ANIMAL TOXINS. 59 



are no other than those that form in the various 

 portions of the organism, and which are eliminated 

 by the urine. 



It is self-evident, and it has already been shown, 

 that the toxicity of the urines varies greatly 

 according to the malady, in consequence of the 

 elimination of toxins by the urines. According 

 to Bouchard, in infectious maladies the urines 

 are twelve times more highly charged with toxins 

 than is blood serum. Moreover, the toxicity of 

 the urines is considerably augmented the moment 

 there is the least febrile condition, no matter what 

 the cause is.* 



Even in the normal condition, the urinary toxicity 

 varies greatly ; and this is easily conceived since the 

 physiological phenomena that control this secre- 

 tion undergo incessant rise and fall. Thus, for 

 example, the urines eliminated during sleep are 

 less active than those produced during waking, 

 because during sleep the elimination of cellular 

 poisons is at a minimum. Exercise, walking, 

 physical and intellectual labor, exert their portion 

 of influence on these oscillations of toxicity; and 

 this variation of toxicity is due not to any one 

 variation in the mineral extractive matters, but 

 rather more or less to the organic toxic products. 

 We will not dwell further on this subject, but will 



* Regarding this point see the excellent work by A, CHARRIN: 

 Poisons de I 'Organism. Masson, pubj. 



