BY C. J. MARTIN. 321 



proteid was precipitated, and all proteids except albumoses and 

 peptones rendered insoluble. 



The alcohol was filtered off and allowed to evaporate very 

 slowly under a bell jar, at the ordinary temperature of the 

 laboratory. This alcoholic extract I shall refer to as solution A. 



The precipitate, after the adherent alcohol had been driven off 

 by evaporation at 40° C, was treated with 1% NaCl solution for 

 some hours and filtered. This solution of pi-ecipitated proteids I 

 shall refer to as solution B. 



By these procedures any body| of the nature of an alkaloid, 

 ptomaine, or Blyth's hypothetical cobric acid, would be in solution 

 A, and those proteids not rendered insoluble by the prolonged 

 sojourn under alcohol in solution B. All germs, if such were 

 present, would be destroyed. 



Examination of Solution A. 



The solution is yellow in colour, with a disagreeable pungent 

 smell, and of a marked acid reaction. 



During the slow evaporation of the solution no crystals 

 appeared. The lower portion of the fluid was repeatedly drawn 

 off and examined under the microscope with negative result. 



The i-esidue after evaporating off" the alcohol was dark brown in 

 colour, greasy, and of an acid reaction. The acid present in it 

 was freely soluble in alcohol and ether. Litmus paper reddened 

 by either of these solutions returned to the neutral tint on drying. 



This alcoholic extract contained no proteid and the whole of it 

 was mixed with a little salt solution 7% and injected into the 

 peritoneal cavity of a guinea pig without result. 



Examination of Sohttion B. 

 This solution was clear, colourless and neutral, and although it 

 was a very weak one, 1 cc. injected into the jugular vein of a 

 guinea pig caused its death in 23 minutes with the usual symptoms 

 of snake poison. The remainder was then submitted to the 

 following chemical tests : — 



(1.) Boiling. No coagulation. 



(2.) Nitric acid. Slight turbidity, on the addition of salt a 

 precipitate, which disappeared on warming and I'e-ap- 

 peared on cooling. 



