Chap. VI.] DIGESTION. 93 



In the last chapter it was shown that a solution of isin- 

 glass of commerce, as thick as milk or cream, induces strong 

 inflection ; I therefore wished to compare its action with that 

 of pure gelatine. Solutions of one part of both substances 

 to 218 of water were made; and half -minim drops (.0296 c.c.) 

 were placed on the discs of eight leaves, so that each received 

 ths of a grain, or .135 mg. The four with the isinglass 

 were much more strongly inflected than the other four. I 

 conclude, therefore, that isinglass contains some, though per- 

 haps very little, soluble albuminous matter. As soon as 

 these eight leaves re-expanded, they were given bits of roast 

 meat, and in some hours all became greatly inflected; again 

 showing how much more meat excites Drosera than does gela- 

 tine or isinglass. This is an interesting fact, as it is well 

 known that gelatine by itself has little power of nourishing 

 animals.'* 



Chondrin. This was sent me by Dr. Moore in a gelati- 

 nous state. Some was slowly dried, and a small cliip was 

 placed on a leaf, and a much larger chip on a second leaf. 

 The first was liquefied in a day; the larger piece was much 

 swollen and softened, but was not completely liquefied until 

 the third day. The undried jelly was next tried, and as a 

 control experiment small cubes were left in water for four 

 days and retained their angles. Cubes of the same size 

 were placed on two leaves, and larger cubes on two other 

 leaves. The tentacles and laminse of the latter were closely 

 inflected after 22 hrs. but those of the two leaves with the 

 smaller cubes only to a moderate degree. The jelly on all 

 four was by this time liquefied, and rendered very acid. The 

 glands were blackened from the aggregation of their proto- 

 plasmic contents. In 46 hrs. from the time when the jelly 

 was given, the leaves had almost re-expanded, and completely 

 so after 70 hrs. ; and now only a little slightly adhesive fluid 

 was left unabsorbed on their discs. 



One part of chondrin jelly was dissolved in 218 parts of 

 boiling water, and half-minim drops were given to four 

 leaves; so that each received about rlr of a grain (.135 mg.) 

 of the jelly; and, of course, much less of dry chondrin. 



* Dr. Lander Brunton Rives In view of the Indirect pnrt which 

 the ' Me<llcnl Record,' January, gelatine plays In nutrition. 

 1873, p. 36, an accoant of Ylot'a 



