OV THE UNCOMBINSD ALKALI IN ANIMAL FLUIDS. 28^ 



lar result. '' You very nearly," said he, "' made a capital 

 discovery ; for I have ascertained, that it is the lactic acid in 

 union with the alkali of the animal fluids," I hope the British 

 public will soon be edified by the translation from the Swedish 

 language of a work of this most acute chemist, and, as I hear, 

 by a most able editor. Hence much light will be afforded, espe- 

 cially in animal chemistry. This fact is, however, only within 

 the record before us, to repel any a priori conclusion from a 

 case of simple elective attraction. I had long considered the 

 case of this kind noticed by my opponent, for it was too glaring 

 to be passed by. If reasoning from principle could be depended 

 upon, I would argue ; that, as all animals either immediately or 

 mediately live upon vegetables, and as vegetables very generally 

 contain potash combined with acids, or other things destructible 

 by fire, it is reasonable to conclude, that the fluids of animals 

 must be impregnated with potash in such a state of combination. 

 I know it has been argued by some able chemists, that the 

 potash must be united to muriatic or sulphuric acid, and 

 soda must be united to some weaker acid, such as carbonic, 

 lactic, acetous, malic. Sec, agreeably to the assumed law, that 

 the stronger menstruum unites with the stronger basis, and 

 the weaker menstruum with the weaker basis. But there are 

 so many exceptions to this rule, that it cannot be justly termed 

 a law. 



Lastly, in his P. S. Dr. Marcet says he has instituted the Mere general 

 _ , . , , , , statement of 



process above exammed on a very large scale, on a large quan- the result inad- 



tity, some gallons, of bullocks' blood, with the same results as missible testi- 

 on small quantities of animal matter. I believe such evidence "^°°y- 

 is inadmissible ; for if mere general statements of results be 

 received as testimony, much errour will be liable to be intro- 

 duced ; as the public in these cases cannot be in possession of 

 the means of repeating the experiments, and judging of their 

 accuracy. It is to be regretted, that the author did not render 

 his experiments instructive, by the necessary detail ; however, 

 if they were a mere repetition of former ones, the questionable 

 fact would still remain undetermined. 



The chemical world may now perhaps be furnished with the 

 means of judging whether or not Dr. Marcet has removed 

 every shadow of doubt by legitimate inductive reasoning. 



Vol. XXXIII; No. 154.— December, 1812. U My 



