Volume 2

Animal chemistry : with reference to the physiology and pathology of man / by Franz Simon ; translated and edited by George E. Day.

  • Simon, Johann Franz, 1807-1843.
Date:
1845-1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Animal chemistry : with reference to the physiology and pathology of man / by Franz Simon ; translated and edited by George E. Day. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    24/584 (page 8)
    Water . , . 996-0 Organic matter . . 3*5 Inorganic matter . . 5 The ptyalin amounted to only 1*1. He was unable to detect any difference between tbe saliva of man and woman. Enderlin has made numerous analyses of the asb left after the incineration of the saliva^ and has always found it to have the same constituents. He considers that its alkaline reaction is due to the tribasic phosphate of soda (3NaO^ POJ which retains the mucus and protein-compounds in solution. Enderhn observes that_, independently of conclusions deduced from the ash_, he has sought unsuccessfully, in a direct manner, for lac- tates in the saliva. On incinerating salivary mucus obtained by washing that constituent from a filter, the residue is found to consist of phosphate of lime, with traces of chloride of sodium and phosphate of soda, the same composition as the tartar that collects on the teeth. A quantitative analysis of the ash from a large amount of saliva obtained from different persons, yielded the following results: A. Constituents soluble in water. Tribasic phosphate of soda (3NaO, PO5) . 28-122^ Chlorides of sodium and potassium . 61-930 192-387 Sulphate of soda . . . 2-315 J B. Constituents insoluble in water. Phosphate of lime , . , ~\ „ magnesia . . , U-509 ] „ peroxide of iron . . j Very little is known with certainty regarding the part taken by the saliva in the process of digestion. Spallanzani fancied that he had observed that food inclosed in tubes pierced with numerous apertures, and moistened by the saliva, was more rapidly digested than when simply moistened with water. Berzelius, however, found that the saliva exerts no greater solvent power than pure water, and Miiller confirms his state- ment. Hiinefeld, on the other hand, believes that the object of the sahva is to destroy the tenacity of the food, and he