296- Experiments upon Mushrooms. 
in the liquid state, abundance of reddish and thick fetid. oil ; 
lastly, a charcoal which joined in a single lump, although the 
substance had been reduced in very small fragments. 
From these properties, it does not appear doubtful that the 
substance in question is of an animal nature, and of the albu- 
minous kind. ‘This did not escape the sagacity of M. Bracon- 
not. 
The presence of albumen in these vegetables explains the rea- 
son.of their assuming, when roasted, a consistency and firmness 
which they had not when raw, being brittle and very spongy. 
It also accounts for their soon becoming putrid, ‘and emitting 
a fetid smell, when they attain their highest point of vegetation ; 
and also shows that they afford substantial food for carnivorous 
animals, whereas herbivorous animals never touch them. We 
shall see, however, that albumen is not the only animal substance 
which mushrooms contain. 
Examination of the Matters dissolved by Alcohol when applied 
to the Extract of Mushrooms. 
We have already observed, that the juice of mushrooms, eva~ 
porated to a soft extract had been treated with alcohol, which 
had dissolved that part of it which had been obtained separate 
by the evaporation of the solvent. 
This reddish-brown substance, when dried by a gentle heat, 
was again treated with alcohol: it was divided into two portions: 
the most abundant was dissolved by alcohol, and another portion 
remained at the bottom in the form of a brown extract. We 
shall see that this last. resembles that which remained with the 
albumen, and which we separated from it by means of water. 
The alcohol filtered warm deposited upon cooling a crystalline 
substance in the form of silky white needles, and having a taste 
slightly saccharine. On reducing by evaporation the quantity of 
aleohol, we obtamed a fresh quantity of this substance. 
) 
Examination of the above crystailine saccharine Substance. 
This substance, after having been'separated. from alcohol and 
dried on Joseph paner, was of a yellowish white colour: it was 
dry and brittle. When dissolved again in boiling alcohol, it re- 
appeared of a perfect white colour, and always in the form of 
fine and silky needles, 
It is by no means so sweet as common sugar: the smell which 
it gives out when burnt does not resemble that of the latter: it 
is sharper, and has more analogy to the smoke of wood. Con- 
centrated sulphuric acid dissolves this substance, and makes it 
take'a red colour; but it does not char it as common sugar 
does, Ifwe put water into a mixttire of this sugar and et sul- 
phuric 
