538 Chemical Physiology and Pathology. 



which causes decompositions of the urea and precipitation of 

 the earthy phosphates. In the treatment of the phosphoric 

 acid diathesis, vegetable acids are indicated, and the avoid- 

 ance of vegetable substances containing many phosphates, as 

 bread and potatoes. 



Bile is, according to Liebig, not intended for direct excre- 

 tion from the body, and only a very small trace of bile and 

 cholesterin is to be found in the faeces ; its soda is used 

 again in digestion, and its chief constituent, the choleic acid, 

 is used in the formation of the carbonic acid which is ex- 

 pired. The increased or diminished formation of bile has a 

 great many phenomena of disease associated with it. Soda, 

 and therefore especially the consumption of common salt, is 

 absolutely essential to its formation. When it is in excess, 

 the formation of bile is increased and accelerated, and when 

 that material is not supplied in sufficient quantity in the food, 

 (especially consisting of the Amylacese) the fat deposited in the 

 body must be applied in its stead. On this account, men and 

 animals that consume much salt, do not grow fat : for the same 

 reason saline waters are ordered in obstructions of the liver ; 

 on this account in tropical countries the eating of melons 

 very rich in alkalies produces bilious fever, (?) in which the 

 transformation of matter goes the length of dissolving the 

 fluids of the body. Hoffmann ascribes bilious pneumonias 

 to the bile that has been formed not being consumed, and 

 the efficacy of tartar emetic, to its evacuating the bile from 

 the body, after which the oxygen is able to produce the 



ordinary transmutation of the proteine compounds. 



In diminished formation of bile, the portion of oxygen which 

 formerly made carbonic acid from the bile, unites with other 

 matters, and more varieties of oxy-proteine are produced, 

 than can be made use of, (Tuberculosis, &c. are the result). 



As regards scurvy and scrofula, Dr. Kloss believes, 



that after a comparison of the discordant accounts on the 



