BLOOD. 363 



soda. Whether it be the same alkali that exists free in the se- 

 rum of the blood of the inferior animals, or whether potash may 

 not replace it at least in some, has not yet been determined. 

 Most chemists affirm that the soda in human blood is in the state 

 of carbonate. But I have not been able to satisfy myself that 

 this is the case. It is more probable that at least a portion of it 

 is united to lactic acid. It has been satisfactorily proved that 

 albumen is capable of combining with alkaline bodies, and that 

 this combination increases its solubility. It is most reasonable 

 to admit that the soda in human blood, not in combination with 

 acids, is united to the albumen, and that to this combination the 

 solubility of the albumen in the serum is at least partly owing. 

 1 ] . It has been already stated that the first person who turn- 

 ed his attention to the salts in blood was Rouelle. He detected 

 common salt, phosphate of lime, and some potash, as well as soda. 

 Dr Marcet made]a careful analysis of the serum of blood about 

 the year 1812, and extracted from 1000 parts of that liquid, 

 Chlorides of potassium and sodium, . 6'60 

 Carbonate of soda, . . . 1 '65 



Sulphate of potash, . . . 0-35 



Phosphate of lime with trace of magnesia, 0-60 



Mucous extractive matter, 



Albumen, .... 



Water, .... 



1000-0* 



Berzelius had analyzed the serum of blood in 1808,f though 

 his results were not known in this country till he came to Lon- 

 don in 1812. He obtained from 1000 parts of serum of human 

 blood, 



Common salt, . . . 6 



Lactate of soda, . . .. 4 



Soda, phosphate of soda with some albumen, 4.1 



14-1 



Albumen, . . 80 



Water, . . . 905-9 



1000. 

 * Medico- Chirurgical Transactions, ii. 370. f Djurkemien, ii. 55. 



