COMPOSITION OF PUS. 
27 
a few drops of alcohol into the portal vein they could give an 
animal diabetes; by puncturing a portion of the medulla 
oblongata, or by pinching the par vagum, palpitation of the 
heart; and not only could they produce these, the symptoms 
of disease, but even morbid changes themselves. Thus, by 
directly acting on the pneumogastric nerve, cough, or in¬ 
creased bronchial secretion, could be rendered on the one 
hand, and, on the other, anatomical lesions of pneumonia and 
pleurisy. So, again, by exciting the solar plexus they could 
bring on diarrhoea and dysentery, together with the structural 
changes which habitually accompanied them. Nor was this 
all. They had it in their power to induce diseases of a more 
general nature, for with a drop or two of acid they could call 
into existence rheumatism and heart disease, or with a little 
decaying organic matter bring on fever and death. Then, 
again, as far as surgical diseases were concerned, there was 
scarcely one which they could not produce artificially, no 
matter whether it were a cataract in the eye or a stone in the 
bladder. In fact, the further they advanced the more clear 
did it become that man had it in his power, not only to pro¬ 
duce morbid symptoms, but even actual diseases, with their 
complete chain of results. 
COMPOSITION OF PUS. 
The following has been given by Glesecke as the compo¬ 
sition of healthy pus, which was thick, of a pale-yellow colour, 
slightly alkaline, had no smell, sp. gr. 1022. 
Water 
Solid matters 
8876 
n -oa f Organic matter . 1012 
11 Inorganic „ . 1T2 
100-00 
The solid matter was composed of— 
4’38 albumen dissolved in pus-serum. 
4*65 pus-globules, mucus, and a little leucin and glucin. 
1-09 cholesteriri, with some other fat. 
0-59 chloride sodium. 
0 - 32 soda (from its albuminate), a little phosphate of soda, and a very 
little sulphate of potash. 
0*21 phosphate of magnesia, lime, and oxide of iron. 
11-24 
