PUS. 535 



To determine its composition, it was mixed with ether, agitat- 

 ed and raised to the boiling temperature. The ether was then 

 allowed to cool and passed through a filter, which it did very 

 slowly. The etherial solution was yellowish, and had a specific 

 gravity of 1-11155 at the temperature of 50. When examined 

 by reagents, it exhibited the following properties : 



1. Caustic ammonia threw down a few white flocks. 



2. Nitric acid ; no apparent change. 



3. Chloride of platinum threw down yellowish flocks. 



4. Acetate of silver, copious white flocks redissolved by the 

 addition of ammonia, 



5. Chloride of gold threw down a yellowish precipitate. 



6. Nitrated suboxide of mercury threw down an abundant 

 yellowish-white precipitate in flocks. 



7. Neutral persulphate of iron a reddish-yellow precipitate. 



8. Acetate of lead a copious precipitate in white flocks. 



9. Nitrate of barytes a white precipitate. 



10. Tincture of nut-galls a very copious reddish-yellow preci- 

 pitate. 



11. Isinglass produced no change. 



After these trials, the etherial solution was evaporated to the 

 consistence of an extract in a gentle heat. It was yellowish- 

 brown, and smelled like soup. It could not be made perfectly 

 dry over the water-bath. A portion of it was burnt in a porce- 

 lain crucible. It emitted the smell of burning horn. The 

 charry residue was digested in dilute muriatic acid. It dissolv- 

 ed with effervescence, except a little charcoal. The solution was 

 not affected by sulphuretted hydrogen. Chloride of ammonium 

 and ammonia being added in excess, a copious white precipitate 

 fell, which was chiefly phosphate of lime. Some lime was also 

 present, which was thrown down by oxalate of ammonia. It con- 

 tained also a little magnesia. They suspected likewise the pre- 

 sence of soda. This was not fully proved, but the presence of 

 potash was ascertained. When treated with caustic potash, am- 

 monia was given out. Thus the bases found in the pus were 

 lime, magnesia, potash, soda, and ammonia. But the ammonia 

 might have been formed by the action of the potash on the or- 

 ganic matter of pus. 



The acid which existed in the pus was a mixture of phospho- 

 ric and muriatic. It contained no sulphuric acid nor nitric acid. 



