ITS FUNCTIONS. 101 



intestine into the mass of the juices, as was long ago shown by 

 Liebig. 



After the above facts, and the conclusions based upon them, we 

 need only say a few words in order to arrive at a judgment 

 regarding the numerous, and often opposite, views in reference to 

 the functions of the bile. We will, however, first briefly notice the 

 opinions which we have already laid down regarding the physiolo- 

 gical value of this secretion. Formerly, the point chiefly contested 

 was, regarding the excrementitious or non-ex crementitious nature of 

 the biliary secretion, while all agreed pretty well in considering 

 that the function of the liver was to purify the blood by separating 

 the bile from it. We have endeavoured to show, in a former part 

 of this work (see vol. i. p. 26), that a separation of zoo-chemical 

 substances into secretions and excretions is both inexpedient and 

 illogical, and it is therefore unnecessary to enter into any further 

 discussion on this point. The view that the secretion of the bile 

 is for the purpose of purifying the blood, needs no special refuta- 

 tion, since it is devoid of any logical justification ; for such meta- 

 phorical indications of imaginary processes, and such vague 

 analogies, are expunged from the physiological enquiries of the 

 present day. For the benefit of those, however, who are unable to 

 give up the old view, and who still regard the bile merely as au 

 effete carbonaceous matter which the respiration does not remove, 

 it may be mentioned that the bile a secretion also not poor 

 in nitrogen and hydrogen is not separated in any increased 

 quantity when the process of oxidation in the lungs happens to be 

 disturbed; that there are no pathologico-anatomical facts which 

 favour the view that the liver can act vicariously for the lungs ; 

 and, lastly, that the separation of carbon by the liver, as compared 

 with that by the lungs, is so trifling (as is shown by the researches 

 of Bidder and Schmidt, noticed in p. 79), that the liver can hardly 

 be regarded as essentially a blood-purifying organ, in so far as the 

 elimination of carbon is concerned. 



With regard to the importance of the bile in the process of 

 digestion, and especially in chylification, it need hardly be observed 

 that very different views have been advanced respecting the 

 manner in which the bile acts upon the substances passing from 

 the stomach into the duodenum. The oldest view is that which 

 was advocated by Boerhaave, and originated by Sylvius de la Boe, 

 according to which the bile contributes its alkali to saturate the 

 acids of the chyme ; and it does not appear to us to be open to so 

 many objections as we usually find brought against it. It is 



