BRAIN AND NERVES. 283 



in the lens of cattle an albumin occurs is nevertheless easy to de- 

 monstrate. 



A. BECHAMP distinguishes the two following albuminous bodies in the 

 watery extract of the crystalline lens. Phacozymase, which coagulates at 

 -f 55 C., contains a diastatic enzyme and has a specific rotary power of 

 (a); = 41, and the crystalbumin, with a specific rotary power of 

 (a#"= 80.3. BECHAMP extracted from the residue of the lens, which 

 was insoluble in water, by means of hydrocoloric acid, an albuminous body 

 which had a specific rotary power of (a)j = 80.2 which he called crystal- 

 fibrin. 



The lens does not seem to contain any albuminous body which 

 coagulates spontaneously like fibrinogen. That cloudiness which 

 appears after death depends, according to KUHNE, upon the un- 

 equal changing of the concentration of the contents of the lens- 

 tubes. This change is produced by the altered ratio of diffusion. A 

 cloudiness of the lens may also be produced in life by a rapid 

 removal of water, as, for example, when a frog is plunged into a salt 

 or sugar solution (KtnsrDE). The appearance of cloudiness in 

 diabetes has been attributed by some to the removal of water. 

 The views on this subject, however, do not accord. 



The average results of four analyses made by LAPTSCHINSKY of 

 the lens of oxen are here given, calculated in parts per 1000: 



Albuminous bodies 349. 3 



Lecithin 2.3 



Cholesterin 2.2 



Fat 2.9 



Soluble salts 5.3 



Insoluble salts &8 



In cataract the amount of albumin is diminished and the amount 

 of cholesterin increased. 



The corneal tissue has been previously treated of (page 237). 

 The sclerotica has not been closely investigated, and the chlorioidea 

 is chiefly of interest because of the coloring matter, melanine, it 

 contains (see Chap. XIII). 



TEARS consist of a water-clear, alkaline fluid of a saltish taste. 

 According to the analyses of LEKCH, they contain 982 p. m. water, 

 18 p. m. solids, with 5 p. m. albumin and 13 p. m. NaCl. 



