CHEMICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 21 



the circulation in the more simple form of products of 

 its decomposition. The bile influences fats and fatty- 

 acids in the manner of a soap. It communicates to 

 the small absorbing tubes an attraction for fat, so that 

 capillarity raises the fat to a higher point than the 

 same vessel would do without bile. Bile then re- 

 presents the accomplishment of a purpose which we 

 term chemolysis of albumen. But the further uses of 

 bile are numerous and important ; the excretion of 

 cholesterine, intimately related to the chemistry of the 

 nerves, and possibly a product of their action; the 

 excretion of choline and probably lecithine, of which the 

 objects are continuous ; the excretion of cholophgeine, eases. 11 

 of which the objects are at least obscure. Bile pre- 

 cipitates pepsine, and when it regurgitates into the 

 stomach arrests digestion completely. It therefore 

 puts an end to pepsine digestion in the duodenum, and 

 favours the alkaline pancreas-digestion. In disease 

 the bile may be retained and cause jaundice, and 

 slowness of the pulse ; or it may be decomposed in a 

 peculiar mannner and produce concretions ; in man 

 these consist of cholesterine and modified bile-acid, 

 and bilifuscine, with cholophaBine and earths ; in oxen 

 the cholophasinate of lime predominates, and modified 

 bile-acids with lime-soaps are in lesser quantity. In 

 pigs these calculi contain a peculiar lime salt which 

 assumes a voluminous crystalline form, when the 

 powder is digested with cold alcohol. The pancreas ?** 

 has in diseases been observed to be degenerated and 

 cancerous ; and as in these cases lumps of fat are 

 stated to have been observed in the fasces, this ap- 



