212 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



acetates, etc.), in plants. These becoming further oxidized are 

 transformed into carbonic acid, which unites with the aiagnesia 

 or lime present in the blood. 



Oxalate of lime is due to imperfect oxidation of the vegetable 

 acids, oxalic acid containing an equivalent less of oxygen than 

 carbonic acid. It appears in excess in certain diseases of the 

 lungs or other conditions which interfere with respiration. 



Silica enters the system as silicate of potassa in food and 

 water, and especially in cyperacesea, horse-tails, oat-straw, oat- 

 meal, etc. It is displaced as silica whenever it comes in con- 

 tact with a stronger acid. 



Phosphates enter the system in bran, in beans, peas, and the 

 leguminous seeds generally, in oil-cake and rape-cake, or (the 

 carnivora) in the flesh and bones. When present in undue 

 amount in a given quantity of urine they tend to crystallize out, 

 but when a large amount of phosphate of magnesia is present, 

 it is only necessary that the urine should be retained longer 

 than usual in the bladder, and that decomposition should set in 

 with evolution of ammonia, to have the insoluble ammonia- 

 magnesian phosphate at once thrown down. 



Sulphate of lime is derived from sulphates in the water, or the 

 oxidation of sulphur contained in the albuminoid principles 

 of food. 



Urea, Uric Acid, Hippnric Acid, Creatine, Creatinine, Kies- 

 tine, Leucin, Tyrosin, etc., are all nitrogenous elements, derived 

 from the waste of muscle and gelatinous tissues, or from 

 albuminoid matters in the food. Urea is to be looked on as 

 the healthy product of such decomposition, while uric and 

 nippuric acids, etc, are products in which the process of oxida- 

 tion has stopped short, leaving the products in a less soluble 

 condition, and more liable to crystallize out of the urine. 

 Impaired breathing from diseased lungs or otherwise, and 

 imperfect action of the liver, whether from local disease in that 

 organ or from feverish states, with impaired functions generally, 



