124 Mr, Thomas Richardson on the 



first is red, but gradually acquires so deep a colour as to 

 appear black. Dr. Hope first noticed this peculiar red 

 colour of the solution. The substance obtained by evapo- 

 rating the solution to dryness, is very similar to that ob- 

 tained from fibrin in the same way. 



3. Muriatic acid acts with energy upon coagulated albu- 

 men on the application of heat, and the solution becomes 

 red. The colour deepens very much, and by evaporating 

 the solution to dryness, the substance remaining differs very 

 little from the muriate of fibrin. 



4. When the albumen is boiled in caustic soda, a change 

 in the nature of the albumen is effected and animal soap 

 formed, which dissolves in water. Muriatic acid occasioned 

 a precipitate in the solution. 



III. THE FATTY MATTERS OF THE BLOOD. 



The plan I followed in order to obtain these fatty matters 

 was very nearly that of Lecanu's ; a quantity of boiling 

 alcohol was poured into some blood which had been recently 

 drawn from a man, and the precipitate which fell was 

 separated by a filter and washed with hot alcohol. 



The clear alcoholic solution as it cools deposits some 

 fatty matter. When the whole is evaporated to dryness, 

 what remains has a slight red colour owing to some of the 

 colouring matter of the blood which it is impossible to 

 separate. The flavour is agreeable, and the mass is deli- 

 quescent. When boiled with ether, part only dissolves. 



1. The clear ethereal solution when evaporated to dryness 

 leaves a substance of an acrid taste. A solid portion and 

 an oily liquid constituted the residue. Lecanu calls the 

 solid portion crystalline, but what I obtained scarcely pos- 

 sessed such an appearance. Boiling alcohol dissolves the 

 solid portion and leaves the oily liquid. 



(a). The alcohol on cooling deposits the whole of the 

 solid portion, Lecanu says, under the form of crystalline 

 plates. 



It is white without taste or smell. 



Presents a fatty appearance. 



Cold alcohol does not dissolve it ; boiling alcohol easily 

 dissolves it, but deposits the whole on cooling. 



Soluble in ether. 



