The Bile Acids have a powerful cytolitic action and even in small amounts cause widespread disintegration of the red blood corpuscles with liberation of their hemoglobin, and also the disintegration of other cells of the body with which they may come in contact. (7) They also have a distinct cholagogue action, their effect on the hepatic function being comparable with that of urea on the renal. In small doses they aid and in large doses delay the coagulation period of the blood. In minute doses they act as vaso-dilators and in large amounts as vaso-constrictors, and they slow the heart-beat by direct action on the cardiac ganglia and the myocardium. When injected in large amount they reduce motor and sensory irritability and act on the higher cerebral centres causing coma, insensibility and death. It has been shown that the bile acids are always present in the blood, but in minute quantities, causing these characteristic symptoms only when the amount is considerably increased in disease.

It has been found that the bile itself has but little germicidal power and outside of the body will itself putrefy. Its action in the body is twofold: by stimulating peristalsis it relieves the bowel of its burden and hastens on its contents before decomposition can take place, and, by the decomposition of the bile acids, which is probably accomplished by the intestinal fluids, a germicidal substance is set free which has a marked inhibitory influence over septic processes. (8).