been procured in 

 sufficient quantity for analysis : it forms an almost clear fluid, 

 which may be drawn out in threads. 



2. Secretions of the female generative organs. 



LIQUOR AMNII. 



The liquor amnii surrounds the foetus : at the period of de- 

 livery the membranes which contain it give way, and it escapes 

 externally. Although it has been submitted to numerous ana- 

 lyses, its nature, even now, is not clearly understood. Human 

 liquor amnii is turbid, and holds in suspension flocculi of caseous 

 matter, arising from the vernix caseosa with which the foetus 

 is covered. Its specific gravity is 1005, and it contains from 

 l-2to 1'6 of solid constituents; but according to Fromherz and 

 Gugert, as much as 3. It has a very decided alkaline reaction, 

 but the indications of this reaction disappear when the test paper 

 is dried ; it is consequently dependent on free ammonia. 



Alcohol took up extractive matter from the residue of the 

 liquor amnii, and there remained, according to Fromherz and 

 Gugert, a quantity of albumen, salivary matter (ptyalin), and 

 casein. 



When evaporated to the consistence of a syrup, and treated 

 with hydrochloric acid, acid flocculi separated themselves, which 

 were recognized, after a careful analysis, as benzoic acid. 

 Berzelius, however, supposes that it might have been hippuric 

 acid. After the fluid had been filtered, and the above matter 

 removed, nitric acid was added and the mixture submitted 



