156 Scientific Intelligence. , [Aug. 



and disengaged carbonic acid, which remaining in the atmosphere, 

 formed a pellicle on the surface of the water. In the course of a 

 short time the smell became so strong that it affected with headache 

 persons subjected to its influence. The plants were gradually con- 

 verted into a black mass, consisting of threads and fine charcoal. 

 During the last putrefactive stage, the water was completely stinking, 

 blackish and slimy, and possessed on its surface a pellicle emitting a 

 very disagreeable smell. 



Savi and Pessarini consider that the Puterin is one of the prin- 

 cipal causes of the Malaria in Italy, and that this matter, by its 

 deteriorating action in the heat of summer, deprives the plants of 

 their natural colour. When it is considered, however, that the charae, 

 in their living state, disengage chlorine, it is obvious that further 

 experiments are necessary, and that the explanation given is not satis- 

 factory, because the chlorine of growing plants would operate by 

 purifying the air deteriorated by the decaying ones. — Brandes' 

 Pkarm. Zeit. xi. 169, 183. 



X. — Composition of Goat Fat. 



The experiments of Chevreul, and others, led to the conclusion that 

 all vegetable and animal fixed oils were precisely similarly consti- 

 tuted. When they are treated, however, separately, with ether, 

 distinctions can readily be recognized. Thus, 1 part olive oil at 59^ 

 dissolves in Ij times its weight of ether, while it requires 60 parts 

 of the same fluid to dissolve 1 part of mutton fat. Le Canu took 

 advantage of this fact, and shewed that animal oils contain a principle 

 hitherto undescribed : viz. Margarine. Dr. Joss of Vienna,* follow- 

 ing up the suggestion of Le Canu, has analyzed goat fat, and has found 

 it to consist of three principles, according to the following table : — 

 Elaine, soluble in cold alcohol of '815 . . . 5 42 (like olive oil) 

 Margarine, soluble in boiling, do. precipitating 



on cooling 25*83 (yellowish) 



Stearine, insoluble in boiling alcohol of '815 . 68*75 (white) 



10000 



XI. — Chemical Nature of the Secretions. 



There are three principal membranes which furnish secretions in the 

 human body. These are, the skin, the mucous, and serous membranes. 



1. The skin which covers the body externally, affords, by tran- 

 spiration, the sweat, which, in the healthy state, is acid. This acidity 

 is derived from the presence of acetic acid. Carbonic acid also is 

 transpired. 



Dr. Donne has found, however, (Ann. de Ckim. Ivii. 398.) that 

 the sweat transpired between the toes, under the arm-pits, and around 

 the parts of generation, is alkaline. The skin of the dog and cat, 

 which do not perspire, is sensibly acid ; while, in the buck rabbit it 

 is alkaline, or neutral, and in the horse strongly alkaline. In these 

 animals there are analogous differences in the other secretions. For, 



* Erdmann und Schweigger-Seidel's Journal fur praktische Chemie, iv. 369. 



