165: 
1 part of Albumen gradually with 10 to 15 times its weight 
of concentrated Sulphuric acid ; after cooling for one day the 
mass was treated with cold water till the free SO, Hz was 
removed. The flocculent mass was placed in a dilute Potash 
solution, stirred sometimes, and left standing in the cold one 
day, filtered, precipitated by Acetic acid, the precipitate 
washed and analyzed. The result showed it to be Albumin- 
sulphonic acid. It contains twice as much Sulphur as 
Albumen, is insoluble in water, alcohol, and dilute acids, but 
soluble in alkalies, which cause it to swell considerably before 
solution occurs. On boiling these’ solutions, decomposition 
ensues. The author intends to still further investigate this 
subject. 
On the Action of Sulphurous Acid on Metals. 
By P. ScHWEITZER, Pu. D. 
Zinc and Sulphurous Acid.—If we dissolve metallic zine 
by means of a mineral acid, and add afew drops of a 
solution’ of sulphurous acid, we. observe, according to the 
strength of the sulphurous and hydrochloric acid present, a 
more or less rapid separation of sulphur and development of 
the-odor of sulphuretted hydrogen gas. This is a reaction 
we resort to daily in our laboratories for the detection of 
sulphurous acid in hydrochloric, acetic, and other. acids, and 
is so delicate a test for the presence of this impurity, that 
the minutest traces of it may be discovered in this way 
without difficulty. 
The reaction according to which this decomposition takes 
place is exceedingly complicated, and we look in vain to 
any of our text-books for information. Many false statements 
too, will be encountered on the subject, which only a close 
study will reveal as such. In the following will be found 
the results of some experiments, undertaken with a view of 
settling this question :— 
A. strong solution of sulphurous acid was prepared, so as 
to be perfectly free from sulphuric acid, sulphuretted hydro- 
gen gas, free sulphur, and oxygen, which, by the way, 
