Contributions to the Chemistry of Chlorophyll. 307 



December 12, 1901. 

 Sir WILLIAM HUGGINS, K.C.B., D.C.L., President, in the Chair. 



A List of the Presents received was laid on the table, and thanks 

 ordered for them. 



The following Papers were read : 



I. " On the Action of the Spurge (Euphorbia hiberna, L.) on Salmonoid 

 Fishes." By Dr. H. M. KYLE. Communicated by Professor 



MclNTOSH, F.R.S. 



II. "Contributions to the Chemistry of Chlorophyll. No. VIII. 

 Changes undergone by Chlorophyll in passing through the 

 Bodies of Animals." By Dr. E. SCHUNCK, F.R.S. 



III. " On the Constitution of Copper-Tin Alloys." By C. T. HEYCOCK 



F.R.S., and H. F. NEVILLE, F.R.S. 



IV. " The Effective Temperature of the Sun." By Dr. W. E. WILSON, 



F.R.S. 



The Society adjourned over the Christmas Recess to Thursday, 

 January 23, 1902. 



" Contributions to the Chemistry of Chlorophyll. No. VIII. 

 Changes undergone by Chlorophyll in passing through the 

 Bodies of Animals." By EDWARD SCHUNCK, F.R.S. Received 

 November 29, Read December 12, 1901. 



Considering the large quantity of food containing chlorophyll con- 

 sumed by animals feeding on green herbage, it seemed to me it might 

 be of interest to ascertain whether any, and if so what, changes are 

 undergone by the chlorophyll of the food during its passage through 

 the animal body. 



It is stated in works on physiological chemistry that the solid excre- 

 ments of animals contain chlorophyll ; but this statement refers appa- 

 rently to human faeces, and is certainly not correct as regards those of 

 herbivora if unchanged chlorophyll is meant. It would indeed, a 

 priori, seem very improbable that chlorophyll, after exposure at a some- 

 what elevated temperature to acids and other agents, such as it would 

 meet with in its passage through the animal system, would remain 

 unchanged, though, on the other hand, chlorophyll products of decom- 



