Experiments upon Mushrooms. 293 
Thé husks assumed a blackish colour from the contact of the 
air, and the juice underwent the same change from the same 
vause. . : 
The juice, when filtered and subjécted to the action of some 
reagents, exhibited the following effects : 
1. With the nitric acid, a coagulation like albtmen diluted with 
water. 
2. With acetate of lead, avery abundant precipitate. 
3. With the aqueous infusion’ of gall nuts, the effects were 
the same as with diluted albumen. 
4, With the nitrate of barytes, a slight precipitate. 
5. With oxalic acid, no change. . 
6. With ammonia, no precipitate; only the red colour be- 
eame brown. 
7.: With turnsole paper, no change. 
8. This juice when exposed: to heat coagulated like albumen 
diluted in water, and the matter which was separated from it 
seemed to be of a deep black: 
Such are the tests to which the juice of mushrooms was ex- 
posed: they prove scarcely any thing, except that it contains a . 
substance which acts like animal albumen, but which, according 
to appearances, carries with it upon coagulating a body which 
communicates a black colour to it. 
This juice was evaporated at a very gentle heat to the con- 
sistence of a soft extract, and was afterwards treated with boiling 
alcohol. 
aad essed Husks of Mushrooms subjected to the Action of 
Alcohol. 
I poured upon them, when deprived of whatever was soluble in 
water and strongly pressed, three times their weight of alcohol 
at 38°, which was boiled a few minutes. The boiling liquor was 
passed through a cloth, and the husks were strongly pressed. 
The alcohol, which “had assumed a yellowish red colour, de- 
posited upon cooling @ white flaky matter, which was separated, 
two days afterwards by filtration. 
The surface of this matter when dry was of a slight brown 
colour. 
Examination of this Substance. It was of a white colour in- 
ternally, brownish externally ; its consistence was solid and firm : 
to the touch it was unctuous: when thrown. upon burning coals 
it melted, but imperfectly, giving out white smoke, like that of 
grease. 
When again heated with alcohol, this matter was dissolved, 
excepting a small quantity of brown flakes which were doubtless 
the colouring principle. 
TS It 
