EFFECTS OF SALTS ON THE ORGANISM. 331 



of these substances enter into combination with 

 any part of the body, the union cannot be of a 

 permanent kind; for their re-appearance in the 

 urine shows that any compounds thus formed must 

 have been again decomposed by the vital processes. 



Neutral citrates, acetates, and tartrates of the 

 alkalies, suffer change in their passage through the 

 organism. Their bases can indeed be detected in 

 the urine, but the acids have entirely disappeared, 

 and are replaced by carbonic acid which has united 

 with the bases. (Gilbert Blane and Wohler.) 



The conversion of these salts of organic acids 

 into carbonates, indicates that a considerable quan- 

 tity of oxygen must have united with their ele- 

 ments. In order to convert 1 equivalent of acetate 

 of potash into the carbonate of the same base, 8 

 equivalents of oxygen must combine with it, of 

 which either 2 or 4 equivalents (according as an 

 acid or neutral salt is produced) remain in com- 

 bination with the alkali ; whilst the remaining 6 or 

 4 equivalents are disengaged as free carbonic acid. 

 There is no evidence presented by the organism 

 itself, to which these salts have been administered, 

 that any of its proper constituents have yielded so 

 great a quantity of oxygen as is necessary for their 

 conversion into carbonates. Their oxidation can, 

 therefore, only be ascribed to the oxygen of the 

 air. 



During the passage of these salts through the 

 lungs, their acids take part in the peculiar process 



