Compound Celluloses 151 



The following observations upon the behaviour of the fibre when 

 treated with water at high temperatures may be cited. The experi- 

 ments were conducted in glass tubes. 



(1) Heated 12 hours at noC. : Slightly attacked. Loss in 

 weight, ii-o p.ct. 



(2) Heated 10 hours at 120-130: Onry slightly attacked. 

 Heated further 10 hours : Fibre disintegrated. Loss of weight, 

 27-5 p.ct. Solution contained furfural. 



(3) Heated 9 hours at 140 : Completely disintegrated. Loss 

 of weight, 22-6 p.ct. 



Analysis of Disintegrated Fibre. 



C 48-30 p.ct. 1 Yield of cellulose (Cl method), 76*8 p.ct ; 

 H 5 ! 6 p.ct. /calculated on original fibre, 59*5 p.ct. 



(4) Heated with water and barium carbonate 9 hours at 140 : 

 Colour changed to brown. Fibre not disintegrated. Loss of 

 weight, 20-0 p.ct. Product yielded : cellulose, 79-3 p.ct. ; calcu- 

 lated on original, 63-5 p.ct. 



(5) Heated with solution sodium sulphite (5 p.ct.) 10 hours at 

 120-130 : Loss of weight, 19-0 p.ct. Fibre disintegrated ; fibre 

 and solution colourless. Cellulose p.ct. on product, 84-6 ; p.ct. on 

 original fibre, 687. 



(6) Heated with sodium bisulphite solution (2*6 p.ct. SO,,) 10 

 hours at 115: Fibre disintegrated; fibre and solution colour- 

 less. Loss of weight, 19 p.ct. Cellulose p.ct. on product, 73-5 ; 

 p.ct. on original fibre, 65 '4. 



Animal digestion of the lignocelluloses. The urine of 

 the herbivora contains hippuric acid as a characteristic con- 

 stituent. The origin of this compound, and more particularly 

 its benzoyl group, has been the subject of considerable dis- 

 cussion and controversy, but the evidence points unmistakably 

 to the lignocelluloses of the various fodders as the source of 

 the product. It appears from what we now know of the con- 

 stitution of the lignone complex, that its R. hexene and 

 CO CH 2 groups may, without unduly straining the probabili- 

 ties, be regarded as undergoing transformation, in the processes 



