CHEMICAL BASIS OF THE ANIMAL BODY. 109 



microscopic preparations it is usually obtained in tufted lumps of fine 

 crystals. 



FIG. 1. INOSIT CRYSTALS. (After Kiihne.) 



Readily soluble in water, it is only slightly so in dilute alcohol, and 

 is insoluble in absolute alcohol and ether. 



Although inosit admits of no direct alcoholic fermentation it has 

 been stated to be capable of undergoing a lactic fermentation in 

 presence of decomposing proteid (cheese) and chalk, yielding ordinary 

 (ethylidene-) lactic acid and some butyric acid 1 . It had been previously 

 stated that the acid thus obtained is sarcolactic (ethylene- or para-) 

 lactic acid 2 . These assertions are scarcely reconcilable with our 

 present knowledge of the chemical constitution of inosit. 



Reactions of inosit. 



(i) /Scherer's test 3 . The suspected substance is treated with strong 

 nitric acid and evaporated nearly to dryness on porcelain. On the 

 addition of a little ammonia and a few drops of freshly prepared and 

 not too dilute solution of calcium chloride, a bright pink or rose- 

 coloured residue is obtained on renewed evaporation if inosit is 

 present. 



(ii) Gallois 1 test. When inosit in concentrated solution is treated 

 with a few drops of 2 p.c. mercuric nitrate solution, or Liebig's solution 

 for the estimation of urea, and the mixture is evaporated to dryness 

 it yields a yellow residue which on being more strongly heated turns 

 rosy red ; this disappears on cooling and returns again on renewed 

 heating 4 . 



1 Vohl, Ber. d. d. cliem. Gesell Jahrg. 1876, S. 984. 



2 Hilger, Ann. d. Chem. u. Pharm. Bd. CLX. (1871), S. 333. 



3 Ann. d. Chem. u. Pharm. Bd. LXXXI. (1852), S. 375. 



4 Zt.f. anal. Chem. Bd. iv. (1865), S. 264. 



