TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 73 



in this instance likewise yielded a strongly acid reaction, produced by sulphur acids. 

 The possible influence of sewer atmospheres predicated interesting results from an 

 examination of such air ; and accordingly it was found that the predominating feature 

 of this experiment was animal life in the form of swarms of vibriones in various 

 stages of advancement. The chemical reaction in this case, unlike that in the pre- 

 ceding experiments, was invariably alkaline, due to the evolution of ammonia from 

 the nftrogenous matters contained in the sewage liquors. These experiments render 

 it sufficienlly obvious that organic living bodies constantly surround us in close apart- 

 ments, and particularly that animal matter under certain circumstances is likewise 

 diffused through such atmospheres. They fail to point out any matter capable of 

 communicating cholera from one individual to another through the medium of the 

 air, and therefore are highly important to the public ; but thej^ show that foreign 

 animal matter injurious to health may speedily be concentrated in certain localities, 

 which will undoubtedly assist in the production and propagation of disease in con- 

 junction with meteorological conditions. Pathological investigations, carefully con- 

 ducted by the author's colleague, Mr. Rainey, detected in one case an entozoon in 

 the glottis or upper part of the air-passage, the only analogue of which has been 

 found in the substance of the muscle of animals, which would seem to indicate that the 

 germ of this creature had been derived from the atmosphere, or at least from external 

 sources. 



It is intended that these experiments, which are tedious and laborious in their 

 character, shall be extended to other atmospheres, so as to obtain comparative series 

 of views, so to speak, of air modified by the influence of different diseases. 



a: 



k 



On Caseine, and a method of determining Sulphur and Phosphorus in Organic 

 Compounds in one operation. By Dr. Aug. Vcelcker, Prof, of Chemistry 

 in the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, 



■When milk is mixed with a saturated solution of common salt and heated, the 

 caseine coagulates like albumen, and separates almost completely, if sufficient salt- 

 solution has been employed. 



The caseine, thus separated from milk, washed, dried, and exhausted with alcohol 

 and aether, on analysis furnished the following results : — 



Carbon 50-97 



Hydrogen 7'43 



Nitrogen 15-09 



Oxygen 17-99 



Sulphur 1*15 



Phosphorus "39 



Ash 6-98 



The ash consisted chiefly of phosphate of lime, which rendered it doubtful whether 

 or not there was any phosphorus present in another state, as that of phosphoric -acid. 

 With the view of determining this point, the impure caseine obtained with com- 

 mon salt was dissolved in dilute caustic ammonia, the solution filtered and precipi- 

 tated with acetic acid. It was then washed with cold distilled water, dried, and again 

 extracted with alcohol and aether. Dried at 110° C, it furnished, on combustion 

 with chromate of lead, the following results : — 



Ash deducted. 



Carbon 53-43 53-61 



Hydrogen 712 7-14 



Nitrogen 15-36 15-47 ' 



Oxygen 21-92 21-99 



Sulphur 1-11 1-11 



Phosphorus -74 -74 



Ash -32 



100-00 100-00 



It was thus remarkably free from inorganic matters, and the phosphorus mentioned 



