372 Dr. R. D. Thomson on Pegmine and Pyropine. 



I. II. 



Carbon . . . 53-33 53-50 



Hydrogen . . 7*52 7'66 

 Nitrogen . . . l^-SO"] 



Oxygen . . ."W 6S \ 38-84 



Sulphur . . J^ b5 J 



100-00 100-00 



These analyses were communicated to Prof. Liebig some 

 years ago, and published by him in his edition of Geiger's 

 Pharmacies with the omission only of the nitrogen, which had 

 not then been determined. 



Liebig has suggested, with great plausibility to the writer, 

 that this beautiful substance may be an altered form of blood, 

 an idea which receives some support from the fact, that when 

 pyropine is incinerated, it leaves 0*52 per cent, of a reddish 

 ash, — a fact not sufficiently, perhaps, conclusive. 



When pyropine is boiled in water, the liquid is not precipi- 

 tated by infusion of nut-galls, a proof that it contains no gela- 

 tine or glue. Neither is it precipitated by acetate of lead. 

 The colour of pyropine is not altered by this treatment, with 

 the exception that a few scanty flocks of a membranous-look- 

 ing matter floated about. When broken into coarse powder, 

 it has a rich ruby colour; and hence its name (pyropus, 

 a ruby). In fine powder it is brown; a minute portion of it 

 dissolved in hot alcohol, and was deposited on cooling in the 

 form of ferruginous flocks. The following formulae would pro- 

 bably represent the relations of the preceding bodies to each 

 other. They must, however, be considered as mere possible 

 representations of their composition, calculated to exhibit the 

 difference in reference to their increasing amount of oxygen. 

 Fibrine . . C 48 Hgg N 6 16 Sx 

 Pyropine . C 48 H 39 N 6 16 S ? 

 Pegmine. . C 48 H 39 N 6 17 S.r. 



In these formulae, pyropine is represented as differing from 

 fibrine in containing no sulphur, and pegmine from the prece- 

 ding bodies by the presence of an additional quantity of oxy- 

 gen. .... 



The increased amount of oxygen in pegmine may be ex- 

 plained by the circumstance, that in inflammatory action respi- 

 ration is more rapidly carried on, and in consequence a greater 

 quantity of oxygen is introduced into the system than in the 

 healthy condition of the body. In all cases of coagulation of 

 blood in contact with oxygen, there is observable a light co- 

 loured portion situated on the surface of the coagulum, afford- 

 ing a proximate illustration of the production of the buffy 

 coat. 



