226 REPORT—1868. 
On August 7th and 8th the bile was collected to ascertain the normal 
secretion previous to the exhibition of the drug. On the ninth day 2 grains 
of Resina Podophylli (prepared by Messrs. Gardner and Ainslie, druggists, 
Edinburgh) were given. This amount did not produce purgation. The 
bile was collected 24 hours after the dose was given, and it was found that 
the fluid bile had risen-from 285-8 to 304-2 grammes, but the solid bile had 
fallen from 14:5 to 12-9 grammes. On the 10th no medicine was given. On 
that day the fluid bile fell somewhat, while the solid bile rose. On the 
11th 4 grains of podophylline were given. Decided purgation followed. 
A marked diminution in the fluid and solid bile was the result—the fluid 
bile fell from 287 to 203-2 grammes, the bile solids from 13-31 to 10°85 
grammes. On the 12th no medicine was given: the fluid bile rose to 238-2 
grammes, while, strange to say, the bile solids fell to 6-62 grammes. On 
the 13th 6 grains of podophylline were given. Decided purgation followed. 
The fluid bile fell to 151°2, the bile solids to 4 grammes. On the 14th 
no medicine was given, and, notwithstanding the purgation, the dog was in 
excellent health. On the 14th the fluid bile rose to 238-4, the bile solids 
to 12°87 grammes. 
These observations clearly show that in this case podophylline, when it 
produced purgation, diminished the biliary secretion. This decrease cannot 
be accounted for by diminution in the amount of food taken. Certainly 
such an explanation might be advanced to account for the fall in the quan- 
tity secreted on the 11th, but it cannot possibly apply to the great fall upon 
the 13th. 
Little attention need be paid to the increase in the bile fluid on the 9th, 
when 2 grains of podophylline were given without purgation resulting ; for 
it was only 18-4 grammes, whereas on the 8th there had been a rise of 12°8 
grammes over the quantity on the previous day, without any drug having 
been given ; moreover, on the 9th the bile solids fell to a decided extent. 
The observations recorded in Table XVIII. p. 225, were made on dog 7, 
after he had regained his health. : 
The bile was collected for five days previous to the exhibition of podo- 
phylline. On one of these (August 8) the dog had a smart attack of dysen- 
tery; on that day the solid and fluid bile was much below what it was 
on any other day of the period—another evidence of the lowering influence 
of purgation upon the biliary secretion. 
On August 15th 8 grains of podophylline were given; it produced 
profuse purgation, and so weakened the animal that it staggered when it 
walked. The bile was collected 24 hours after the dose was given; both 
fluid and solid bile had undergone a great diminution. It is curious to 
observe that the purgation produced by the podophylline, although it was 
accompanied by a diminished consumption of food, did not lessen either the 
fluid or solid portions of the bile to the extent effected by the attack of 
dysentery, although the latter was accompanied by comparatively slight 
depression of the general health and appetite. Throughout the observations 
in Table XVIII. the faeces were of a slate-colour. 
The observations were discontinued owing to the weakness of the animal. 
The observations recorded in Table XIX. p. 227, were made on dog 5 after 
it had regained its health. 
The bile was collected for two days, August 23rd and 24th, to ascertain 
the normal secretion. On August 25th and 26th 6 grains of Resina Podo- 
phylli were given ; both doses occasioned decided purgation. The effect on 
the biliary secretion was unequivocal. On the day preceding that on which 
