492 Is there Argon in Vegetable or Animal Substances ? [Mar. 21, 



used : 9 c.c. gave 0'2 c.c. residue, and 11*2 c.c. gave O25 c.c. residue, 

 with about the same strength of pyrogallate. 



As the quantity of oxygen used in sparking down was over 20 c.c. 

 it might safely be concluded that there is no appreciable quantity of 

 argon in peas (or at least that the argon cannot be obtained with 

 the nitrogen by Dumas' method). 



The experiment with regard to the presence of argon in animal 

 tissues was also negative in its results. Mice were selected for the 

 experiment, because the nitrogen from the whole animal could be 

 conveniently collected by Dumas' method. The crucial experiment 

 was carried out in the same way as before. 



From three mice 550 c.c. of nitrogen was obtained. This was 

 absorbed by heated magnesium as usual, but the residual gas was 

 Jeft for over an hour in the tubes after the gasholders had been 

 emptied, so that on connecting up with the pump only a few mm. 

 of pressure was registered, and the total gas pumped off occupied 

 about 1 c.c. After sparking down with large excess of oxygen 

 about 10 c.c. remained, which gave a residue of 0'2 c.c. with alkaline 

 pyrogallate, which would be about 0*036 per cent, of the volume 

 taken. 



Very careful experiments were undertaken to determine the exact 

 percentage of nitrogen contained in mice, as the volume from the 

 first experiments seemed too high. Two experiments with complete 

 mice gave the following results : 



A Kjeldahl determination of the nitrogen in a small quantity of 

 mouse A, by Mr. Frye, gave 9*6 per cent., so that the high percentage 

 seems confirmed. 



The Society then adjourned over the Easter Recess to Thursday, 

 April 25. 



