186 
MESSRS. J. N. liANGLEY AKD H. M. FLETCHER 
With regard to the effect of the injection of the sodium carbonate on the per¬ 
centage of salts in the saliva, we have hardly the means of arriving at a well- 
grounded conclusion. If we take the percentage of salts in I., III., and VI. as a 
standard, allowing a slight increase in III. and VI. for the after-result of dyspnoea, 
it appears that the first saliva, VII., collected after injecting sodium carbonate solution, 
contains a higher percentage of salts than corresponds to its rate of secretion ; that 
the second sample, VIII., collected immediately after VII., contains about a normal 
percentage ; and the third, IX., collected after an interval of an hour, contains rather 
less than the normal percentage for its rate of secretion. The rate of secretion of 
organic substance, and of salts, as well as that of water, is increased, so that the 
injection rendered either the nerve or the gland more irritable. The first injection of 
potassium iodide with sodium chloride increases the percentage of salts ; the subse- 
c|uent two injections decrease the percentage of salts, the rate of secretion in all 
three being very nearly the same. The decrease in the percentage of salts is no doubt 
due to the poisonous action of the potassium iodide, but it is not as yet worth while 
to discuss the matter. We give the results as another proof of what we wish to show, 
viz., the partial independence between the secretion of water and the secretion of 
salts in saliva. 
Effect of Injecting Strong Salt Solutions into the Blood. 
Having found that the injection of dilute salt solution into the blood might lead to 
a decrease in the percentage of salts, with an increased rate of secretion, we expected 
that the injection of a strong salt solution would very considerably increase the per¬ 
centage of salts in the saliva. We find, however, that, whilst injection of 
strong salt solutions increases the percentage of salts in saliva, the 
increase is small, considering the amount of salts injected. 
