ANIMAL MATTER* 245 



the colour of the fkin in perfons afflided with the jaundice^ Analogy of the 

 and alfo their urine, and the yellow fubftance treated of in ^'"^eJ^unSce, 

 this memoir. &e. 



New experiments made with a view to confirm thefe fuf- Bilious concre- 

 picions obtained the moft happy refults. The red matter of 

 bilious concretions, when feparated from the bilter green 

 matter with which it is combined, difplayed fimilar properties 

 with the firtt yellow niatter obtained from mufcles aSed upon 

 by nitric acid. 



From the urine of a young man troubled with a flight jaun- It was fo^'m 

 dice, they obtained a red fubflance. whofe identity with the J^^^ic "fu^ca! 

 matter formed by mufcles and nitric acid was remarkable. To 

 obtain this, they evaporated the urine to the coniifiency of 

 honey, and treated the reflduum with alcohol : this contained, 

 befides much of uree, fal-ammoniac, and acetate oF foda, 

 of which the patient made ufe, the red fubftance they fought 

 for. 



From thefe experiments, made with (kill and ability, may Jaundice occa- 

 we not conclude with the authors, that the jaundice 's occa- '"'^und ^ ^""f 

 fioned by a fuperabundance of this matter introduced to the the yellow acidj 

 cutaneous abforbent fyftem ; that this is what gives a yellow ^^'^^ a'^ "ufes 



■' ' o < the yellow colour 



colour to bile and bilicus calculi, which difplay, on analyfis, of bile, &c. 

 the fame properties; and that the yellow acid is difperfed 

 throughout the animal economy, either by the oxigenation of 

 themufcular fibre, or of the fanguineous fibrine, from which 

 it is formed ? 



Neither can we avoid admitting a ftriking analogy between Refemtlance of 

 this yellow acid matter, and the acid foand in fat after long ^^^ yellow acid 

 expofure to the air, or that has contrafted a yellow hue through (gj. of "fat. "^*' 

 difeafe, and fat treatad with nitric acid to form oxigenated 

 pomatum. 



it muft be confeffed that thefe conje6tures afiume much pro- Other fa€ls. 

 bability, when we Confider that the acetate of foda, alcaline 

 carbonates, and yolks of eggs, are the remedies beft adapted 

 for the cure of the jaundice, and form alfo the beft chemical 

 folvents of the yellow acid, or of the acid and fat matter, 

 which fo evidently charaflerife the jaundice. 



After what has been faid, if mufl no longer be imagined that Chemical re.- 

 the hope of (racing the caufe of morbific afieftions, is altogether fearchesnot to 

 11 ?L . IT • • u -n J • ^"^ negleded by 



chjmerjcal : nor that qilcovenes in chemiUry, and attentive ph^ficians, 



refearches 



