490 ON THE FEMORAL GLAND OF ORNITHORHYXCHUS, 



acid was added to the filtrate. This caused a slight turbidity, 

 which, however, disappeared on heating the solution, but reap- 

 peared directly it was allowed to cool. 



It was filtered boiling through a funnel surrounded by a hot 

 water jacket. The filtrate became slightly milky on cooling, and 

 when rendered alkaline with strong caustic potash and a few drops 

 of copper sulphate added, shoAved a pink biuret reaction. 



By this treatment the presence of a very small quantity of 

 proteose may be demonstrated when such is present together with 

 ordinary proteid.* 



Our conclusions as to the composition of the secretion drawn 

 from the above experiments are : — 



(1) It is a solution of proteids. 



(2) That the greater portion is composed of a proteid belong- 



ing to the class of albumins, and that in addition a small 

 quantity of proteose is present. 



(3) Nucleo-albumens are absent. 



The minor portion of proteid which is rendered permanently 

 insoluble by alcohol may contain glol»ulin, bvit none of this proteid 

 went into solution subsequently.! 



As we shall show in the next section, the secretion of these 

 glands is capable of exerting a poAverful toxic action on rabbits. 

 Whether the whole of the proteids contained possess this power, 

 or whether it is confined to the small quantity of proteose present, 

 we are unable to state. There would, however, be no great diffi- 

 culty in answering this question had we more material to work 

 upon. 



Experiments on Rabbits wifJi the Secretion. 



The small amount of the secretion in our possession necessaril}^ 

 limited the number of experiments on the natux'e of its toxic 

 action. We were, howe^'er, al)le to make four experiments, the 



* C. J. Martin, Journ. of Physiol. Vol. xv. p. 375. 

 + That a body of the albumen class, after four days' sojourn under 92% 

 alcohol, should readily dissolve in water and dilute saline solutions is 

 peculiar. Ordinary albumens, including tlie serum-albumen of the Platypus 

 itself, are in this length of time rendered insoluble. 



