-. 
ON THE ACTION OF MERCURY ON THE BILIARY SECRETION. 195 
2. Previous Researches to determine the Influence exercised by Mercury on 
the Biliary Secretion. 
Nassr*.—Professor H. Nasse was the first who attempted to ascertain, by 
experiment on the dog with biliary fistula, the influence of mercury on the 
secretion of bile. It is stated in Canstatt that the result of his experiments 
was that calomel increased the absolute quantity of the bile, but diminished 
its solid constituents. 
Kori«er and Mirrer administered to one of their dogs, which had biliary 
fistula, 4 grains of calomel at ten o’clock on the morning of the 28th. Five 
half-hour observations made after midday gave an average of 3-823 grammes 
of bile excreted, an amount a little above that of previous averages. On the 
following day, however, four half-hour observations gave on an ayerage 
3'267 grammes,—that is, rather less than the usual average. 
On the 21st and 29th days the dog took again 4 grains of calomel, but the 
biliary secretion, instead of increasing, diminished. Seven observations of 
half an hour each, from the 28th to the 31st day, gave an average of only- 
2-183 grammes, and the bile at the same time was of a brownish colour, and 
so thick that at last it scarcely dropped from the canula. This circumstance 
was undoubtedly owing to the dog’s health, which was bad. It had lost 
weight, had diarrhea, greyish-coloured and even later bloody stools. For 
several days at this period the animal took only a little bread and milk. 
Dr. Mostzrf, in his investigations, proposed to himself the question, 
“ What substances introduced into the blood appear in the bile?” In some 
of the experiments a solution of the substance to be tried was injected into 
the blood, in others the medicine was given by the mouth, and the bile 
afterwards tested, to ascertain if it contained any trace of the substance ad- 
ministered. With regard to mercury, he tells us that on the 23rd of May, 
at seven o’clock a.m., 5 grains of calomel in a little bread and milk were 
given toa dog, who had a completely healed biliary fistula. All the bile 
secreted till three o’clock p.m, was collected by means of a sponge and tested 
for mercury, but not the slightest trace of it could be discovered. At four 
o’clock p.at. 10 grains of calomel were administered to the same animal, and for 
greater accuracy a small tube with a caoutchouc bag attached was introduced 
into the fistula, and kept there till next morning. No trace of mercury was 
found in the collected bile, and no striking increase of the biliary secretion 
was remarked. After this experiment the animal was dull, ate less than 
usual, and had thin very offensive stools. To make a trial of the drug in 
smaller doses, Dr. Mosler gave the same animal one grain of calomel every 
hour from the 25th to the 26th of May, so that altogether 25 grains of 
calomel were given; no trace of mercury could be found in the collected 
bile. To another powerful dog with biliary fistula he gave, on the 19th of 
August, at nine o’clock, three pills, each containing 3 grains of calomel. 
Next morning at six o’clock a.m., three similar pills were given, and at nine 
o'clock two more—so that the dog had 30 grains of calomel in eighteen hours. 
The bile discharged from the fistula was carefully collected by a sponge, 
from three o’clock on August 11th till the same hour on August 12th. 
Compared with the quantity collected during twenty-four hours on the day 
“previous to that of the experiment, there was no striking increase of bile, ° 
nor did it contain any trace of mercury. He repeated this experiment with 
24 grains of calomel with the same negative result. Dr. Mosler concludes 
* Cantsatt’s Jahresbericht, 1852, Heft. i. p. 156. 
t Virchow’s ‘ Archiv,’ Band xiii. 8. 29 (1853), 
P2 
