58 
MERCURIAL OINTMENT AND VAPOR OF MERCURY. 
they are perfectly filled with cells, which exactly resemble the 
cells of the epidermis ; moreover direct experiments have proved 
this view to be untenable. When the friction was made upon a 
piece of human skin, or that of a cat or rabbit, mercury could ne- 
ver be detected on its inner surface ; and microscopic examina- 
tion showed that the ointment had penetrated into the external 
orifices of the follicles, but never further into them. 
These facts undoubtedly show that the metallic mercury cannot 
permeate dead animal membranes endosmotically. The laws of 
endosmose apply equally to dead and living bodies ; still it appear- 
ed worth while to obtain distinct proof in regard to the latter. J a 
drachm of mercurial ointment was therefore daily rubbed in the 
skin of a rabbit which had been carefully shaved, until the tenth 
day, when the animal died with the symptoms of mercurialism. 
The inner surface of the skin, after having been carefully sepa- 
rated, and the blood and all the more important organs, were most 
minutely examined ; but the result was in no wise different. The 
same experiment was performed upon several other rabbits, dogs 
and a cat, all of which shortly died of mercurialism ; but in no 
case could the least trace of metallic mercury be detected in the 
body. 
The ingenious experiments of Autenrieth and Zeller, who first 
caused the skin to cicatrize over pieces of gold inserted beneath 
it, and then rubbed mercurial ointment upon it, and on subsequent 
examination found them unaltered, were long ago attended with 
the same result ; this was however controverted by CEsterlen, who 
rubbed the ointment into dry membranes and the skin of living 
animals, and states that he always found numerous globules of 
mercury, not merely in and under the skin, but in almost all the 
organs, tissues and secretions. With regard to this point, it must 
be remarked, that, unless the most scrupulous care be taken in 
cleaning the hands, the knife, the object-slide, &c, globules of 
mercury may be found wherever they may be looked for. If we 
consider, moreover, that CEsterlen also found that powdered 
charcoal passed by absorption from the intestine into the lacteals, 
we shall be justified in doubting the accuracy of these experiments, 
and giving the preference to my experiments. 
Since it has therefore been shown that the metallic mercury in 
mercurial ointment does not pass into the body as such, it re- 
