

50 CHEMICAL PHYSIOLOGY. 



separation of its tissue and juice from its blood has not 

 yet been effected. The fresh spleen is alkaline, but 

 soon becomes acid. The watery extract contains 

 hematocrystalline and the other ingredients of blood, 

 besides a peculiar albuminous matter which on 

 combustion leaves phosphoric acid and iron oxyde. It 

 encloses some cholesterine. After removal of all 

 albuminous matters there are in the extract of fixed 

 a cids the lactic and succinic, of urinary products 

 hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid, of volatile fatty 

 acids formic, acetic, butyric, of amido-acids leucine ; of 

 alcohols there is inosite in considerable quantity. 

 These ingredients show that chemical processes of 

 various kinds must be carried on actively in the spleen. 

 They are, however, not indispensable to life, as animals 

 from which the spleen has been removed by operation 

 continue to live without any perceptible disturbance. 

 In leukocythaemia the spleen is frequently very large, 

 and weighs up to nine and ten pounds. If it be found 

 small in that disease the lymphatic glands are certainly 

 w-.xy dege- en l ar g e ^. The spleen is sometimes subject to (here) 

 spiSr miscalled amyloid degeneration. Although in this state 

 it gives many reactions of albumen it is indiges- 

 tible in artificial gastric juice; it gives no sugar by 

 treatment with sulphuric acid, and is little prone to 

 change by artificial or natural influences. 



Thynms The thymus gland is a mysterious organ situated in 



the chest in front of the lungs. It becomes of less 

 importance to the adult than it probably is to the foetus 

 in the womb. It contains albumen, collagene, elastic 

 tissue, a little fat, leucine, xanthine, hypoxanthine, 



