To two drachms of fresh ox gall, were added two scruples of Magnesia,
and two ounces of water, in one phial. Two scruples of calcined
Magnesia with the same quantity of gall and water were placed in
another; and a third containing two drachms of bile without any other
addition than water, served as a standard, which began to have a rank
smell in forty-eight hours, and in sixty hours was highly offensive.
The calcined Magnesia and bile emitted a sweetish smell, something
resembling that of the urine in a diabetes: the liquor which swam above
was quite pellucid and colourless, whereas that of the other Magnesia
was turbid and tinged green with the bile. Both were perfectly free
from any putrid foetor; the latter continued so for ten days, and
the bile with the calcined Magnesia remained unchanged as long as any
notice was taken of it.