146 ON THE ALKALINE MATTER IN SERUM &C. 



dieted, which I have published in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions for 1809 and 18 10* on expectorated matter and puru- 

 except with lent fluids, except with regard to the alkaline inipregna- 

 "^ik^r' ^° *^^^ tions. My experiments informed me, that expectorated 

 matters, and pus, contain potash neutralized by an animal 

 substance, or by an acid destructible by fire, I likewise 

 Neutralized found, as I prosecuted my inquiries, that there is the same 

 hrv^arious^ani- '^i"^ ^*^^ ^^^^^'"'^ ""P''^S'"^**°'^ ^^ ^^^^ blood, in the dropsy 

 ojal fluids. fluids, in the fluid effused by vesicating with cantharides, 

 in the fluid secreted from the nose owing to a catarrh, and 

 even in the urine. And as I did not find the soda alkali in a 

 similar state, I concluded, that hitherto this alkali had, pro- 

 bably, been mistaken for the potash. In the ingenious 

 paper however, which has occasioned this reply, it is asserted. 

 This said to be that the alkali in combination with the animal matter is the 

 *odu, soda; but it is inferred, that potash is also present, not in 



the state I discovered, but united to muriatic acid. 

 ll^ih^ll It would not be treating the public justly, if I did not 

 lastoa, say, that the paper before me contains an inquiry conducted 



.conjointly by the writer. Dr. Marcet, and Dr. Wollaston ; 

 as Dr. Marcet represents, I allow, very fairly, to enhance 

 the credit of his statement. Considering the power of these 

 allied opponents, the odds are fearful. But confiding in 

 the assurance of Lord Bacon, that induction by experiment 

 equalizes the mental faculties among different menf, I 

 shall, with this palladium, obey the summons to the arena- — 

 at the worst issue, with such adversaries it would be glorious 

 to fall in the struggle : 



Agimus, pio Jupiter !.,. . 



causam ; et mecum confertur Ulysses. 



who merely To enable the chemical public to judge rightly of the 

 t^re^theU own different conclusions above declared concerning the kinds 

 experimen . ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^j^^ alkalis existing in the animal fluids, the 

 evidence of the opposing parties must be heard. The ad- 

 verse ^^arty however have not attempted to invalidate my 



• See Journal, vol. XXV, p. 216, 260 ; and vol. XXX, p. 17, 113. 



t Nostra vero inveniendi Scientias ea est ratio, ut npn multum inger 

 niorum acumini et robori relinquatur, sed qua; ingenia et intellectut 

 fere cxsqujt.— Bacon's NoTum Qri-anuni, sect. IXI. 



evidence 



