HIPPEASTRUM. 



419 



high to very high, and frequently there is the same varia- 

 tion in the same aspect of a given grain. 



With selenite the quadrants are usually well denned, 

 mostly unequal in size, and more frequently regular in 

 shape. The colors are commonly pure, the yellow is not 

 quite so often pure as the blue. 



IODINE REACTIONS. 



With 0.25 Lugol's solution the grains color at once 

 a moderate to a moderately deep blue-violet (value 55), 

 the color deepens quickly from deep to very deep. With 

 0.125 Lugol's solution the grains color a light to moder- 

 ate blue-violet, and the color deepens quickly, moderately 

 deep to deep. After heating in water until the grains are 

 gelatinized and then adding a 2 per cent Lugol's solution 

 the grains color a light to very deep blue, many with a 

 reddish tint, the mean is moderate to moderately deep. 

 The solution becomes a deep indigo-blue ; if the prepara- 

 tion is boiled for 2 minutes and then treated with a 2 per 

 cent Lugol's solution the grain-residues color a light to 

 deep blue, the mean moderately deep, some with a reddish 

 tint ; most of the capsules color a moderately deep to deep 

 heliotrope and a few color a deep old-rose, the mean 

 moderately deep to deep ; and the solution colors a very 

 deep indigo-blue. 



ANILINE REACTIONS. 



With gentian violet the grains stain very lightly at 

 once and in half an hour become moderate to moderately 

 deep in color (value 58). 



With safranin the grains color very lightly at once 

 and in half an hour become moderate to moderately deep 

 in color (value 55). 



TEMPERATURE REACTIONS. 



The majority of the grains are gelatinized at 72.5 

 to 74 C., and of all but very rare grains at 74 to 75 

 C., mean 74.5 C. 



EFFECTS OF VARIOUS REAGENTS. 



The reaction with chloral hydrate begins in 1 minute. 

 Complete gelatinization occurs in about 6 per cent of 

 the entire number of grains and 9 per cent of the total 

 starch in 5 minutes; in about 27 per cent of the grains 

 and 29 per cent of the total starch in 15 minutes; in 

 about 39 per cent of the grains and 42 per cent of the 

 total starch in 30 minutes ; in about 47 per cent of the 

 grains and 50 per cent of the total starch in 45 minutes ; 

 and about 53 per cent of the total starch in 60 minutes. 

 ( Chart D 64.) 



One or more bubbles, more frequently one, appear 

 at the hilum, and in some grains a fissure at the nilum 

 becomes enlarged and more refractive. The lamella 

 grow more distinct in a few grains. The entire grain 

 appears more refractive and a border of slightly greater 

 refractivity forms around the margin. The methods of 

 gelatinization are as follows : A fissure may either proceed 

 from or intersect the hilum and the process quickly ad- 

 vances through the mesial region along the course of such 

 fissure, the most resistant part of the border being the 

 starch located at the proximal end and sides nearby, one 

 side frequently proving to be less resistant than the 

 other. In some grains the entire surface, and in others 

 one point of the border alone assumes a pitted appear- 

 ance. Gelatinization of such grains is quite rapid and 

 is accompanied by much swelling but less distortion of the 



capsule than when proceeding less rapidly from one cen- 

 ter of gelatinization. Irregular fissures may form in the 

 border, usually at the distal end, and disorganization into 

 refractive fragments may precede gelatinization of this 

 area ; the process gradually advances toward the proximal 

 end, the resistant starch being located as described 

 above. In other grains the process starts at the distal 

 end and is quickly followed at the proximal end, gela- 

 tinization then advancing from both points towards the 

 hilar region; the bubble at the hilum is expelled as a 

 fissure furrows through this area leaving a band of re- 

 sistant starch on either side ; this band becomes striated 

 and broken into refractive granules previous to gela- 

 tinization. In the most resistant grains with mark- 

 edly eccentric hilum, the process starts at the distal 

 margin and advances towards the proximal end; in the 

 least resistant of this type no definite fissure is noted 

 near the distal margin, while in the most resistant a 

 longitudinal fissure, which is quite deep and branched 

 towards the extremities, disorganizes even the starch near 

 the distal margin into refractive granules The gela- 

 tinized grains are swollen and slightly to considerably 

 distorted, so that they do not usually resemble the form 

 of the untreated grain. 



The reaction with chromic acid begins in a very few 

 grains in 1 minute. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 less than 0.5 per cent of the entire number of grains and 

 3 per cent of the total starch in 5 minutes ; in about 60 

 per cent of the grains and 90 per cent of the total starch 

 in 15 minutes; in about 84 per cent of the grains and 



99 per cent of the total starch in 20 minutes; in about 



100 per cent of both the grains and total starch in 25 

 minutes. (Chart D 65.) 



The reaction with pyrogallic acid begins in 1 min- 

 ute. Complete gelatinization occurs in about 13 per 

 cent of the entire number of grains and 15 per cent of 

 the total starch in 5 minutes ; in about 50 per cent of the 

 grains and 70 per cent of the total starch in 15 minutes ; 

 in about 82 per cent of the grains and 96 per cent of the 

 total starch in 30 minutes; in about 90 per cent of the 

 grains and 96 per cent of the total starch in 45 minutes ; 

 in about the same percentage of the grains and 97 per cent 

 of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Chart D 66.) 



The reaction with nitric acid begins in a few grains 

 in half a minute. Complete gelatinization occurs in 

 about 6 per cent of the entire number of grains and 7 per 

 cent of the total starch in 5 minutes; in about 29 per 

 cent of the grains and 32 per cent of the total starch in 

 15 minutes ; in about 40 per cent of the grains and 70 

 per cent of the total starch in 30 minutes ; in about 50 per 

 cent of the grains and 73 per cent of the total starch in 

 45 minutes; in about 52 per cent of the grains and 78 

 per cent of the total starch in 60 minutes. (Chart D 67.) 



A small bubble appears at the hilum which usually 

 expands very little and is quite persistent ; a fissure that 

 is sometimes present at the hilum in the untreated grain 

 becomes enlarged and very refractive. The entire grain 

 grows very refractive and the lamellae do not usually 

 appear more distinct, with the exception of one lamella 

 which forms a line of demarcation between the main 

 body of the grain and a border of slightly greater refrac- 

 tivity. One fissure often intersects the hilum, and some- 

 what less frequently 2 fissures may proceed distalwards 



