SYNOVIA. 505 



Synovia soon putrefied in a moist atmosphere, and during the 

 putrefaction ammonia was exhaled. When distilled per se, wa- 

 ter, ammonia, empyreumatic oil, and carbonate of ammonia came 

 over. The residue contained common salt, carbonate of soda, 

 and phosphate of lime. 



According to Margueron, the synovia of the ox is composed of, 

 Fibrous matter, . 11-86 



Albumen, . 4-52 



Common salt, . 1*75 



Soda, . . 0-71 



Phosphate of lime, O70 

 Water, . . 80-46 



100-00 



It is impossible not to be struck by the great resemblance of 

 the synovia examined by Margueron to the serum of blood. Is 

 it not possible that he may have obtained serum or lymph instead 

 of synovia ? 



3. Dr John made some experiments on the synovia extracted 

 from the healthy joint of a horse.* It was light yellowish-red, 

 clear, of the specific gravity of 1-099, restored the blue colour to 

 reddened litmus-paper, and was coagulated by a boiling heat. 

 He found the constituents as follows : 



Water, .... 92-8 



Albumen, . . . .6*4 



Animal matter not coagulable, with carbonate 1 

 of soda and common salt, . j 



Phosphate of lime, . 0*15 



Phosphate of soda, 1 

 Ammoniacal salt, J 



99*95 



He examined also the synovia from an ankylosed joint in con- 

 sequence of a wound. It was red, muddy from flocks of albumen, 

 thick and reddened litmus-paper. It coagulated when heated. 

 It contained insoluble albumen, soluble albumen, free phosphoric 

 acid, and the same salts as healthy synovia. 



4. In 1817, M. Vauquelin examined the synovia of an ele- 

 phant that died in the Jardin du Roi at Paris. f 



* Chem. Schr. vi. 146. f Jour, de Pharmacie, iii. 269. 



