156 RELATION OF URINE TO BILE. 



acid and of the products of the transformation of 

 the bile, it is not less significant, and worthy of 

 remark, that the addition of oxygen and the ele- 

 ments of water to the elements of uric acid may 

 yield either taurine and urea, or taurine, carbonic 

 acid, and ammonia. 



1 at. uric acid C 10 N 4 H 4 O 6 -i 



f2 at. taurine C 8 N 2 H 14 O2o 



14 at. water H 14 O M l = J 



rt ( | 1 at. urea ... C 2 N 2 H O 2 



2 at. oxygen ... O 2 I 



2 at.' taurine . 



2 at. carbon, acid C 2 O 4 



2 at. ammonia N 2 H 6 



56. Alloxan, plus a certain amount of water, is 

 identical in the proportion of elements with taurine ; 

 and finally, taurine contains the elements of super- 

 oxalate of ammonia. 



1 at. alloxan* C 8 N 2 H 4 O 10 "| Taurine. 



10 at. water H 10 O 10 / = 2 ( C ^ NH Ao) 



{2 at. oxalic acid C 4 O 6 

 1 at. ammonia NH 3 

 4 at. water ... H 4 O 4 



C 4 NH 7 O 10 



* It would be most interesting to investigate the action of 

 alloxan on the human body. Two or three drachms, in crystals, 

 had no injurious action on rabbits to which it was given. In 

 man, a large dose appeared to act only on the kidneys. In 

 certain diseases of the liver, alloxan would very probably be 

 found a most powerful remedy. J. L. 



