BLOOD. 18!) 



as well as some oleate and margarate of potash. In addition to 

 these fats, there are certain coloured phosphorized and nitroge- 

 nous fats, similar probably to those which have been described 

 by Couerbe, as cephalot and eleencephol. Lecanu found, in 

 the fat of the serum, only cholesterin, serolin, margaric and 

 oleic acids ; he could detect no phosphorized fat. BerzeHus^ 

 describes the fat of the fibrin, which may be taken up either 

 by alcohol or ether, as solid and crystalline; when melted, of 

 a yellow or light brown colour, readily soluble in cold alcohol, to 

 which it imparts an acid reaction, indicating the presence of 

 one or more of the fatty acids. Upon burning it, no acid ash 

 is left. 



Denis,2 on the other hand, obtains from fibrin, as well as 

 from albumen and hsematoglobiilin, a red phosphorized fat, 

 which has an alkaline reaction. By digestion in caustic potash, 

 a pai-t is dissolved, while an insoluble portion remains, in the 

 form of a white, saponified powder, readily soluble in ether, 

 from which it may be again obtained, by spontaneous evapo- 

 ration, in the form of delicate crystals, which burn like fat. 



The portion of saponified fat Avhich is dissolved in the potash 

 must be precipitated by hydrochloric acid, and cannot be melted 

 in the acid fluid, even on raising the temperature to a boiling 

 heat. After lia^dng been removed by filtration, it is found to 

 be soluble in alcohol and ether, and we may obtain it, after 

 evaporating the fluid in which it is dissolved, as a fat, which 

 becomes fluid at a temperatm-e of 97° — 104°, but is solid at an 

 ordinary temperature. It has an acid reaction, and swells up, 

 but is only very partially soluble in boiling water, from which, 

 on evaporation, we obtain it (the dissolved portion) as a sort of 

 film or coating. 



According to Berzelius, it is similar to the acid salts of 

 stearic and oleic acids described by Chevreul; it diff'ers from 

 them, however, by its greater solubility in ether and cold alcohol. 



5. Exti'cictwe matters. These substances have been less care- 

 ivA\j analysed than the fats, and the proportions in which they 

 occur, are so small, that even in the analysis of a large quantity 



' Thierchemie, p. 88. ^ Recherches Experimentales, &c. p. 101. 



