Part 3 (1/2)

48. SILEX (silicium combined with oxygen) is contained in the hair and in some of the secretions.

49. IRON forms the coloring principle of the red globules of the blood, and is found in every part of the system.

_Observation._ As metallic or mineral substances enter into the ultimate elements of the body, the a.s.sertion that all minerals are poisonous, however small the quant.i.ty, is untrue.

42. What is an ultimate element? Give examples. 43. How are they divided? Name the metallic substances. Name the non-metallic substances. 44. What is said of potash? 45. Of soda? 46. Of lime? 47.

Of magnesia? 48. Of silex? 49. What forms the coloring principle of the blood? What is said of mineral substances?

50. OXYGEN is contained in all the fluids and solids of the body. It is almost entirely derived from the inspired air and water. It is expelled in the form of carbonic acid and water from the lungs and skin. It is likewise removed in the other secretions.

51. HYDROGEN is found in all the fluids and in all the solids of the body. It is derived from the food, as well as from water and other drinks. It exists in the greatest abundance in the impure, dark-colored blood of the system. It is removed by the agency of the kidneys, skin, lungs, and other excretory organs.

52. CARBON is an element in the oil, fat, alb.u.men, fibrin, gelatin, bile, and mucus. This element likewise exists in the impure blood in the form of carbonic acid gas. Carbon is obtained from the food, and discharged from the system by the secretions and respiration.

53. NITROGEN is contained in most animal matter, but is most abundant in fibrin. It is not contained in fat and a few other substances.

_Observation._ The peculiar smell of animal matter when burning is owing to nitrogen. This element combined with hydrogen forms _am-moni-a_, (hartshorn,) when animal matter is in a state of putrefaction.

54. PHOSPHORUS is contained in many parts of the system, but more particularly in the bones. It is generally found in combination with oxygen, forming _phosphoric acid_. The phosphoric acid is usually combined with alkaline bases; as lime in the bones, forming phosphate of lime.

55. SULPHUR exists in the bones, muscles, hair, and nails. It is expelled from the system by the skin and intestines.

56. CHLORINE is found in the blood, gastric juice, milk, perspiration, and saliva.

50. What is said of oxygen? 51. Of hydrogen? 52. What is said of carbon? 53. Of nitrogen? How is ammonia formed? 54. What is said of phosphorus? 55. What is said of sulphur? 56. Of chlorine?

57. PROXIMATE ELEMENTS are forms of matter that exist in organized bodies in abundance, and are composed chiefly of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, arranged in different proportions. They exist already formed, and may be separated in many instances, by heat or mechanical means. The most important compounds are _Al-b.u.men_, _Fibrin_, _Gela-tin_, _Mucus_, _Fat_, _Case-ine_, _Chondrine_, _Lactic acid_, and _Osma-zome_.

58. ALb.u.mEN is found in the body, both in a fluid and solid form. It is an element of the skin, glands, hair, and nails, and forms the princ.i.p.al ingredient of the brain. Alb.u.men is without color, taste, or smell, and it coagulates by heat, acids, and alcohol.

_Observation._ The white of an egg is composed of alb.u.men, which can be coagulated or hardened by alcohol. As alb.u.men enters so largely into the composition of the brain, is not the impaired intellect and moral degradation of the inebriate attributable to the effect of alcohol in hardening the alb.u.men of this organ?

59. FIBRIN exists abundantly in the blood, chyle, and lymph. It const.i.tutes the basis of the muscles. Fibrin is of a whitish color, inodorous, and insoluble in cold water. It differs from alb.u.men by possessing the property of coagulating at all temperatures.

_Observation._ Fibrin may be obtained by was.h.i.+ng the thick part of blood with cold water; by this process, the red globules, or coloring matter, are separated from this element.

60. GELATIN is found in nearly all the solids, but it is not known to exist in any of the fluids. It forms the basis of the cellular tissue, and exists largely in the skin, bones, ligaments, and cartilages.

57. What are proximate elements? Do they exist already formed in organized bodies? Name the most important compounds. 58. What is said of alb.u.men? Give observation relative to this element. 59. Of fibrin?