VIII 



THE SALTING-OUT OF ALBUMINS 



281 



compared the precipitation of an albumin to the crystallisation of a 

 supersaturated solution. The idea, that salts act as 'dehydrating 

 agents/ has been followed up by several of Hofmeister's pupils, and 

 in particular by Kauder l and Lewith, 2 and in a modified form by 

 Spiro, 3 Posternak, 4 and Pauli. 5 



Kauder introduced the principle of fractional precipitation as 

 described more fully below, while Lewith determined experimentally 

 a number of salts that do ( + ) or do not ( - ) coagulate albumin. 

 His results, arranged in tabular form by the author, 6 are as follows : 



Lime salts occupy amongst the alkalies and alkaline earths a 

 peculiar position, as they lead to the formation of insoluble precipi- 

 tates. Sodium phosphate and chlorate coagulate only slightly, while 

 potassium chlorate does not coagulate. 



The effect of saturated salt solutions on albumin is as follows : 



1 Kauder, Arch. f. experiment. Pathol. u. Pharmak. 2O. 411 (1886). 



2 Lewith, ibid. 24. 1 (1888). 



3 K. Spiro, Physik. u. physiol. Selektion : Habilitationssclirift, Strassburg, 1897 ; 

 mid in Hofmeisters Beitrage, 4. 300 (1903). 



4 Swigel Posternak, Ann. de Vlnst. Pasteur, 15. pp. 85, 169, 451, 570 (1901). 



5 W. Pauli, Hofmeisters Beitrage, 3. 225 (1903). 



Mann, Physiological Histology, 1902, p. 31. See also p. 52. 



