Chemical Science. 419 



the mucus and animal matter present with the hydrate or subsalt 

 used. 



The clear fluid is to be acted upon by diluted sulphuric acid, 

 added until in slight excess, to separate the lead present, and to act, 

 during the future evaporation, upon the acetates of soda and lime 

 which may be formed. The liquid is again to be freed from the pre- 

 cipitate, and quickly evaporated, animal charcoal being added to it 

 during the ebullition. When clear the fluid is to be strained through 

 a fine cloth, and concentrated to one-third of its bulk; on cooling, 

 it will probably become a yellowish acicular crystalline mass, con- 

 sisting of much urea and some salts. The crystals, when drained 

 and pressed, are to be added to those produced by evaporating the 

 mother water, also similarly treated ; being thus freed from the 

 brown viscid matter which previously accompanied them, they are 

 to be treated with a small quantity of carbonate of soda, to decom- 

 pose any acetate of lime which may remain, and then are to be 

 digested in alcohol. The solution, filtered and distilled, leaves urea, 

 which may be recrystallized by solution in water and evaporation. — 

 Journ. de Pharmacie, April, 1829. 



24. Composition of different Bones. — The following account of the 

 earthy part of different bones, as given by Dr. F. de Barras, is in- 

 teresting. The quantities are those obtained from a thousand parts 

 of bone. 



Sheep. Hens. Fishes. Frogs. Lions. 



Carbonate of lime. . . 193 104 53 24 25 



Phosphate of lime.. . 800 836 919 952 950 

 — Jameson's Journal. 



25. New proximate Principle from Albumen, by M. Couerbe. — 

 White of egg was left to itself at a temperature of 17° or 18° F. It 

 did not congeal, but thickened a little, and at the end of a month 

 gave an abundant membranous net-work and a liquid matter, no 

 putrid gas having been disengaged. The liquid was slightly exa- 

 mined, and by its decomposition gave carbonate of ammonia; 

 hence it was concluded that the liquid contained the animal part of 

 the albumen. 



The membranous substance was white, translucid, and of a folia- 

 ceous structure, insipid, inodorous, and friable. Heated in a tube, 

 it did not fuse, but was decomposed, swelling at the time, evolving 

 no azoted products, but leaving a voluminous light charcoal diffi- 

 cult to burn. When decomposed by oxide of copper, it gave only 

 water and carbonic acid. In cold water it did not dissolve ; in 

 boiling water it softened, melted, and looked like insoluble mucilage. 

 Alcohol, ether, and acetic acid exerted no action upon it, hot or 

 cold. Sulphuric acid exerted little action at common temperatures ; 

 but by heat carbonized it, evolving an agreeable aromatic odour. 

 Nitric acid acted but little when cold ; by heat dissolved it, evolving 



