47 



if the fibrin is here coagulated from a complete 

 solution, the same must be the case in the blood* 



It would be of the greatest consequence to ani- 

 mal chemistry, were we able to- make a compa- 

 rison between the humour in the capillary vessels 

 before the secretion, and the same humour after it 



'. ' -' 4 



has been taken up by the absorbents. There is no 

 doubt but that we should find differences accord- 

 ing to the dissimilarity of what has been secreted 

 or reproduced. Another circumstance of great 

 moment, which is wanting* in the examination of 

 the fluid in the absorbents, is to know the nature 

 of the decayed and useless parts, which have been 

 absorbed by these vessels, and can only be car- 

 ried off in that way. The examination of the 

 humours in the muscles, and of the urine, gives me 

 reason to suppose, that most matters are changed 

 into lactic acid, phosphoric acid, and the other 

 animal matters, which are soluble in water and 

 spirits, and which accompany the lactates in the 

 humours of the body, and constitute the syrupy 

 extract, which is obtained in their analysis. If 

 this be the case, the humours of the absorbent s, 

 after the coagulation of the albumen by boil- 

 ing and evaporation of the w r ater, must leave 



