Arsenious Acid with Albumen. 347 



copper ; the other half, on the contrary, was triturated for several 

 minutes in a mortar with about twice its weight of pure quartzose 

 sand, afterwards boiled in water^ and treated as in the former 

 experiments. Upon subsequently testing it by Reinsch's process, 

 only very faint and doubtful traces of arsenic were discovered. 



Experiment VII. — 483 grs. of albumen were mixed with 

 3*0 grs. of dissolved arsenious acid. The mixture was then 

 coagulated by heat and treated as before. The washings having 

 been carefully collected and evaporated to dryness left a yellowish 

 residue, which was redissolved in boiling water. The latter solu- 

 tion was filtered, in order to remove some few ilocculi of albumen 

 which had passed through the pores of the muslin strainer ; it 

 was then acidulated with hydrochloric acid, and treated with 

 sulphuretted hydrogen, a stream of which was passed through 

 it for some time, until the liquid smelt strongly of the gas. The 

 solution was boiled in order to dispel the excess of hydrosul- 

 phuric acid, and the precipitate of tersulphide of arsenic formed 

 separated by filtration. When dried at 212° F. it was found 

 to weigh 3-63 grs. = 2-921 grs. AsO^. 



Experiment VIII. — This was undertaken with the view of 

 ascertaining whether arsenious acid really loses its poisonous 

 properties on admixture with albumen, as has been asserted. 



The whites of three eggs, weighing altogether 1624 grs., were 

 mixed with water and 6*5 grs. of dissolved arsenious acid. The 

 mixture, having been evaporated to dryness, was finally commi- 

 nuted, mixed with food, and administered to a cat. Having eaten 

 about a fifth or a quarter of the powder, the animal refused to 

 take the remainder; in a short time it exhibited considerable 

 uneasiness, vomited repeatedly, and was soon afterwards attacked 

 with all the symptoms of arsenical poisoning. It lingered on, 

 however, in a state of extreme torment, for two or three days, 

 and then died, refusing food to the last, l^o post-mortem exami- 

 nation of the body was made ; my time being then much occu- 

 pied with other matters of importance. 



As regards the above results, it is in my opinion quite unne- 

 cessary to offer any observations upon them, as they may be said 

 to speak for them selves. I shall therefore content myself with 

 relating the facts I have observed, and leave my readers to draw 

 their own conclusions. 



Mansion House, Okl Park, Bristol, 

 May 16th, 1851. 



