EFFECTS OF SALTS ON THE ORGANISM. 355 



by the organs of secretion, either in a changed or in an un- 

 changed state. 



Iodide of potassium, sulpho-cyanuret of potassium, ferro- 

 cyanuret of potassium, chlorate of potash, silicate of potash, and 

 all salts with alkaline bases, when administered internally to man 

 and animals in dilute solutions, or applied externally, may be 

 again detected in the blood, sweat, chyle, gall, and splenic veins ; 

 hut all of them are finally excreted from the body through the 

 urinary passages. 



Each of these substances, in its transit, produces a peculiar 

 disturbance in the organism — in other words, they exercise a 

 medicinal action upon it, but they themselves suffer no decom- 

 position. If any of these substances enter into combination with 

 any part of the body, the union cannot be of a permanent kind ; 

 for their re-appearance in the urine shows that any compounds 

 thus formed must have been again decomposed by the vital 

 processes. 



Neutral citrates, acetates, and tartrates of the alkalies suffer 

 change in their passage through the organism. Their bases can 

 indeed be detected in the urine, but the acids have entirely dis- 

 appeared, and arc replaced by carbonic acid, which has united 

 with the bases. (Gilbert Blane and Wohler.) 



The conversion of these salts of organic acids into carbonates, 

 indicates that a considerable quantity of oxygen must have 

 united with their elements. In order to convert one equivalent 

 of acetate of potash into the carbonate of the same base, 8 equi- 

 valents of oxygen must combine with it, of which either 2 or 4 

 rquivalents (according as an acid or neutral salt is produced) 

 remain in combination with the alkali ; whilst the remaining G 

 or 4 equivalents are disengaged as free carbonic acid. There is 

 no evidence presented by the organism itself, to which these salts 

 have been administered, that any of its proper constituents have 

 yielded so great a quantity of oxygen as is necessary for their 

 {^inversion into carbonates. Their oxidation can, therefore, only 

 he ascribed to the oxygen of the air. 



During the passage of these salts through the lungs, their 

 acids take part in the peculiar process of eremacausis proceed- 

 ing in that organ ; a certain quantity of the oxygen gas inspired 



