422 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



mercury, is in the state of albumen which M. Chevreul lias called 

 soluble, to distinguish from coagulated albumen {I'albumine cuite), 

 which is insoluble in water ; 



(c.) That a solution of precipitated albumen and bichloride of 

 mercury in a solution of chloride of sodium, is coagulated by heat, 

 like pure albumen, except that the coagulum retains some bichlo- 

 ride, and that this solution evaporated in vacuo, separates from the 

 chloride of sodium in the state of albumen, combined with bichlo- 

 ride of mercury insoluble in water. 



Admitting as exact the atomic constitution which Thomson has 

 calculated from the analyses of Thenard and Gay-Lussac, M. Las- 

 saigne considers that the precipitate consists of one atom of bichlo- 

 ride of mercury and ten atoms of albumen, which gives for 100 

 parts 6*67 of bichloride and 93*33 of albumen. 



M. Lassaigne concludes his memoir with an examination of the 

 action of bichloride of mercury upon the fibrin extracted from 

 blood. He shows that a solution of bichloride of mercury in which 

 fibrin has been placed for several days does not contain any free 

 hydrochloric acid, as has been stated ; for mercury agitated with 

 the liquor separated from the fibrin, precipitates all the bichloride 

 in the state of protochloride, without leaving any hydrochloric acid 

 in the water. M. Lassaigne has likewise determined the absence 

 of chlorine in the same liquor separated from fibrin. He concludes 

 from this double experiment that fibrin, like albumen, combines 

 with bicldoride of mercury without converting it into protochlo- 

 ride. Ulnstituty April 5, 1837. 



(ENANTHIC ACID. 



(Enanthic Acid, separated as just described, is to be carefully 

 washed with hot water. It may be afterwards dried either by 

 shaking it with chloride of calcium, or exposing in vacuo to con- 

 centrated sulphuric acid. The hydrated oenanthic acid thus ob- 

 tained, is perfectly white, and at about 60° is of the consistence of 

 butter, but at a higher temperature it melts, becomes a colourless 

 oil, which is both inodorous and insipid, reddens litmus, dissolves 

 readily in the caustic and carbonated alkalis. This acid, like all 

 the fatty acids, forms two series of salts, one of which is acidulous, 

 without, however, exhibiting any sensible acid reaction, the other 

 is neutral, with a strongly marked alkaline reaction. It is readily 

 soluble in aether and in alcohol. When a hot solution of cenanthic 

 acid is saturated with potash, so that it exhibits neither acid nor 

 alkaline reaction, on cooling there is formed a pasty mass con- 

 sisting of fine, extremely fine silky needleform crystals, which are 

 the acidulous salt of potash. 



When oenanthic acid is dissolved with heat in a solution of car- 

 bonate of soda, and the solution is evaporated to dryness, and then 

 treated with alcohol, neutral oenanthate of soda is dissolved, and the 



