180 ORGANISED FLUIDS. 



which the buttery element of the milk is concerned, and the 

 alkaline, resulting from the decomposition of the caseine. 



THE OCCURRENCE OF MEDICINES, ETC. IN THE MILK. 







The extreme rapidity with which the formation of milk from 

 the blood is effected is most surprising, and is only equalled 

 in the animal economy by that with which the urine is itself 

 secreted. 



The rapid secretion of milk from the blood serves to ex- 

 plain the almost immediate appearance in the former fluid of 

 various chemical re-agents and articles of food introduced 

 into the system through the medium of the stomach. 



Thus, many articles taken as food, or as medicine, have 

 been detected in the milk a few minutes after they have 

 been received into the stomach. The colouring matter of 

 madder root, the odorous principles of garlic, turpentine, &c., 

 neutral salts, nitrate of potassium, have all been encountered 

 in the milk. 



These particulars show the necessity of great precaution 

 in the prescribing of remedies for a nursing mother, and ex- 

 plain the great susceptibility of children at the breast to the 

 influence of the medicine administered to the parent. 



