362 THE SECRETIONS: 



Urea and hippuric acid were carefully, but unsuccessfully, 

 sought for in both specimens ; neither could carbonate or hy- 

 drosulphate of ammonia be detected. 



It is suggested by Mack that the discrepancies in the results 

 obtained by other chemists may be owing to their having ex- 

 amined the fluid mixed with blood, mucus, or urine. Two years 

 ago he analysed a specimen (under the superintendence of Dr. 

 Ragsky) which contained much blood and mucus. The fluid 

 was of a dirty yellow colour, and deposited a sediment. Under 

 the microscope there were seen blood- and mucus-corpuscles, 

 with epithelium-cells. The specific gravity was 101 1*2. 



In 1000 parts there were contained : 



Water . . . 984-131 



Solid constituents . 15-869 



Fat . . . 0-4984 



Alcohol-extract . 0-8529 



Water-extract . . 4-0998 



Substances insoluble in water 10-4177 J 



Several analyses have been made of the liquor amnii of 

 animals. A very remarkable observation on this subject was 

 made by Prout. The liquor amnii of a cow in an early stage 

 of pregnancy was of a yellow colour, and opaque in consequence 

 of holding a large quantity of glittering particles in suspension ; 

 its taste was like that of fresh whey, it smelt like fresh milk, and 

 was neutral to test paper. Upon heating it to the boiling point it 

 coagulated; coagulation was, however, prevented by the addition 

 of acetic acid : with chloride of barium it gave a copious preci- 

 pitate. The fluid which had been boiled gave, after filtration and 

 evaporation, crystallizable sugar of milk, from which alcohol took 

 up a yellow extractive matter with some lactates. Berzelius 

 remarks that the presence of sugar of milk in the liquor amnii 

 at an early period, is of the greatest physiological interest, since 

 it doubtless contributes to the nutrition of the foetus. Prout 

 gives the following as the composition of 100 parts of this 

 fluid: 



Water .... 97'70 



Albumen .... 0-26 



Alcohol-extract and lactates . . 1-66 



Water-extract, salts, and sugar of milk . 0-38 



In the liquor amnii of a mare which Voigt examined, he also 



