FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUE. 



55 



preliminary experiments in this direction, the results of 

 which may be briefly stated : 3.25 grams of mucin of Prep- 

 aration No. 2 were heated in a boiling water-bath with one 

 hundred cubic centimeters of 2 per cent hydrochloric acid 

 for five hours. At the end of this period the solution was of 

 a deep-brown color, while suspended through the fluid was a 

 large amount of gelatinous matter more or less brown in color- 

 This was filtered off, washed with water, in which it was 

 wholly insoluble, until the washings gave no proteid reaction. 

 It was then tested, with the following results : it was insoluble 

 in dilute and stronger hydrochloric acid, but readily soluble in 

 0.5 per cent sodium carbonate and in very dilute (0.5 per cent) 

 potassium hydroxide. From the solution in sodium carbonate 

 it was reprecipitated by neutralization, and was then readily 

 soluble in a slight excess of 0.2 per cent hydrochloric acid. It 

 gave the ordinary color reactions characteristic of proteid 

 matter. Warmed at 40 C. with an active gastric juice con- 

 taining 0.2 per cent hydrochloric acid, it was wholly unaffected 

 even after twenty-four hours, but when warmed with an alka- 

 line pancreatic juice it was readily dissolved, and almost 

 completely converted into products soluble even on neutraliza- 

 tion of the fluid, thus attesting its conversion into soluble 

 albumoses and peptones. These reactions suggest that the 

 substance in question is a form of antialbumid. 



The original acid fluid containing the soluble products 

 formed in the cleavage of the mucin was made neutral, by 

 which a slight neutralization precipitate resulted, evidently 

 syntonin from the reactions tried. The neutral fluid was then 

 concentrated to a syrup, a strong caramel-like odor being de- 

 veloped during the process, and while still warm the residue 

 was treated with a large excess of 95 per cent alcohol, 

 by which a thick gummy mass was formed, hard and brittle on 

 cooling. While warm, the alcoholic fluid was quite clear and 

 yellowish-red in color, but on cooling, a light-yellow precipi- 

 tate, very small hi quantity, formed, which was soluble in 

 water, and gave a strong reducing action with Fehling's solu- 

 tion. It was too small in quantity, however, to study further. 



