16 KANSAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



made by the insect herself for the purpose. I have found no reference to the ovi- 

 position of the species of Elaphidion, our common allies of Tragidion. 



The beetle in question is attracted to some coarse flowers, as the Silphiun perfoli- 

 atuin, or is destructive to ripe fruit, as peaches, by gouging into the tender fruit, the 

 juices of which are a favorite food. I have also observed them eating the flesh of a 

 ripe watermelon in company with other fruit-boring insects, the cetonians, wasps, 

 and flies. 



A STUDY OF THE ALBUMINOIDS. 



BY PKOF. li. E. SAYKE, STATE UNIVERSITY. 

 [Abstract.] 



For several years past various attempts have been made to concentrate and bring 

 to a convenient form for administration as remedial agents the digestive principles 

 contained in the gastric juice and pancreatic fluid. While the efforts in this direc- 

 tion have thrown much light upon the nature of these principles, their exact con- 

 stitution has not been studied, for the reason that no one seems to have as yet 

 accomplished the difficult task of isolating them. 



The two processes adopted by pharmacists at the present time for the purpose 

 of making medicinal pepsin are about as follows: One is known as Scheffer's process, 

 by which the pepsin is dissolved out of the mucous lining, along with other albumi- 

 nous substances by means of slightly acidulated water. The resulting liquid is treated 

 with chloride of sodium, which causes a light, flocculent precipitation of these sub- 

 stances. The precipitate, collected, washed, and dried, constitutes this form of 

 pepsin, which appears in the market in the form of a light-brown powder. More 

 usually it comes as saccharated pepsin; this is a white powder composed of the 

 above so-called pure pepsin and a liberal quantity of sugar of milk. It is slightly 

 soluble in water. The kind of pepsin known as crystal, flake or scale pepsin is quite 

 a different article in appearance and composition. It is composed largely of pep- 

 tone holding in its substance a good deal of peptic power. In preparing it ad- 

 vantage is taken of the peculiar influence which heat exercises, in the presence 

 of acidulated water, over the mucous lining of the stomach. The finely-chopped 

 mucous membrane is digested in a very mildly-acidulated aqueous solution at a 

 temperature of 38° C. until the whole is obtained in a viscid solution. This is fil- 

 tered, neutralized, and evaporated at a temperature not over 40° C, until a thin, 

 transparent scale is formed. This product comes in market in yellowish, trans- 

 parent laminiB, very soluble in water. It also appears in the form of a white pow- 

 der in the saccharated form. 



The process of manufacture of pancreatin upon a large scale for the market 

 has been kept pretty closely as a trade secret. It appears in the market in the form 

 of a yellowish-brown powder, almost entirely soluble in water, and of a disagreeable 

 odor. It has the special property of digesting albuminous substances in an alkaline 

 solution. Pepsin will accomplish this only in acid solutions. Its application as a 

 medicinal agent is especially valuable in certain forms of infantile digestion and 

 certain depressed conditions of the digestive functions in adults, where a milk diet 

 is indicated. Pancreatin is used in these cases to dissolve (digest) the caseine of 

 the milk. The predigested milk becomes a very nutritious substance, and is easily 

 assimilated by a very feeble stomach. 



The method I have used for the purpose of preparing pancreatin is in substance 

 as follows: The finely-chopped pancreas is macerated for twenty-four hours in a 

 mixture of equal parts of glycerine and water, using one fluid ounce of the mixture 



