294, REPORT—1868. 
inasmuch as in our experiments the common bile-duct had been divided, the 
nerves alluded to might have been so injured that stimulation of the orifice of 
the common bile-duct could no longer excite the secretion. It remains to be - 
shown, however, that mercurials do specially excite the orifice of the bile-duct. 
It is not probable, at any rate, that their influence on the biliary secretion was, 
in the cases of dogs 6, 7, and 8, prevented by division of hepatic nerves. In 
these experiments the common bile-duct was simply divided with as little 
injury to neighbouring parts as possible (in previous experiments a portion 
of the bile-duct was removed), and these animals did not suffer in the least 
from the shock after the operation; so that nervous injury could not have 
been extensive. Moreover, in the case of dog 7, the parts around the com- 
mon bile-duct were dissected after death, and the nerves proceeding from the 
solar plexus to the liver were found at some distance from the duct, and had 
apparently suffered no injury at the place where it had been divided. The 
Committee, therefore, do not attach any value to this objection. 
But some may say that although we have proved that mercury diminishes 
the biliary secretion in dogs and that in man its action will in all probability 
be the same, yet our experiments have been performed on animals in a state 
of health, and that had they been made on dogs with diseases such as those 
in which mercury has been supposed to increase the hepatic secretion, it would 
possibly, in the case of such dogs, have been increased. With such an hypo- 
thesis we need not seriously occupy ourselves until the objectors prove that, 
in any case whatever, mercury can increase the biliary secretion in man. 
We have. been unable to discover any facts brought to light in this or any 
other age which prove that mercury stimulates the biliary secretion. So far 
as we can make out, the notion that it does so originates in some vague 
statement made by Paracelsus*, or the authors of his time, as to the good 
effects of mercury in what he has called “‘icteritia.” But, we repeat, not 
only do we not know how such a notion has arisen, but we are ignorant 
how to make direct observations on the subject in man. We have already 
stated that such observations are, in the present state of physiological che- 
mistry, impossible (see p. 187). We do not deny the possibility of mercury 
being useful in some diseases of the liver; we simply say that the notion 
of its doing good by increasing the biliary secretion is untenable. 
OBSERVATIONS ON PoDOPHYLLINE AND TARAXACUM AS CHOLAGOGUES. 
Before concluding our observations on dogs with biliary fistule, the Com- 
mittee thought it would be important to try the effect of two other drugs 
which have been supposed to exercise a cholagogue influence on the liver, 
viz. podophylline and taraxacum. 
Observations with Podophylline. 
Dog 9 was a retriever, about three years old, weighing 26-6 kilogrammes, 
and the operation for biliary fistula was performed upon July 24, 1868, The 
recovery was rapid. Shortly after the operation the feces were clay- 
coloured. Table XVII., p. 225, shows the results of the bile collections pre- 
vious to, during, and after the administration of podophylline. 
* Paracelsus (Aur. Phil. ene) Opera Medico-Chemiea, 5 tom, 4to, Francof. 1603- 
1605, De Icteritiis, vol. i. p. 329. 
