190 PROFESSOR RUTHERFORD ON THE 
ACTION OF TARAXACUM. 
There exists a vague idea that taraxacum has some influence on the liver. It 
is stated that it is ‘‘supposed to modify and increase its secretion” (Op. viii. 
p. 295), but it is generally felt that its action is extremely doubtful. 
Experiment 43. Middle-sized dog that had fasted twenty-four hours.—180 
grains of solid extract 
of taraxacum in 25 ce, 
water were injected 
into the duodenum (é, 
fig. 43), and, two hours 
after this, 120 grains 
in the same quantity 
of water were injected 
(t'). After both doses 
Fig. 43.—Secretion of bile before and after taraxacum. ¢, 180 grains ; ¢', 120 
grains of solid extract of taraxacum in 25 ce. of water were ee eed into there was a greater 
the duodenum, (The triangles and dotted lines indicate the mean of.the . , : sate 
high and low readings in “order that a conclusion regarding the effect of INCrease 1n the biliary 
the substance may be more easily arrived at.) secretion than wasat all 
likely to have been caused by the same quantity of water. (See Experiment 7.) 
Necropsy.—The taraxacum had passed along nearly the whole length of 
the small intestine. Most of the fluid had been absorbed. There was no 
evidence of purgative action. 
Experiment 434. Small dog that had fasted eighteen hours.—120 grains of 
solid extract of taraxacum in 15 
cc. of water were injected into the 
duodenum (¢, fig. 48a), and this 
dose was repeated in two-and-a- 
half hours. The increase of the 
Fig. 434.—Secretion of bile before and after taraxacum. 120 biliary secretion after the second 
grains of solid extract of taraxacum in 15 ee. of water in- ee 
jected into the duodenum at ¢ and /’. dose was trivial; but after the 
first it was considerable, though of short duration. An examination of the 
intestine at death revealed no purgative action. 
From these experiments it may be concluded that taraxacum is a very 
feeble hepatic stimulant, a conclusion that is in harmony with clinical experience, 
although the observations on man—from the nature of the case—have yielded 
nothing perfectly definite. We think it unnecessary to detail these two experi- 
ments more fully. 
ACTION OF NITRO-HYDROCHLORIC ACID. 
The dilute nitro-hydrochloric acid employed by us was prepared by mixing 
3 cc. nitric acid with 4 cc. hydrochloric acid, and after an interval of twenty- 
