66 



cxiliar matter of a bitter and afterwards some- 

 what sweet taste, which- possesses characters iu 

 common with the fibrin, the colouring matter, and 

 the albumen of the blood, from which it is formed 

 in the liver, I found, also y that with mineral acids 

 it forms a peculiar substance, not easily soluble 

 in water. With an excess of acid it is completely 

 precipitated, and has all the characters of a re- 

 sin, viz. is soluble in alcohol, melts in heat, forms 

 a composition like a plaster with the oxid of lead, 

 8cc. A smaller quantity of acid, on the contrary, 

 produces a more soluble compound. The resin r 

 which is precipitated with sulphuric acid, may 

 be restored to its original properties by being 

 treated with carbonate of barita, and then pro- 

 duces a solution altogether like bile. This pe- 

 culiar matter agrees also with the albumen and 

 the fibrin of the blood in this respect, that it 

 cannot be precipitated by acetic acid. In dif- 

 ferent animals, as also- under different circum- 

 stances in the same species, it has a different 

 tendency to form almost insoluble combinations 

 with the acids; aad from the experiments that I 

 have had an opportunity of making, I drew the 

 conclusion, that its remaining long in the gall- 

 bladder, increases its tendency to form resin with, 

 the acids. All my predecessors have allotted a 



