— 92 



Crystallization of the haemocyanin. 



The possibiHty of crystalHzing albuminoiis substances is a 

 very important factor for biological chemists who find in the 

 process of crystalHzation, wheii possible, the ineans best adapted 

 to obtain well defineJ compounds and to purify them. Henze (4) 

 was the first to succeed in crystalHzing the haemocyanin of 

 Octopiis vulgaris , but neither design nor photograph of the 

 haemocyanin crystals are found in his paper. Later on Kobert (6) 

 crystalized the haemocyanin of Eledone moschata iliustrating, 

 in his paper, the crystalhne forni, by microphotographs of the 

 denatùrahsed crystals. No investigation, on tlie crystalHzation of 

 the haemocyanin of Octopiis macropus is reported in the literature. 

 According to Déhré (7) on dializing the blood of Helix Pomatia 

 the haemocyanin precipitates in the crystalhne form. He has also 

 crystallized the haemocyanin of Sepia employing the Hopkins 

 method. ALSBEROand Clark (2) bave not succeeded in crystalHzing 

 the haemocyanin of the crustacean Liniiilus Polypheriius. We do 

 not know of any other researches made on the crystalHzation of 

 haemocyanin. 



I will bere report the results I bave obtained myself on cry- 

 stalHzing the haemocyanin from the blood of Octopus vulgaris, 

 Octopus macropus and Eledone moschata. 



The haemocyanin of Octopus vulgari&m^y be crystallized with 

 very little difficulty, and contrary to the statement made by Henze 

 (4) that crystalHzation goes on well only with fresh blood from 

 healthy animals. I have found that haemocyanin crystallizes equally 

 well with blood from unhealthy animals and with blood preser- 

 ved for two years under toluol. I have been able to crystallize, 

 with the greatest ease, haemocyanin in blood collected from dead 

 animals, and even blood in an evident state of putrefaction, fin- 

 ding, in the process of crystalHzation, a means of isolatingit from 

 impurities. 



By crystalHzation haemocyanin may be separated from other 

 proteids. 



