188 LECTURE IV. 



animal or vegetable substances partook 

 of the nature of such substances, and if 

 dried and burned, emitted the same odour, 

 and produced similar results to those which 

 occur from the decomposition of the same 

 substances before thej have undergone such 

 solution. Nay, he told us further, that the 

 chyle formed from animal matter rapidly 

 putrefied, whilst that prepared from vege- 

 tables was slow in underffoins a similar 

 change. As an abundance of nitrogene 

 seems to be the base of animal substances, 

 so its disposition to combine with hydro- 

 gene, and to form ammonia, seems readily 

 to break up the general bond of union of 

 the parts forming the compomid. Whilst 

 engaged in examining the chyle, he also ex- 

 amined the lymph which the absorbent ves- 

 sels contain, and his chemical friends, who 

 were men of great knowledge and ability, 

 report, that it is in all respects like the blood, 

 except that it wants the globular particles 

 and colour of that fluid, a proof that these 

 vessels, as well as others, modify their con- 

 tents, which is a physiological subject I 

 shall subsequently have to discuss. 



