Gl 



experiments, which I have myself made, this 

 fluid consists of serum, which has lost the greater 

 part qf its albumen, of which, however, so much 

 remains, that the fluid, during boiling 1 , becomes 

 in a very small degree coagulated. During its 

 evaporation common salt is crystallized from it, 

 and the usual brown extract is deposited between 

 the crystals, containing alkali, lactate of alkali, 

 and the extractive animal matters, which com- 

 monly accompany them. 



The Fluids, which some way or other contri- 

 bute to digestion, are the .sa liva, the gastric juice, 

 the bile, the fluid of the pancreas, and that of the 

 intestines, (succus intestinal is). FOURCROY and 

 VAuauELiN have left us an examination of the 

 saliva, and it has since been analysed by Bos- 

 TOCK, and lastly, I have myself endeavoured to 

 ascertain its composition. I found it to be 

 one of the most aqueous fluids of the body. 

 It contains a suspended white mucous matter, 

 which is easily separated by the solution of the 

 saliva in water, and which is soon dissolved by 

 alkali, but not by acids. I have reason to believe, 

 that, to a certain extent, at least, it originates in 

 the mucous membrane of the salivary ducts, and 



