CHEMICAL BASIS OF THE ANIMAL BODY. 



911 



Phenylic (carlo! ic) Acid, or Ph 



CH 6 0. 



This body is undoubtedly obtained as the result of the putrefactive decomposi- 

 tion of proteids, notably in putrefactive pancreatic digestions. 1 It may be obtained 

 from the distillate of such digestive mixtures. It is also found in the contents of 

 the alimentary canal under the same conditions which give rise to indol. When so 

 occurring a portion of it may be obtained from the feces, while the rest reappears 

 in the urine.' 2 



Buliginsky 3 says the urine of many animals, of cows and horses always, contains a substance 

 insoluble in alcohol, and not precipated.by lead acetate and ammonia, which by the action of 

 dilute mineral acids gives carbolic acid. The same acid applied to the body externally or inter- 

 nally also passes into the urine. 4 Similarly benzol (CgHe), when taken into the stomach, appears 

 as a carbolic acid in the urine.s 



[Fir*. 250. 



Crystals of Kynurenic Acid. (After Kiihne.)] 

 [FiG. 257. 



Crystals of Barium Kynurenate. (After Kiihne.)] 



The pure acid crystallizes in long, colorless prismatic needles ; they melt at 35 C. , 

 and boil at 180 C. It is readily soluble in alcohol and ether, slightly soluble in 

 water (1 part in 20). In most cases it acts as a weak acid, forming crystalline salts 

 with the alkalies. With nitric acid it yields picric acid. Its solutions reduce silver 

 and mercury salts. 



1 Baumann, Zeitsch. f. physiol. Chem., Bd. i. (1877), S. 70. 



2 Salkowski, Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Gesell., Bd. ix. (1876), S. 1595. Centralb. f. d. med. Wiss. 

 (1876\ S. 818. Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Gesell., Bd. x. (1877), S. 842. Virchow's Arch., Bd. Ixxii. 

 (1878), S. 409. See also Centralbl. f. d. med. Wiss. (1878), Nos. 30, 31, 34, 42, and Zeitschr. f. physiol. 

 Chem., Bd. ii. (1878), S. 241. 



3 Hoppe-Seyler, Med. chem. Untersuch., Heft ii. (1867), S. 234. 



* Almen, Neues Jahrb. d. Pharm., Bd. xxxiv., S. 111. Salkowski, Pfluger's Archiv, Bd. v. 

 (1871-72), S. 335. 



6 Schultzen u. Naunyn, Reichert u. DuBois Reymond's Archiv (1867), Heft iii.,S. 349. 



