CHKMK'AL BASIS OF THE ANIMAL BODY. 209 



iisoluble than when crystallised. If the amorphous acid is 

 di><ol\vd in ether it may IK- sc[ Mrat e. 1 out by evaporation in four 

 >r M\-sided prisms which are anhydrous. When the sodium salt 

 of cholalic acid is decomposed under ether by the addition of 

 hydrochloric acid, the acid may be obtained in rhombic plat--- 

 containing one molecule of water. The alkali and barium salt- oi' 

 eh'ilalie aeid are soluble in water and in alcohol, especially when 

 warm, and yield, like the free acid, dextro-rotatory solution-. 

 rW solutions of the anhydrous acid () D = -}- 50. When 

 tallised with 2 H 2 O, (a) D = -f-35. In alcoholic solutions of the 

 sodium salt (a) D = -}- 31 0g 4 (Hoppe-Seyler). 



The constitution of cholalic acid is scarcely as yet definitely 



rCOOB 



known, but may be represented by C W H 31 J (CHjOH),. 1 It yields 



I GHOH 



with iodine a compound which, like that resulting from the inter- 

 action of iodine and starch, possesses a brilliantly blue colour and 

 is specifically distinctive, since it cannot be obtained either from 

 the bile-acids or choleic acid (see below) or the products of the 

 decomposition of cholalic acid. 2 



When cholalic acid is prepared from human bile it exhibits 



ii differences, more especially as regards the lesser solubili- 



t its alkali and barium salts, which led to its being regarded 



as di-tinct from that obtained from ox-bile, and hence it was called 



anthropoeholalic acid. It appears however that the bulk of the 



acid is identical with that from ox-bile, the slight difference being 



due to an admixture with another acid either choleic, as was first 



supposed, or fell: 



add, C 86 H 42 O 4 . Is ol.tained in small ani<>unt> mixed with 

 rholalir arid during tin- preparation .if tin- latter from "\-l>ilr. It 



from cholalic acid in the solubility of iti >alt>and the products 



of its oxidational decomposition. 4 



1 ;: '';. Obtained in small aniouuN from human 

 I'ile during the preparation i.f i.rdinary rlmhilii- arid. It i- rhararter- 

 i-ed \>\ the extn-nie i iis< ! ii hi 1 i t y !' its barium and maijne-iuiii -alt-. 

 It :il-- \ ielcl^ ;i less brilliant lVttcnk"tVr r.'a.-ti..n (-> l..-l,,\\ ) than 



holalir arid. 



The l.il.-arid> of the pig and goose when di ..... mp"-rd \iehl f.-n 

 rholalie arid called re>j.ert ivrl y hy<>-cholalic acid ('_ II, ',. and cheno- 

 cholalir 



/ ,/ ,/,-, Stag. IM. xx. (IR87). S. 1968. 



* M% S. 683 an.l Zt f. pkytiol. Ckem. Bd. xi. (1887), S. 306. See alO 

 H.I \; 



* S-h..tt.-n. /.i. i. phifiitJ. Chem. Bd. x. (1886), S. - 268. 



ff. ll. r. d. d. ckem. Guett. Bd. xviu. (1885), S. 3039. 

 6 Schotteu, /or 



14 



