558 Proceedings Columhia Biochemical Association [July 



To prepare this temporarily colorless reagent, about o.i gram of 

 potassium cupro-cyanide may be dissolved in 50 c.c. of 10 percent 

 (or stronger) sodium hydroxid sol. Fehling's alkaline tartrate sol. 

 may be used. Convenient approximations of these amounts may be 

 made in emergencies with satisfactory results. 



Several of the common organic salts of copper were treated 

 with alkali. Many of them were decomposed, yielding cupric 

 hydroxid or cuprous oxid, and a blue Solution. The citrate, salicy- 

 late and tartrate, while soluble in alkali, yield Solutions that are 

 respectively green, deep green and dark blue, thus rendering them 

 useless for the intended purpose. 



107. Biochemical studies of expired air in relation to venti- 

 lation.22 Charles Weisman. Our preliminary results^^ have 

 been fully confirmed. Eleven repetitions of Rosenau and Amoss' 

 experiments have been made, with negative results in each case. 

 Anaphylaxis failed to occur in control experiments, when expired- 

 air condensations were used for the second injection as well as 

 for the preliminary sensitization. 



In experiments extending the work, air was drawn through the 

 macerated lungs from a dog and the vapors Condensed into a 

 Drechsel bottle. The guinea pigs that were " sensitized " to the 

 condensation-liquid failed to exhibit anaphylaxis after appropriate 

 treatment with dog-blood serum. Air was also drawn through a 

 Solution of Witte peptone, and the vapors Condensed, but the liquid 

 thus obtained did not yield the biuret, Million or xanthoproteic test. 



Chemical examination of the condensation-liquids, obtained 

 under aseptic conditions from the expired breath of several persons, 

 gave the following results: Ahsent — sulfid, phosphate, bromid, 

 iodid, amin, acetone (iodoform test), diacetic acid (Lipliawski 

 test), and protein; present — ammonia (Nessler test), and chlorid. 



The ill effects of vitiated air in poorly ventilated or over- 

 crowded places cannot be due to a volatile protein ("sensitizing 

 substance " ) from the lungs. 



Biochemical Laboratory of Columbia University, 

 College of Physicians and Surgeons, 

 New York 



22 Weisman: Dissertation; Columbia University, 1913. Pp. 97. 



23 Weisman : Biochemical Bulletin, 191 3, ii, p. 295. 



