ADDITIONS AND NOTES TO VOL. I. 473 



is, however, not again precipitated by the neutralisation of the alkali. 

 If we allow concentrated mineral acids (sulphuric acid for instance) 

 to act on hsematoidin, the clear outlines of the crystals disappear, 

 and the colour of the roundish fragments passes first into a brownish 

 red, then into a green, a blue, and a purple tint, and finally merges 

 into a muddy yellow. Iron may occasionally, but by no means 

 invariably, be found in the acid fluid that is formed during the 

 decomposition of hsemato'idin. 



Virchow* subsequently discovered peculiar reddish-yellow, 

 elongated crystals, which were either acicular or arranged in zig- 

 zag rows or bars in the bile of persons who had suffered from 

 cancer of the liver or retention of the bile consequent on catarrh 

 of the gall-bladder; these crystals ranged from 0'005 to O'OIO'" in 

 length, while the breadth scarcely admitted of measurement 

 (F. P. 6, F. 2 and 4). They dissolve readily in caustic potash, 

 but are not again precipitated by the addition of acids. Acetic 

 acid has no effect upon the crystals ; concentrated sulphuric acid 

 makes them assume a somewhat darker colour, and gradually 

 destroys them ; moderately dilute nitric acid exerts little action on 

 them. Besides these zig-zag crystals, to which (as has been 

 already mentioned) Virchow assigned the name of "bilifulvin," he 

 sometimes also found crystals which were perfectly similar to those 

 of hsematoidin both in form and colour. While Virchow has 

 repeatedly pointed out the great similarity which exists between 

 this bilifulvin and hsematoidin, Dr. Zenkerf (of Dresden) 

 has recently discovered that if these substances are not 

 identical, there is at all events th e closest relationship between 

 them, since he has proved that the bilifulvin may be very readily 

 converted into hsemato'idiii. For if we allow bile containing bili- 

 fulvin to stand for a long time (several weeks) in contact with 

 ether, the zig-zag crystals of bilifulvin disappear, and in their 

 place we have crystals of heematoidin (some of which are of very 

 considerable size), which in their form, colour, and micro- chemical 

 reactions are precisely similar to the crystals of hsematoidin formed 

 within the body. FunkeJ has arrived at the same result simul- 

 taneously with, but independently of, Zenker. He allowed some 

 bile containing bilifulvin to dry; on again moistening it, he found 

 that the zig-zag crystals were replaced by light red crystals of 

 hsematoidin. By a series of careful investigations Zenker has 



* Op. cit.pp. 427-431. 



t In a private communication. The details are to be published in Ileiile's 

 Zeitsch. f. rat. Med. 



In a private communication. 



