ON EXPECTORATED MATTER.' 



219 



I had reason to believe it was derived from varioas acid sub- 

 stances taken with the food, or drink, adhering to the inside 

 of the mouth and faiices. 



2. The mucilagelike expectorated matter, according to my Mucilagelike 

 observation, occurs much less frequently than the other 

 sorts. It appears suddenly in great abundance in certain 

 bronchial catarrhs. I have seen it to the amount of two or 

 three pints in twenty-four hours. It is also secreted, but 

 less copiously in paroxysms of spasmodic asthma, and of the 

 hooping cough ; and but rarely in pneumonic, or pleuritic 

 inflammations, and in some chronical organic diseases of the 

 heart and lungs. 



This matter is a transparent uniform fluid of the consist- Described. 

 ence of white of egg ; or of a mucilage compounded of 

 about one part of Arabic gum, and four or five parts of 

 water. It is colourless — has a fleshy smell — ^lias a brackish 

 taste. After standing eight or ten hours, a deposit takes 

 place of fibrous, leaf like, or curdy masses, some of which 

 are seen suspended in the clear fluid. In some cases no- 

 dules of opaque thick ropy matter, at certain times, accom- 

 pany this mucilagelike matter. Under the simple magnifier 

 I perceived irregular figured masses partly in motion and 

 partly suspended. With the microscope, globules were 

 seen ; but larger considerably than those of the blood, and 

 much less numerous. With the usual tests thore were no 

 indications of alkali, or of acid, provided the matter wag 

 unmixed with other things. It usually floated, or was sus- 

 pended in water, when first expectorated ; but on standing 

 in the water it fell to the bottom, evidently owing to the dis- 

 engagement of air bubbles. 



By standing exposed to the air in warm weather, it sooner 

 grew foetid than pus of abscesses ; without becoming opaque. 

 Neither could I. render it opaque or thicker, by exposure to 

 a stream of oxigen gas for an hour; or by exposure of it in 

 a jar of this gas for a month. 



3. The opaque ropy matter above-mentioned. 



1st. It is secreted most copiously in that very common. Opaque ropr 

 and extensively epidemial disease of our climate, the winter- ™a"^'"- 

 cough, occasioned by tubercles, to the amount of half a pint 

 or a pint in twenty-four hours ; especially during the winter 



season 



