CHEMICAL SCIENCE. 203 



Halle'* as possible, and serve, nevertheless, certain theoretical purposes; and 

 certainly, if he entertained the intention of solving such a problem, he has 

 wonderfully succeeded. But what I still more wonder at, is both the sudden 

 and general success which that far-fetched and strained hypothesis met with, 

 and the tenacity with which the Avhole chemical world has been sticking to 

 it ever since its imaginative author pleased to divulge it: and all this could 

 happen in spite of the fact that the new doctrine, in removing from the field 

 of chemistry a couple of hypothetical bodies, was, for analogy's sake, forced 

 to introduce fictitious compounds, not by dozens only, but by hundreds, - 

 the oxy-sulphion, oxy-nitrion, and the rest of those "nonentia." But 

 enough of this subject, upon which I am apt to grow warm and even angry. 

 Although the results I have obtained from my recent investigations cannot 

 but induce me to begin another, and, I am afraid, endless series of researches, 

 I shall for the present cut short the matter, and indulge for some time in 

 absolute idleness. 



ACTION OF OZONE ON ALBUMEN, CASEIN, AND OTHER ORGANIC 

 COMPOUNDS. BY PROF. GORUP-BESANEZ. 



Ozonized air oxidizes cyanide of potassium in watery solution to cyanate, 

 uric acid to allantoin and urea; but its most remarkable action is that on 

 albumina and casein. If a stream of highly ozonized air be conducted 

 through a solution of albumina, the latter turns opaque and changes its color, 

 assuming a reddish hue in falling, a greenish-yellow in transmitted light. 

 The froth which soon appears on the surface, is mixed with numerous white 

 coagulations, which, when pressed between the fingers to expel the inclosed 

 air, shrink to tough, gi-ayish-white fibres, having an unmistakable resem- 

 blance to fibrine, though so far insoluble in a solution of nitre. The forma- 

 tion of these coagula increases up to a certain point, when it lessens, and 

 those formed are redissolved, while, at the .same time, the liquid turns paler. 

 The frothing gradually subsides under the continued action of the ozonized 

 air, and the liquid finally becomes clear. Evaporated in the water bath, it left a 

 brown extract, partly soluble in alcohol. This solution in alcohol, on evapo- 

 ration, left a sirupy residue. The insoluble portion bore a great resemblance 

 to the residue from urine which is insoluble in the same menstruum. Its wateiy 

 solution is of a distinctly acid reaction evaporated, leaves a brownish residue, 

 which, when burnt, emits the odor of burnt horn, and leaves a voluminous 

 coal which gives but little ashes. It is only precipitated by tannic acid, but 

 is clouded, when concentrated, by acetate of lead, corrosive sublimate, the 

 salts of copper, lime-water, and by nitrate of silver with a yellowish cloudi- 

 ness, which colors the liquid a brownish-red on boiling. Neither the alcoholic 

 nor aqueous solution contained sugar. These experiments prove that albu- 

 mina is acted on very powerfully by the ozonized air, losing, as it does, nearly 

 all the properties peculiar to albuminous compounds. The results are of 

 great interest physiologically, because they bear a close relation to the prop- 

 erties of the pectonous substances, the products described by Lehmann as 

 formed by the action of the ferment of the stomach on albuminates. 



Casein is acted on as energetically as albumina, but without change of 

 color or formation of coagula; the final changes and products are the same 

 as those from albumina. At one stage of the process, while the solution is 

 not precipitated any more by acetic acid, thereby showing the absence of 

 soluble casein, it coagulates on boiling, like albumina, and is precipitated by 



