342 THE BLOOD. 



treating with baryta water or very dilute hydrochloric acid, it is 

 decomposed into a nuclein, the so-called leuconucleirt, and histon. It 

 may therefore be regarded as a nucleoproteid, but differs from most 

 of the other representatives of this group in the large amount of 

 phosphorus 3.025 per cent. which it contains. The histon radicle 

 possesses marked basic properties, and readily combines with acids. 

 From its acid solutions it is precipitated by ammonia, and it is in- 

 soluble in an excess of the reagent. The leuconuclein, on the other 

 hand, has markedly acid properties. On treating with an alcoholic 

 alkali solution it is decomposed into an albuminous substance and 

 thymonucleinic acid. The nucleohiston, according to Gamgee and 

 Jones, is dextrorotatory ()D == + 37.5. 



Elementary analysis of nucleohiston has given the following 

 results : carbon, 48.46 ; hydrogen, 7 ; nitrogen, 16.86 ; phosphorus, 

 3.025 ; sulphur, 0.701 ; and oxygen, 23.95 per cent. 



Bang has lately denied the existence of a leuconuclein in the sense 

 of Kossel. According to his researches, Lilienfeld's preparation 

 represents a combination of histon nucleinate with parahiston nuclei- 

 nate, which is analogous to a double salt (54 per cent, of nucleinic 

 acid, 30.7 per cent, of histon, and 15.3 per cent, of parahiston). It 

 has a constant composition, viz., it is a hexanomol acid (adenin- 

 guaninic acid) histon + triadenylic acid parahiston. 



Bang has pointed out, moreover, that the results obtained in the 

 case of the thy m us cells are not directly applicable to the leucocytes 

 in general. While the thymus gland and lymph-glands contain 

 about 20 per cent, of histon nucleinate, no substance of this char- 

 acter occurs in the bone-marrow. The assumption is that a different 

 nucleoproteid is here represented. 



The chemical analyses which Lilienfeld made of the leucocytes of 

 the thymus gland gave the following results : 



Water 88.51 percent. 



Solids 11.49 



Albumins 1.76 



Leuconuclein 68.78 



Histon 8.67 



Lecithin 7.51 



Fats 4.02 



Cholesterin 4.40 



Glycogen 0.80 



Nuclein-bases as silver salts 15.17 



Total phosphorus 3.01 



Total nitrogen 15.03 



Of albumins proper, there are said to be present in the leucocytes 

 the so-called cell-globulins, of which Halliburton recognizes two 

 one coagulating at 50 C., the other at 73 C. and one of which 

 is by some thought to be identical with the fibrin ferment ; then 

 serum-albumin, and a mucinous body, the so-called hyalin sub- 

 stance of Rovida. These bodies, however, represent only a very 

 small portion of the solids of the leucocytes, as is seen from Lilien- 



