S4 oif Vegetable mucilages. 



by boilins^ flour in water, were somewhat different from those 

 upon starch. The acetate of lead and the nitro-muriate of 

 tin produced, as in the former ease, very copious precipi- 

 tates ; the nitrate of mercury caused the fluid to assume a 

 pink colour, and the nitro-muriate of gold a dusky gray, but 

 without any precipitate; the super-acetate of lead, the 

 oxysulphate of iron, the silicated potash, and the infusion of 

 reagentt qot ea- galls had no visible effect. It is necessary to observe, that 

 sily observable, in the experiments upon starch and paste, the substances 

 themselves being opake, it is difiicult to ascertain the effect 

 of reagents upon them, unless it be considerable and im- 

 mediate. 



As starch and paste differ from each other principally in 

 Gluten. consequence of a quantity of gluten which exists in the lat- 



ter, 1 thought it necessary to obtain this substance in a sepa- 

 rate state, in order that its properties might be examined 

 with more accuracy. I accordingly procured it in the usual 

 manner, and digesting a quantity of it for some days in 

 solved. water, it exhibited marks of partial solution. The fluid was 



then filtered, and appeared homogeneous, although some- 

 Effects of the what opake; in this state it was submitted to the reagents. 

 reagonts. Precipitates were thrown down by the acetate of lead, super- 



acetate of lead, and the nitro-muriate of tin. With the ni- 

 trate of mercury a precipitate was produced in moderate 

 quantity, which very quickly subsided, while the fluid as- 

 sumed a beautiful pink hue. With the oxysulphate of iron, 

 and the nitro-muriate of gold, precipitates were also thrown 

 down, the latter of a light brown colour. No effect was pro- 

 duced by silicated potash ; but a very copious precipitate 

 ensued ujion the addition of the infusion of galls. 

 V t ble ' I- ^ i^ext wished to ascertain the properties of vegetable 

 ly. J€lly» 8nd for this purpose I procured a quantity of it from 



Prom the the oulp of the gooseberrv. I could not, however, succeed 



gooseberry. .*..., -'i i • i • 



N tf^ li from ^" freeing it from the acid which it contains, and was, on 



acid. this account, prevented from observing the operation of the 



metallic salts and the silicated potash. I found that a pre- 



^In?''^^^^'^ ^^ cipitate was formed by adding the infusion of gall to it. 



I next submitted a strong: solution of sua^ar to the action 

 Sugar. , . . 



of the difterent reagents, but I found that no effect was pro- 

 duced in any of them, except the acetate of lead, which nfter 



some 



