178 On the uncomlined Alkali in the Animal Fluids. 



"After evaporating some human serum to siccity, in- 

 cinerating the residue, dissolving in water the soluble sa- 

 line substances contained in the incinerattd mass, tillering 

 this solution and evaporating it again, the alkaline mass of 

 salts thus obtained was treated with acetic acid, and after- 

 wards digested with five or six times its wei'/ht of alcohol 

 of the specific gravity of 815. The highly deliquescent re- 

 sidue deposited by the evaporation of the filtered alcoholic 

 solution was then made red hot in a platina crucible, and 

 kept for a few minutes in a state of igneous fusion. A 

 carbonaceous alkaline mass remained in the crucible, which, 

 after being exposed to the air 48 hours, in a room without 

 fire, and in damp though warm weather, did not exhibit 

 the least veslige of deliquescence. This mass, the quan- 

 tity of which amounted to four or f^ve grains, being dis- 

 solved in a little water, was divided into four portions, a, 

 i, c, d. 



" The portion a, being examined by re-agents, exhibited 

 the following properties : 



** 1. It contained abundance of muriatic acid. 

 " 2. When suflered lo evaporate spontaneously in a glass 

 capsule, it left at the end of twelve hours a dry 

 efflorescent crystalline substance which consisted 

 principally of feathery crystals, amongst which 

 were discovered groups of rectangular plates and a 

 few minute cubes. 

 " 3. The presence of potash in this crystalline mass was 

 made obvious both by the tartaric acid, and by oxy- 

 muriat of platina, though not so much so by the 

 latter of these tests. 

 ** The portion h was saturated with sulphuric acid, and 

 ^bmitted to spontaneous evaporation. The result was a 

 rim of confused crystals, surrounding a group of regular 

 efflorescent prisms of Glauber, being (at least some of 

 them) terminated by distinct dihedral summits, and having 

 sufficient magnitude to be identified by the naked eye, even 

 at the distance of a few vards; they were "made to crystal- 

 lize over and over again, always with the same result ; but 

 in some of these crystallizations a few crystals of sulphat 

 of potash also appeared, the form of which was not equi- 

 vocal. 



*' The portion r, being treated with nitric acid, yielded 

 by evaporation great numbers of rhomboidal crystals, per- 

 fectly distinct to the naked eye, and amongst which no 

 form at all resembling that of nitre could be detected. 

 " The portion d being treated with oxymuriat of pla- 

 tina. 



