158 STARCH, &c., ASSIST IN FORMING 



the liver in the shape of bile, and is separated by the 

 kidneys from the blood, as the ultimate product of the 

 respiratory process. 



69. When there is a deficiency of non-azotized mat- 

 ter in the food of man, this form of the production of 

 bile is rendered impossible. In that case, the secre- 

 tions must possess a different composition ; and the 

 appearance of uric acid in the urine, the deposition of 

 uric acid in the joints and in the bladder, as well as 

 the influence which an excess of animal food (which 

 must be considered equivalent to a deficiency of starch, 

 &c.) exercises on the separation of uric acid in certain 

 individuals, may be explained on this principle. If 

 starch, sugar, &c., be deficient, then a part of the azo- 

 tized compounds, formed during the change of matter, 

 will either remain in the situation where they have been 

 formed, in which case they will not be sent from the 

 liver into the circulation, and therefore will not undergo 

 the final changes dependent on the action of oxygen ; 

 or they will be separated by the kidneys in some form 

 different from the normal one. 



70. In the preceding paragraphs I have endeavored 

 to prove, that the non-azotized constituents of food ex- 

 ercise a most decided influence on the nature and quality 

 of the animal secretions. Whether this occurs directly ; 

 whether, that is to say, their elements take an immedi- 

 ate share in the act of transformation of tissues ; or 

 whether their share in that process be an indirect one, is 

 a question probably capable of being resolved by care- 

 ful and cautious experiment and observation. It is 



