980 



a series of experiments on bones, he comes to the conclusion, that 

 oxalic acid is the solvent for the phosphates in the animal oeconomy ; 

 and deduces the production of oxalic acid, and especially of its hy- 

 pernormal quantities, — first, from a hypernormal quantity of non- 

 nitrogenous food, such as sugar, starch and farinaceous substances ; 

 and secondly, from want of sufficient oxygen taken from the air, as 

 in malarious situations, or in the cases of persons suffering from 

 disease of the lungs. The results of the author's observations are 

 filially summed up in the following terms : — 



1. That in the human oeconomy, as well as in plants and in the 

 inferior animals, the production of cells indispensably requires the 

 presence of phosphate of lime. 



2. That a deficient formation of cells in morbid affections of the 

 system almost invariably indicates a deficiency of phosphate of lime; 

 and that the administration of phosphate of lime has proved most 

 beneficial in such affections. 



3. That this deficiency of phosphate of lime is proved really to 

 exist by the hypernormal quantities of phosphates eliminated by the 

 urine in almost all the cases in which a deficient formation of cells 

 or a want of flesh exists. 



4. That this elimination of phosphates is caused by the oxalic 

 acid which is produced in the oeconomy in health as well as in 

 disease, and causes the elimination as well of the normal as of the 

 hypernormal quantities of the phosphates. 



5. That the production of oxalic acid in preternatural quantities 

 depends on diflTerent causes, the principal of which are, — the use of 

 abandant quantities of saccharine and farinaceous food ; the want 

 of sufficient reception of oxygen by the lungs ; a morbid decompo- 

 sition of uric acid into urea and oxalic acid ; and very probably the 

 presence of abundant quantities of alkali in the blood. 



6. That, consequently, by putting a stop to the production of 

 hypernormal quantities of oxalic acid, we shall stop the elimination 

 of hypernormal quantities of the phosphates, and consequently pro- 

 mote the formation of cells, supposing a sufficient quantity of nitro- 

 genous and non-nitrogenous substances to be present. 



11. "Supplementary Observations on the Diffusion of Liquids." 

 By Thomas Graham, Esq., F.R.S., F.C.S. 



The former experiments of the author furnished strong grounds 

 for believing that isomorphous salts possess a similar diffusibility. 

 All the salts of potash and ammonia, which were compared, ap- 

 pear to be equi-difFusive ; so also were the salts of certain magnesian 

 bases. A single preliminary observation on the nitrates of lead and 

 baryta, however, opposed the general conclusion, and demanded 

 further inquiry. It is scarcely necessary to say that any new means 

 of recognizing the existence of the isomorphous relation between 

 different substances, must prove highly valuable. The investigation 

 was also extended to several new substances, such as hydrocyanic 

 acid, acetic acid, sulphurous acid, alcohol, ammonia and salts of 

 organic bases, without reference to isomorphous relations. 



