of the black Bronchial Glands, &c, i6g 



Mr. Thomas's family, at least eighteen years, the bronchial 

 glands were quite black from coaly matter, and the lungs 

 were uniformly red ; but in all other examinations of much 

 younger cats, I found these glands either white or red. 



The blackness of the lungs from charcoal remains, although 

 haemorrhage to occasion death has occurred. It is not re- 

 movable by ablution, or maceration in water, nor by acids, nor 

 alkalies, nor by the early stages of putrefaction. I have not 

 met with a similar coaly substance in any parts of the animal 

 economy, except the lungs. The glands of the meso-colon are 

 sometimes black, similarly to the bronchial; but the colour soon 

 disappears on immersion in nitric or muriatic acids, no char- 

 coal being separable. The black, or more truly the dark 

 brown tingeing liquid of the sepia, I have ascertained by expe- 

 riments, does not contain uncombined charcoal ; this matter 

 existing there only as a constituent ingredient of animal 

 matter. 



As I have represented, it is conceived that the coaly matter 

 is very slowly absorbed by the mouths of the lymphatic ves- 

 sels in the innumerable air tubes and cells. 



To determine whether or not this matter exists in these 

 lymphatic vessels, and is the occasion of the black maculas, 

 streaks, and areolas, or marbled appearance of the surface of 

 the lungs, I entreated Mr. Wharrie, of St. George's Hospital, 

 whom I knew to be a skilful anatomist, to inject these vessels 

 with quicksilver. In some trials, the injection passed without 

 interruption, in the usual manner; but in others it was appa- 

 rently obstructed, by meeting with the black lines on the 

 surface. Mr. George Ewbank also, at my desire, very dex- 

 terously dissected out about one inch in length of one of these 



