An inaugural dissertation on the chymical analysis and operation of vegetable astringents, with observations on the identity of the vegetable acids : sumbitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P. provost ; the trustees and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, for the decree of Doctor of Medicine / by John Willis, honorary member of the Philadelphia Medical Society.

  • Willis, John, active 1795.
Date:
1795
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An inaugural dissertation on the chymical analysis and operation of vegetable astringents, with observations on the identity of the vegetable acids : sumbitted to the examination of the Rev. John Ewing, S.T.P. provost ; the trustees and medical professors of the University of Pennsylvania, for the decree of Doctor of Medicine / by John Willis, honorary member of the Philadelphia Medical Society. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    when combined with oils give them firtnfteft said folidity ; thus the fat of herbaceous animals is an oil in a concrete form, which by diifillation yeiids a phlegm that is highly acid, and if this acid be en- tirely difiipated by repeated diPtillations ; the denfe fafts become fluid oils ; and by Mr. Iv-acquer's chemical analyfis of fats we are informed, that net the fmalleit portion of volatile alkali can be ob- tained from the fat of the herbacious animals. We find from a deficiency of this acid in the fat of car- nivorous animals their oily parts are more fluid than thofe of herbaceous; and when there is a ftrong putrelcent tendency in the body, the fat is more fluid for want of this acid, whieh defect is removed by taking in a large quantity of vegetable acid, or even of vegetable food whereby an' acid may be generated. We may moreover by the different degrees cf denfity of the fat of herbaceous and carniverous animals perceive the gradual extinction of acid through thofe different ftages in proportion as they become more removed from the vegetable king- dom There is I apprehend every reafon to believe,Inat molt of the acick obtained from animal matter, owe their origin irjiwreclly to the vegetable kingdom, and though we are far from a knowledge requifite to give a complete theory of their formation : yet from the palpable fcate in which they are found ; from obferving the manner in which they are influ- enced by vegetable food, and the coincidence of properties, which exifis between them and vegeta- ble acids ; it appears to be proved, beyond a doubt that the tranfition to acid i ; i ually performed in in theftomach, andean only differ from the vege- table acid as being united with feme adventitious