1278 INOSITE — PHENOL. 



urine, and in that of ' Bright's disease,' and is found in abun- 

 dance in the vegetable kingdom, more especially in unripe beans, 

 from which it may be conveniently prepared. It is also found 

 in the urine after the ingestion of an excess of water into the 

 body. 



Pure inosite forms large efflorescent crystals (rhombic tables); 

 in microscopic preparations it is usually obtained in tufted 

 lumps of fine crystals. 



Readily soluble in water, it is only slightly so in dilute 

 alcohol, and is insoluble in absolute alcohol and ether. 



Although inosite admits of no direct alcoholic fermentation 

 it has been stated to be capable of undergoing a lactic fermenta- 

 tion in presence of decomposing proteid (cheese) and chalk, 

 yielding ordinary (ethylidene-) lactic acid and some butyric 

 acid. It had been previously stated that the acid thus obtained 

 is sarcolactic (ethylene- or para-lactic acid). 



Reactions of inosite. 



(i) Sclierer's test. The suspected substance is treated with 

 strong nitric acid and evaporated nearly to dryness on porce- 

 lain. On the addition of a little ammonia and a few drops of 

 freshly prepared and not too dilute solution, of calcium chloride, 

 a bright pink or rose-coloured residue is obtained on renewed 

 evaporation if inosite is present. 



(ii) G-allois'' test. When inosite in concentrated solution is 

 treated with a few drops of 2 p.c. mercuric nitrate solution, or 

 Liebig's solution for the estimation of urea, and the mixture is 

 evaporated to dryness it yields a yellow residue which on being 

 more strongly heated turns rosy red ; this disappears on cooling 

 and returns again on renewed heating. 



(iii) SeideVs reaction. A small amount (-03 gr.) of the 

 suspected substance is evaporated to dryness in a platinum 

 crucible with a little nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.1 — 1.2) and the 

 residue is treated with ammonia and a few drops of a solution 

 of strontium acetate. If inosite is present a greenish coloration 

 is observed together with a violet precipitate. 



6. Phenol. C 6 H 5 . OH. Hydroxybenzene. (Carbolic or 

 phenylic acid.) 



This substance is formed, together with indole and skatole, 

 during the putrefactive decomposition of proteids, more espe- 

 cially in prolonged putrefactive pancreatic digestions. From 

 these it may be obtained by simple distillation. In accordance 

 with this it is formed in not inconsiderable quantity in the 

 alimentary canal, more especially when putrefactive processes 

 in its contents are increased either pathologically or as the 

 result of experimental interference. Of the phenol thus formed 



