598 



S. B. MITRA, 



Here also the important fact should be stated definitely, 

 that one end o£ the crystalline style, whether it is lodged in 

 a caecal diverticulcum or in the alimentary canal itself, 

 invariably projects a little into the stomach, and that this 

 end is as invariably surrounded by and has embedded in its 

 substance a very considerable quantity of food material (fig. 

 8). In fact, one can see that this projecting end is slowly 

 and gradually dissolved in the stomach, and is there mixed 

 up with food material, which then is passed on into the 

 intestine (fig. 8). In Anodon the thicker end projects into 

 the stomach, in Pholas the thinner end. 



One more fact should be mentioned here, and that is that 

 there is no cellular element in the style, and that it is com- 

 posed entirely of a colloid substance. 



Let us now describe the chemical properties of the style. 

 The style is soluble in distilled water, but this solubility is 

 due to the presence in the style of a minute quantity of salts. 

 The solution is neutral. That it is a proteid substance is 

 proved by the following colour reactions. It gives the xantho- 

 proteic reaction with nitric acid and ammonia or caustic 

 potash; the Millon's reaction with Millon's reagent ; and gives 

 violet coloration with copper sulphate and caustic potash 

 (Piotrowski's reaction). Its solution in distilled water coagu- 

 lates on heating. (The solution must be concentrated, other- 

 wise this result cannot be obtained.) The solution in dis- 

 tilled water is precipitated by nitric acid. The precipitate is not 

 dissolved by heat. The solution is also precipitated by tannin, 

 ammonium sulphate, magnesium sulphate, sodium chloride, 

 and alcohol. 



It is important to know to what class of proteids the style 

 belongs. It belongs to the globulin class — the class to which 

 fibrin-ferment, which has been proved to be a proteid, belongs. 

 It is not an albumin, because its solution in water is com- 

 pletely precipitated by saturation with magnesium sulphate. 

 It is not an acid or alkali-albumin, because its solution in 

 water is neutral, and coagulates on heating. There is no 

 peptone in the style, because when its solution in water is 



