THE BAVARIAN PROCESS. 301 



It has been stated (page 296) to be uncertain, 

 whether gluten during its conversion into common 

 yeast, that is, into the insoluble state in which it 

 separates from fermenting liquids, really combines 

 directly with oxygen. If it does combine with 

 oxygen, then the difference between gluten and 

 ferment would be, that the latter would contain a 

 larger proportion of oxygen. Now it is very diffi- 

 cult to ascertain this, and even their analyses 

 cannot decide the question. Let us consider, for 

 example, the relations of alloxan and alloxantin to 

 one another. Both of these bodies contain the 

 same elements as gluten, although in different pro- 

 portions. Now they are known to be convertible 

 into each other, by oxygen being absorbed in the 

 one case, and in the other extracted. Both are 

 composed of absolutely the same elements, in equal 

 proportions ; with the single exception, that al- 

 loxantin contains 1 equivalent of hydrogen more 

 than alloxan. 



When alloxantin is treated with chlorine and nitric 

 acid, it is converted into alloxan, into a body, there- 

 fore, which is alloxantin minus 1 equivalent of hydro- 

 gen. If on the other hand a stream of sulphuretted 

 hydrogen is conducted through alloxan, sulphur is 

 precipitated, and alloxantin produced. It may be 

 said, that in the first case hydrogen is abstracted, 

 in the other added. But it would be quite as 

 simple an explanation, if we considered them as 

 oxides of the same radical ; the 1 alloxan being re- 



