

Chemistry and Physics. Ill 



Mulder by supposing the intervention of four equivalents of oxygen ; 

 but bodies like the fibrine of VII, and the proteine of I, obviously require 

 no oxygen, but are converted into these products by the simple diamor- 

 phosis, or rather we may suppose into glucose or some analogous sub- 

 stance, and ammonia, by the assimilation of 12HO, the former of which 

 is decomposed into humic acid and water, as is the case when a solu- 

 tion of sugar is treated with hydrochloric acid. I am not aware whether 

 the absorption of oxygen in this reaction, has been determined by ex- 

 periment, but if such is the case beyond that required for the oxyda- 

 tion of the small quantities of sulphur and phosphorus, the humus body 

 cannot contain equal equivalents of hydrogen and carbon, unless formic 

 acid or some more highly oxydized product is formed at the same time. 

 I his reasoning is based particularly upon the two analyses of Mulder 

 quoted, which differ somewhat, it is true, from many others given, but 

 the last being that of undissolved fibrine, seems more worthy of reliance 

 than those derived from partially altered products. 



If we receive then, C 24 H 17 N 3 O g as agreeing best with analysis 

 and as the true formula for proteine, we have at once explained the fact 

 of this metamorphosis by hydrochloric acid, which refers it directly to 

 the same place in the organic scale as cellulose and sugar, (for there 

 appears no evidence that the various derivatives of sugar described as 

 ulmine, sachulmine and humic acid, stand higher in the scale than su- 

 gar, 24th family,) while its connection with gelatine in constitution, and 

 l he perfect similarity between the products of its oxydation and those 

 J of gelatine, related by the formation of aldehyde to sugar, complete 



j the chain of resemblances. 



The assimilation of proteine seems to be different from that of gela- 

 tine^ at least we have no evidence that it is ever resolved into a non- 

 azotized compound and ammonia in the system, which the case of 

 diabetes recorded in this Journal, ii ser., vol. vi, p. 259, seems to establish 

 in regard to gelatine. The view which makes the tissues of the animal 

 body but azotized derivatives of those which composed the vegetable 

 structure, shows most beautifully the simplicity and unity of the plan 

 °f nature. T. S. H.] 



5. Phosphorus, (I/Institut, No. 773.) — M. Schrotter, has ascer- 

 tained that the red substance formed on the surface of phosphorus 

 exposed to the light, is simply an isomeric transformation of phosphorus. 

 It is produced in the gases hydrogen, nitrogen and carbonic acid gas, 

 ^'hen the phosphorus is thoroughly dry ; and it is therefore impossible 

 to attribute the change to an oxydation of the phosphorus. The trans- 

 formation is quite active in a direct light, and it is sensible even with 

 a feeble diffuse light. When phosphorus, before carefully dried, js 

 kept for 40 to 60 hours at a temperature between 210° C. and 250° C, 

 !t is transformed in part into phosphorus of carqjine red color, which 

 falls as an opaque powder to the bottom of the vessel ; and with small 

 P^ces in B close vessel, after a prolonged trial, the whole may be 

 changed to the red state. The specific gravity of this amorphous phos- 

 phorus when pure, is 1-964 at 10° C, while ordinary phosphorus is 

 1'SiO at 10° C, or if melted 1-88, at 45° C. 



The amorphous phosphorus is obtained pure by means of the sul- 

 phuret of carbon, which dissolves readily the ordinary phosphorus. It 





