35.J The Physiological Action of Betaine. [June 12, 



This figure, however, is somewhat high ; it may be accounted for by 

 the fact that a minute quantity of metallic gold was deposited during 

 recrystallisation. 



No more betaine was precipitated on adding 200 c.c. of phospho- 

 tungstic acid to the filtrate from the betaine phosphotungstate, the 

 yield of betaine hydrochloride thus being 4'4 grammes from 1 kilo, of 

 sugar. 



10 kilogrammes of raw beet-sugar have also been extracted and pre- 

 cipitated with phosphotungstic acid in the same way, and the product 

 obtained was handed to Dr. Waller for physiological investigation. 



In order to determine the quantity of betaine in raw beet-sugar more 

 accurately, 100 grammes of the sugar were treated as above described 

 with lead oxide and precipitated with phosphotungstic acid; 6 -3 

 grammes were thus obtained, and these gave on decomposition 0*5 

 gramme of betaine hydrochloride melting at 236 238 C. 



Conclusion. Betaine in considerable quantity (3*75 per 1000 in the 

 sample examined) is present in raw beet-sugar. 



Note. It is perhaps advisable to clearly specify what samples of 

 betaine have actually passed through our hands : 



No. 1 (from Merck's) has been used in the experiments of the 

 previous paper (Waller and Sowton) and in Experiment 6 of the 

 present paper. 



No. 2, prepared by one of us (R. H. A. P.) from " raw beet-sugar," 

 was used in the experiments of the present paper. 



No. 3 (from Schuchardt), containing potassium chloride, has not 

 been used for any physiological tests. 



REFERENCES. 



1 C. Scheibler, ' Zeit. f. Rubenzuckerindustrie,' vol. 16, p. 229 ; Ber. d. Deutsch. 



Chem. Ges.,' 1869, vol. 2, p. 292 ; 1870, vol. 3, p. 155. 

 - O. Liebreich, ' Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges.,' 1869, vol. 2, pp. 12, 167 ; 1870, vol. 3, 



p. 161. 



3 E. O. v. Lippmann, ' Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges.,' 1887, vol. 20, p. 3201. 



4 A. Wohl, ' Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges.,' 1896, vol. 29, Ref. 375; * Chem. Centr.,' 



1897, II, p. 926. 



5 E. Jahns, ' Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges.,' 1893, vol. 26, p. 1493. 



fi E. Fischer, ' Ber. d. Deutsch. Chem. Ges.,' 1902, vol. 35, p. 1593. 



