386 THE EXCRETIONS: 



arranged in a structureless, albuminoid mass; no tissues or cells 

 were detected. The mass, when heated, gave off a very strong 

 odour of butyric and acetic acids ; it melted and burned with a 

 clear flame. Alcohol extracted a very large amount of fat, con- 

 sisting of margarin, olein, and butyrin, with their acids, which 

 partially separated on cooling. In the separated flocculi I 

 detected, with the aid of the microscope, crystals of margaric 

 acid, but none of cholesterin. After the evaporation of the 

 alcohol, water dissolved some butyric and acetic acids from the 

 residue. 



The portion insoluble in alcohol was digested for a consi- 

 derable time in dilute acetic acid, and was precipitated from this 

 solution by ferrocyanide of potassium. 



Water did not extract any matter that was precipitable by 

 the last-named reagent. 



On incineration a considerable amount of ash was left which 

 had an acid reaction, did not effervesce with acids, and con- 

 sisted almost entirely of earthy phosphates : it contained no 

 sulphates. 



Calomel stools. 



In certain morbid conditions of the system calomel is fre- 

 quently given in considerable quantity : its administration is 

 succeeded by numerous, very green, bilious stools. I endea- 

 voured to determine by an experiment whether the bile and its 

 pigment is the actual cause of the colour of these evacuations. 

 The fifth stool that was passed after the administration of a 

 large dose of calomel, was made the subject of the analysis. It 

 was fluid, perfectly green, had no fa3cal odour, exhibited a mild 

 acid reaction, and showed, under the microscope, a great number 

 of mucus-corpuscles and epithelium-cells. On evaporation it 

 gave off an odour resembling that of saliva or extractive matter 

 under similar circumstances. Ether extracted from the solid 

 residue a considerable amount of fat which had an acid reac- 

 tion, contained cholesterin, and was coloured with biliverdin. 

 All other substances which were separated from it by water and 

 alcohol were more or less coloured by bile-pigment. 



Bilin with bilifellinic acid and biliverdin were found in large 

 quantity; by digestion with sulphuric acid the bilin became 

 entirely converted into biliary resin. From a quantitative 



