152 Cellulose 



of animal metabolism, to the compound in question. The 

 problem has been specially investigated by Meissner and 

 Sheppard (1866), Stutzer (Berl. Ber. 8, 575), Weiske (Ztschr. 

 Biol. 12, 24). 



Spontaneous decomposition of the lignocelluloses. Jute is 

 sometimes baled in a damp state, or wetted by sea water in 

 course of shipment, and the fibre in the interior of such bales 

 is found to undergo considerable chemical change, attended 

 by structural disintegration. A specimen of the fibre thus dis- 

 integrated was found to present the following features : 



Soluble in water ..... icro p.ct. 

 Soluble in i p.ct. NaOH . . . 23-0 ,, 

 Cellulose 60-4 58-8 



The aqueous exhaust of the fibre was astringent to the 

 taste, was precipitated by gelatin solution, and gave coloured 

 reactions with iron salts. It was digested on barium car- 

 bonate, filtered, evaporated, and the residue resolved by 

 alcohol into (i) a soluble body of 'neutral' characteristics, 

 which on analysis gave numbers expressed by the empirical 

 formula C 26 H 34 O 16 . This substance, on fusion with potash, 

 gave some phloroglucol and a large yield of protocatechuic 

 acid. (2) An insoluble body, the Ba salt of an acid, which on 

 analysis gave numbers expressed by the formula BaC 2 9H 42 O 2 9. 

 The investigation of these products dates from 1880 

 (J. Chem. Soc. 41, 93), and they were not examined for 

 determination of the now well-established 'constants' (p. 157). 

 From the above results, only the main features of this sponta- 

 neous decomposition of the lignocellulose are evident, viz. a 

 resolution of the lignone complex into more and less oxidised 

 groups ; the latter representing transition to aromatic products 

 of definite and ascertained relationships, the former having 

 features in common with the group of pectic compounds. But 

 they have the additional interest of suggesting, in a very direct 



