74 REPORT — 1855. 



in the analysis cannot therefore have occurred in the caseine in the form of a phos- 

 phate, but must have existed in it in a peculiar state of organic combination. This 

 amoimt of pliosphorus is equal to 1*70 of phosphoric acid, a quantity nearly six times 

 as large as the whole amount of ash in the sample of caseine analysed. 



In caseine prepared at different times, invariably free phosphorus, amounting from 

 •50 to '75 per cent., was detected. 



The method employed for determining sulphur and phosphorus in caseine, in one 

 operation, was the following : — 



About 18 grs. of the dried and finely powdered caseine was mixed with six times 

 its weight of a mixture of pure carbonate of soda and nitre, and tliis mixture intro- 

 duced in small quantities into a large red-hot silver or platinum crucible. The white 

 fused mass was dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the sulphuric acid thrown down 

 with chloride of barium. From the weight of the sulphate of baryta the sulphur was 

 calculated. The excess of baryta was next removed with pure sulphuric acid, after 

 which the acid liquid was supersaturated with caustic ammonia, which precipitated a 

 small amount of phosphates. The ammonia precipitate was collected on a filter, 

 washed, dried, and weighed. The filtrate was finally mixed with an ammoniacal 

 solution of sulphate of magnesia, which threw down the phosphoric acidj produced 

 under the oxidizing influence of nitre from the organic phosphorus contained in the 

 caseine. 



Comparative experiments with sugar and the same oxidizing mixture employed in 

 the phosphorus-determination of caseine, gave only negative results, and thus showed 

 that there was no phosphorus present in any form in the mixture of carbonate of 

 soda and nitre. 



On some of the Basic Constituents of Coal-Naphtha. By C. Greville 

 Williams, Assistant to Dr. Anderson, Glasgow University. 



In this paper, which forms part of a series of researches on the volatile organic 

 bases, the author shows, that although the points of difference between the gelatinous 

 tissue of bones, cinchonine, coal, and bituminous shale, are as well marked as it is 

 possible for tliem to be, that, nevertheless, the volatile alkaloids produced by their 

 destructive distillation are almost identical, thus: — 



Three intervals are seen to exist in the coal series, namely pyrifline, lutidine, and 

 coUidine. The author proceeds to show, that by a careful fractional distillation of the 

 bases obtained by treatment of crude naphtha with sulphuric acid, and subsequent 

 distillation of the acid liquid with lime, fluids may be obtained boiling at 242°, 310°, 

 and 345° Fahr. He converted these fractions into platinum salts, which on analysis 

 gave numbers almost exactly agreeing with those required by theory for the three bases 

 last mentioned. 



As a fm-ther confirmation of the identity of the pyridine from coal-tar with that from 

 bone-oil, he transformed the platinum salt by protracted boiling with water into the 

 bibydrochlorate of platino-py ridine, 



the per-centage of platinum corresponding closely with that required by the formula. 

 * Anderson, Trans. Royal Soc. Edinb., vol. xvi. part 4; vol. xx. part 2 ; and vol. xxi. part 1. 

 % Gerhardt, Revue Scientif., vol. x. p. 186. 

 ■f Greville Williams, Trans. Royal Soc. Edinb., vol. xxi. part 2. 

 § Rungs (1834), PoggendorfF's Annalen, vols. xxxi. & xxxii. 

 II Anderson, Trans. Royal Soc. Edinb., vol. xvi. part 2. 

 if Greville Williams (1854), Quart. Journ. Chem. Soc. Lond. 

 ** Greville William* (1854), Phil. Mag. 



