GLOBULIN. 371 



difficulties in reducing globulin to a condition in which it can be 

 easily and thoroughly collected on a filter, than are presented by 

 albumen. We must acidify with acetic acid and apply heat ; then 

 saturate the acid with ammonia, and boil strongly and for a con- 

 siderable time, in order to obtain the globulin in a state admit- 

 ting of its being readily collected on a filter. Even if we succeeded 

 in distinguishing globulin from any similar body, as for instance, 

 albumen, by its relation to acetic acid, and by noticing its be- 

 haviour when heated to 50 (see p. 370,) or by observing that it was 

 precipitated by the neutralisation either of its acid or its alkaline 

 solution, we could not by these means separate it from that 

 body ; for it would not be in a state fit for filtration, that is to say, 

 it would either pass through the filter in a turbid condition, or 

 it would stop up the pores of the filter and could not by any 

 possibility be washed off. 



Physiological Relations. 



Occurrence. Globulin occurs in the cells of the crystalline lens 

 in a very concentrated solution. In the human lens Berzelius* 

 found 35-9J of dry globulin. 



Globulin is one of the principal constituents of the blood, 

 since, with hcematin, it forms the viscid fluid contents of the blood- 

 corpuscles. 



We can form no definite and certain idea regarding the quantity 

 of globulin contained in the blood-corpuscles, for even if we are 

 able to form an approximative idea of the amount of heematin 

 contained in the corpuscles (see p. 305) we have no means of 

 deciding how much of the remainder of them (amounting to 94'28%) 

 is to be ascribed to fat, to the enveloping membrane, and to glo- 

 bulin. Hence it is not possible to make any accurate statement 

 regarding the quantity of globulin contained in the blood generally. 

 We shall, however, return to this subject in the second volume, 

 when treating of " the blood-corpuscles." 



Globulin has not yet been found in any other parts of the 

 animal body. In the present state of organico-analytical chemistry 

 we are unable to attempt to seek it in its coagulated state. 



Origin. In regard to the seat of the formation of globulin, no 

 reasonable doubt can be entertained that it at present has only 

 been found in cells and cell-like bodies like the blood-corpuscles. 



Whichever view we adopt regarding the mechanical mode of 

 formation of the red from the colourless corpuscles (see p. 306) and 

 * Lehrb. d. Ch. Bd. 9, S. 528. 



2 B 2 



