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of Edinburgh, Session 1876 - 77 . 
knowledge of the nature of the diseased condition relieved or cured 
by the cholagogue. 
By experiments on animals, both of the above-mentioned diffi- 
culties may be overcome, and definite knowledge arrived at. 
The want of precise knowledge in this department of thera- 
peutics induced Nasse, Kolliker, and Muller, Scott, Hughes 
Bennett, and Rohrig to perform some experiments ; but the results 
have been limited and unsatisfactory, owing to the faultiness of 
the experimental methods adopted. 
In the present research the experiments have been performed 
on dogs, fasting and curarised, in order that the secretion of bile 
might be rendered constant. The bile was continuously collected 
from the common bile duct, and measured every fifteen minutes, 
and the flow of bile into or out of the gall bladder was eliminated 
by clamping the cystic duct. The results obtained are as follows: — 
1. In a curarised dog that has fasted 18 hours, the secretion of 
bile is tolerably uniform during the first four or five hours after the 
commencement of the experiment, but falls slightly as a longer 
period elapses. Its composition remains constant. 
2. Croton oil is a cholagogue of feeble power. The high place 
assigned to it by Rohrig was probably the result of his imperfect 
method of experiment. 
3. Podophylline is a very powerful stimulant of the liver. During 
the increased secretion of bile, the percentage amount of the special 
bile solids is not diminished. If the dose be too large, the secre- 
tion of bile is not increased. It is a powerful intestinal irritant. 
4. Aloes is a powerful hepatic stimulant. It renders the bile 
more watery, but at the same time increases the excretion of biliary 
matter by the liver. 
5. Rhubarb is a certain though not a powerful hepatic stimulant. 
The bile secreted under its influence has the normal composition. 
6. Senna is a hepatic stimulant of very feeble power. It renders 
the bile more watery. 
7. Colchicum increases to a considerable extent the amount of 
biliary matter excreted by the liver, although it renders the bile 
more watery. 
8. Taraxacum is a very feeble hepatic stimulant. 
9. Scammony is a very feeble hepatic stimulant. 
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VOL. IX. 
