PUTREFACTION PRODUCTS OF PROTEIDS. 163 



the water-bath. Extract the residue again with absolute 

 alcohol and continue this treatment until the residue dissolves 

 completely in absolute alcohol, forming a clear solution. The 

 residue of hydrochlorides principally of ^-aminovaleric acid, 1 

 C 5 H U N0 2 HC1, which remains on evaporation, solidifies 

 gradually when meat has been used, but when fibrin and 

 gelatin have been used a crystalline mass results immediately 

 on cooling. 



The aqueous solution (I) contains skatol-carbonic acid 

 and oxyacids, as may be proved by their reactions; the 

 ;skatol- carbonic acid by its reaction with ferric chloride, the 

 oxyacids by their conduct with Millon's reagent and with 

 bromine- water (see further page 172). 



The oil (K) insoluble in water is ground in a mortar with 

 zinc oxide, the mixture washed into a flask with water and 

 heated to boiling. Filter while hot. From the filtrate a 

 zinc salt very soon crystallizes; usually this is a mixture of 

 the zinc salts of phenyl-propionic and phenyl-acetic acids. 



II. MORE DETAILED EXAMINATION. 



Place two kilos of blood-fibrin in a large flask with eight 

 liters of water, add 2 g. of potassium phosphate (KH 2 P0 4 ), 

 1 g. of crystallized magnesium sulphate, 200-240 cc. of a 

 cold saturated solution of sodium carbonate, and then add 

 some macerated meat to start the putrefaction. This macer- 

 ated meat is obtained by allowing a mixture of 10 g. of finely 

 chopped meat, 100 cc. of water, and 1-2 cc. of sodium car- 

 bonate solution to stand for twenty-four hours at 40-42. Add 

 a few cubic centimeters of this mixture as well as some of the 

 solid particles to the contents of the flask. The flask is then 

 closed with a cork carrying a glass tube which is connected, 

 by means of a rubber tube, with a wash-bottle containing a 

 .3 per cent, solution of mercuric cyanide. By this means 

 1 See H. Salkowski, Ber. d. d. chem. Ges. 31, 776. 



