453 Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. [Junn, 
muddy when boiled over it. Alcohol treated in the same manner 
became likewise muddy. Strong smoking sulphuric acid dissolved 
it without the assistance of heat, and formed a dark brown solution, 
darker, and with a stronger tint of red, than the solution of animal 
albumen, but not so blood-red as that of gluten. The solution in 
nitric acid was likewise somewhat muddy, and furnished more 
oxalic acid than animal albumen, but less than gluten. Pure soda 
became yellow when poured over it, but did not dissolve it till 
assisted by heat. On cooling, it let fall a yellowish deposite. The 
solution in sulphuric acid precipitated muriate of tin and sulphate 
of copper of a brownish-yellow colour. 
The result of these experiments is, that coagulated albumen and 
gluten differ very little from each other, and belong to the same 
genus of vegetable substances. Vegetable albumen from the sap 
of the white cabbage is a substance intermediate between the two 
in its properties, but approaches rather nearer to gluten. than to 
animal albumen. 
Grotthus has truly remarked that there is a species of starch 
which approaches very nearly to albumen. He found it in the 
pollen of tulips; and it is a pity that he made no microscopical 
observations on it. From the expressed juice of unripe gooseberries 
I obtained a sediment of a green colour. By means of boiling 
alcohol I separated the green substance from this. It exhibited the 
properties of the common colouring matter of plants. The undis- 
solved residuum had a bluish-grey colour. When viewed through 
the microscope, it appeared to consist of transparent grains, mixed 
here and there with soft flocks. Water and alcohol did not dissolve 
this substance by boiling, but they became muddy. Soda formed 
a dark brown solution when assisted by heat. On cooling, flocks 
precipitated. The solution in sulphuric acid was reddish-brown, 
and precipitated muriate of tin, sulphate of copper, and proto-sul- 
phate of iron, brown.. The nitric acid solution remained muddy, 
even when strongly heated. Flocks were deposited from it, and 
much oxalic acid formed. Acetie acid formed no solution. From 
these experiments we see that this species of starch approaches very 
nearly to gluten. The grains in plants usually called starch are of 
various kinds. We find them, 1. Gummy, as what I have described 
in altheea mucilage. 2. Starchy, as the common starch of wheat, 
potatoes, &e. 3, Gluteny, as the kind which I have just described. 
Articre VIII. 
Proceedings of Philosophical Societies. 
ROYAL SOCIETY. 
On Thursday, April 25, there was read an Appendix toa Paper on 
the Effects of Colchicum Autumnale on Gout, by Sir E. Home. 
