Chemical Science. 207 



water, then being acted on by acetate of lead and sulphuretted 

 hydrogen, .8 of a grain of extractive matter was obtained, and 

 1.45 grains of a saccharine matter remained. 



Another portion of the mixed gummy and saccharine matter 

 was obtained ; a drop of sulphuric acid was added to a part 

 of it and liberated acetic acid, and quick-lime being added to 

 another part, a small quantity of ammonia was liberated. 

 Hence it appears to contain acetate of ammonia. It also 

 afforded a portion of phosphate of lime. 



The portion unacted on by water, and left on the filter, 

 was digested for twenty-four hours in alcohol, and the clear 

 solution evaporated ; a yellow substance was then obtained, 

 resembling bees'-wax in appearance. It was soft, ductile, 

 tenacious, elastic, insipid, nearly inodorous, and heavier 

 than water. When heated, it swelled, became brown, exaled 

 the odour of burning bread, melted with the smell of animal 

 matter, and left a voluminous charcoal. It burnt in the flame 

 of a lamp, but not rapidly. When distilled, no ammonia 

 seemed formed. It was insoluble in water, but soluble in 

 alcohol, oil of turpentine, and sulphuric ether, and sparingly 

 in mineral acids, and caustic alkalies. It was insoluble in 

 fixed oils, but mixed with resin. The quantity obtained from 

 100 grains, was 3 grain^. 



This substance appears to differ from all known vegetable 

 bodies, and has been called ze'ine by Dr. Gorham. It re- 

 sembles gluten in some circumstances, but differs from it in 

 containing no azote, in its great solubility in alcohol, and in its 

 permanency, not undergoing any obvious change in six weeks. 

 On the other hand, it is analogous to the resins in its solu- 

 bility in alcohol, essential oils, alkalies, and partial solubility in 

 acids. It is inflammable, and probably composed of oxygen, hy- 

 drogen, and carbon. It may easily be obtained by digesting a 

 few ounces of the meal from the yellow corn in a flask with 

 warm alcohol, allowing it to rest for some hours, then filtering 

 and evaporating. 



After the action of alcoliol on the 100 grains it was boiled in 

 successive portions of water, a large quantity of starch was thus 

 dissolved, leaving 14.25 grains of a substance, which, when 

 boiled with weak sulphuric acid, was reduced to 3.75 grains. 

 The acid solution, when concentrated, deposited 2.25 grains of 

 what was considered albumen, and it appeared that about 8 

 grains of starch had also been taken up by the acid. The 3.75 

 grains of solid matter were then heated with potassa, and re- 

 duced to 3 grains of ligneous matter and cuticle containing a 

 little phosphate of lime ; the portion dissolved appeared to be 

 albumen. 



According to this analysis the constituents of yellow Indian 

 corn, in the common and the dry state, will be as follow : 



