H^EMIX. 285 



D and F a second, much broader, less sharply defined band occurs, which by 

 proper dilution of the liquid is converted into two bands. The one between 

 b and F, lying near F, is darker and broader; the other, between D and 

 E, lying near E, is lighter and narrower. Also by proper dilution a 

 fourth very faint band is observed between D and E, lying near D. Hsema- 

 tin may thus in acid solution show four absorption-bands; ordinarily 

 one sees distinctly only the bands between C and D and the broad, dark 

 band or the two bands between D and F. In alkaline solution haBma- 

 tin (spectrum Plate 5), shows a broad absorption-band, which lies in 

 greatest part between C and Z>, but reaches a little over the line D toward 

 the right in the space between D and E. As the position of the hsematin 

 bands in the spectrum is quite variable, the exact wave-lengths correspond- 

 ing thereto cannot be given exactly. 



Haemin, H.EMIX CRYSTALS, or TEICHMANN'S CRYSTALS. HaBmin is 

 the hydrochloric-acid ester of haematin, and is the starting-point in the 

 preparation of the latter. 



Opinions as to the composition of haBmin are just as variable 

 as those for hsematin, which is partly due to the fact, as shown by NENCKI 

 and ZALESKI, that the haBmatin, which contains two hydroxyls in the 

 molecule, may form ethers with acids and alkyl radicals, which also yield 

 addition products with indifferent compounds. Thus the haemin pre- 

 pared according to NENCKI and SIEBER'S method contains amyl alcohol. 

 SCHALFE JEFF'S haBmin, having the formula Cs^sa^FeC^Cl, is supposed 

 to contain an acetyl group, and hence is called acethaBmin. MORNER'S 

 haBmin, CssH^^FeC^Cl, is considered as a monoethyl ether of acethaBmin. 

 The investigations of ZALESKI, HEPPER and MARCHLEWSKI, K. MOR- 

 NER, and especially those of KUSTER, have given explanations of these 

 conditions. The so-called acethaBmin does not contain any acetic-acid 

 radical, hence its name is incorrect. KUSTER, by a new method of purifica- 

 tion and recrystallization, has shown that the older various kinds of 

 haBmins were not chemical individuals, and that we have only one haBmin. 

 This view is now accepted by MORNER and most of the other investigators, 

 and the formula C34H33O 4 N 4 FeCl is now given to haBmin. PIETTRE 

 and VILA l dispute this formula, and they claim to have prepared chlor- 

 ine-free haBmin from pure crystalline oxyhaBmoglobin. 



HaBmin crystals form in large masses a bluish-black powder, but are 

 so small that they can be seen only by aid of the miscrocope. They 



1 Nencki and Zaleski, Zeitschr. f. physiol. Chem., 30; Nencki and Sieber, Arch, 

 f. exp. Path. u. Pharm., 18 and 20, and Ber. d. d. chem. Gesellsch., 18; Schalfejeff with 

 Xencki and Zaleski, 1. c.; Bialobrzeski, Arch, des scienc. biol. de St. Pe"tersbourg, 5; 

 K. Morner, Nord. Med. Arkiv, Festband, 1897, Nos. 1 and 26, and Zeitschr. f. physiol. 

 Chem., 41; Zaleski, ibid., 37; Hetper and Marchlewski, ibid., 41 and 42; Kuster, ibid., 

 40; Piettre and Vila, Compt. ren J., 141, p. 734. 



