222 REPORT—1868. 
Table XVI., p. 219, shows the results of the observations before, during, 
and after partial starvation. 
During the first two days the amount of bile fluid and solids secreted was 
very nearly the same. The amount of dry food consumed was also nearly 
alike. 
On the 28th, bread, milk, and water were withheld. It was intended to give 
the usual allowance of tripe, but as it could not be obtained, liver was given 
instead, On this day the amount of fluid bile fell to 1048 grammes, as 
compared with 140 grammes on the two previous days, but the bile solids 
rose to about a half more than they had previously been. This was almost 
wholly due to increase of the organic constituents of the bile ; for it will be seen 
from the Table that the bile salts (inorganic solids) were scarcely at all in- 
creased. July 29th 453 grammes of water were given without any dry food, 
The quantity of fluid bile secreted was only 41-6 grammes, less than a 
third of the quantity on the days previous to starvation, Tie amount of bile 
solids was 2:77 grammes, rather more than a half of the quantity secreted 
during the first period, while the inorganic constituent of the bile fell to 
0-40 gramme, less than a half of the amount during the first period. On 
the 30th of July it was intended that the animal should return to the diet 
of July 27th, but the tripe was accidentally withheld, The amount of fluid 
bile rose on that day to 85:7 grammes, bile solids to 5-11 grammes, and 
bile salts to 0-87 gramme. Although the dry food consumed on this day 
was hardly one-fifth of what it was on July 26th, the amount of bile solids 
and salts was almost the same. On July 31st the partial starvation was 
discontinued; the animal consumed the same amount of dry food as on July 
26th, with nearly a fourth more water. The fluid bile on that day reached 
a quantity 33-1 grammes above what it was on the 26th, when the same 
quantity of food was given, while the amount of bile solids and salts was nearly 
doubled. It is difficult to account for this marked increase in the biliary 
secretion when the full diet was again given. During the whole experiment 
the animal was in excellent health, and lost only 0-9 kilogramme in weight. 
The preceding observations are sufficient to show that the biliary secretion 
is greatly influenced by the great amount of food consumed, and it permits of 
the inference that diminution in the biliary secretion observed in the case 
of dog 8 under the influence of corrosive sublimate may have been due to 
impaired appetite. The same explanation cannot apply to the diminution in 
the biliary secretion observed in the case of dog 7 on June 17 (sce Table XIII.) ; 
for, as has been previously pointed out, on that day the animal took more food 
than it had done on many previous days on which it had secreted a larger 
amount of bile. 
On the whole, therefore, the legitimate conclusion seems to be that mercury, 
when administered so as to impair the general nutrition, lesseas the biliary 
secretion. This may result without impairment of the appetite; but when 
there is a diminished consumption of food, the failure in the biliary secretion 
is all the more marked. 
Conclusions regarding the Cholagogue Action of Mercury. 
The foregoing observations seem to us clearly to show that Pil. Hydrargyri, 
calomel, and corrosive sublimate, when given to dogs in either small, gradually 
augmented, or in large doses, do not increase the biliary secretion ; they do not 
even influence it so long as neither purgation nor impairment of health are 
produced, but they diminish it as soon as they do either or both. It may be 
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