CASE OF SAKCINA VEXTUICULJ. ?,G*J 



and in the horse butyric acid.* Duiiglisoii, who analysed the 

 gastric juice IVom the stomach of St, Martin the Canadian, 

 whose case has been described by Dr. Beaumont, fuund 

 muriatic and acetic acids.t Dumas, in liis Lectures on 

 Organic Chemistry, (U^livered last summer (1841), stated the 

 normal acids to be the muriatic and lactic.]: 



" To perplex the inquiiy still further, Gmelin admitted no 

 distinction between lactic and acetic acid, or, at furthest, con- 

 ceived the former to be the latter modified by adhering animal 

 matter. Now that we know these acids to be quite distinct iu 

 composition and properties, the observations of GmeHn, other- 

 wise so high au authority, lose much of their value. 



" In the preceding summary of conflicting opinions it will 

 be observed, that whilst some chemists contend for lactic and 

 others for acetic acid as the normal organic acid of the gastric 

 juice, no one professes to have found both acids in the same 

 litpiid, as was the case with that wliich I have analysed. One 

 of these acids, then, was almomial, but wliich ? It would be 

 useless attempting to decide this question by an appeal to the 

 relative worth of the authorities quoted ; it is not improbable 

 that both acids are developed during healthy digestion. Lactic 

 acid is so abundant, free or combined, in the milk, blood, urine, 

 and other parts of the body, that its existence in the stomach 

 is almost certain. As for acetic acid, it is a much rarer con- 

 stituent of animal fluids, and there can be little doubt that 

 lactic acid has often been mistaken for it. 



" In the meanwhile however, till new researches are made 

 on tliis subject, neither acid can be considered by its mere 

 presence as a morbid sign. I may, however, remark, that 

 lactic acid has alread}- been found by Dr. Graves in the liquid 



" /ti-ch'Tcht'^ sur Iti Jjiijnition, vol. i. jip. 10(3-67; vol. ii. \y 317. 

 t MiilltT, 17;. ami /oc. cit. 



X Mami.siript notes kiixlly funiishwl liy Mr. Norton. 



2 B 



