394 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



liberated ammonia. Heated, it swelled and burnt, and left a 

 charcoal difficult of incineration. Its solution did not putrefy 

 though retained in a warm place for some time. This extract 

 was boiled several times with alcohol, of the specific gravity 

 of .847. The alcohol being put together, deposited a par- 

 ticular white matter on cooling, which M. Braconnot has called 

 leucine. 



Leucine in this state was white and pulverulent. In order 

 to separate a small portion of animal matter from it, which was 

 precipitable by tannin, it was dissolved in water, and a small 

 portion of tannin added ; after some hours it was filtered, and 

 evaporated until a pellicle formed. Then being left to stand for 

 24 hours, the bottom of the vessel was found covered with small 

 mammilated crystals of a dull white colour, and feeling brittle 

 between the teeth. If obtained by spontaneous evaporation, 

 the crystals form on the surface in circular masses. The taste 

 of leucine is agreeable, and is that of the juice of meat. Leucine 

 is lighter than water. When heated in a retort, it first melts, a 

 part then sublimes, and forms white opaque crystals, and the 

 fluid which distils over is empyreumatic, and restores the blue 

 of reddened turnsole. 



The action of nitric acid on leucine is exactly similar to its 

 action on the sugar of gelatine, but the acid formed is perfectly 

 distinct from the nitro-saccharine acid, and forms distinct salts 

 with saline bases. 



The mass which remained, after the action of the alcohol had 

 separated most of the leucine, was like an extract in appearance, 

 of a brown yellow colour, slightly deliquescent, and tasted of 

 leucine. 



Wool, acted on by nitric acid a little diluted, and heated, 

 gave results which very much resembled those produced by the 

 fibre of beef. 



A summary of the whole is as follows : 



1. That animal substances can be converted into other sub- 

 stances, containing much less azote, by sulphuric acid. 



2. That this change is effected by the abstraction of hydrogen 



