260 PROFESSOR RUTHERFORD ON THE 
circumstances, it doubtless depresses the secretion of bile, not only in the 
manner just indicated, but also by hurrying out of the intestinal canal. sub- 
stances which would otherwise have been absorbed and would have assisted in 
the formation of bile. Thus it cannot be doubted that, when the bile is pre- 
vented from entering the intestinal canal, less bile is secreted by the liver, and 
there is ample reason for believing that about {ths of the sulphur daily secreted 
by the liver is reabsorbed from the intestinal canal by the portal vessels —in the 
form of some sulphur-containing substance derived from the decomposition of 
taurocholic acid—the sulphur-containing acid of the bile. And it may be that, 
in abnormal states of the intestinal contents, various deleterious matters may be 
absorbed, and hamper hepatic action. Therefore, it is reasonable to suppose 
that a purely intestinal stimulant, such as magnesium sulphate, although it does 
not stimulate the liver, may nevertheless in some abnormal conditions exercise 
an important influence on that organ, by removing deleterious matters from the 
intestinal canal, and by draining the portal system. We believe, then, that by 
the discovery of the depressant effect on hepatic action of purely intestinal 
purgatives, we have furnished the physician with a fact which will not fail to 
be of service in rational therapeutics. 
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS. 
In the introduction we pointed out what had been ascertained regarding the 
actions of drugs on the secretion of bile by our predecessors. "We showed that, 
for want of a proper method of experiment, the definite knowledge arrived at 
was very meagre, and to some extent erroneous; and, if the statements in that 
introduction be compared with our summary of results, some idea may be 
formed of the extent of our labour, which we have striven to render as com- 
plete and as free from error as possible. We claim that, by means of a novel 
and precise method of investigation, we have been the first to place the whole 
subject of the physiological actions of drugs on the bile-secreting function of 
the liver upon a sound footing, and thus to lay a real foundation for the rational 
—that is, scientific—treatment of many diseased conditions of this important 
organ; and it is gratifying to know that, in consequence of this research, many 
physicians have been led to use new remedies to which we have specially 
directed attention. We have indeed occasioned, by our experiments, a con- 
siderable amount of pain to a number of dogs; but, considering that our dis- 
coveries are calculated to relieve much suffering, not only of men, but also of 
dogs, for all time to come, we believe that we have spared infinitely more 
suffering in the future than we have occasioned in the present. ’ 
In conclusion, I have to tender my warm thanks to my former pupils, M. 
