600 



TRANSACTIONS OF SUB-SECTION K. 



5. The Mucilage of Linseed. By H. A. D. Neville, B.Sc. 



The author is engaged in investigating the chemical composition and feeding 

 value of the mucilage of linseed. Up to the present he has succeeded in estab- 

 lishing the following points : — 



1. The amount of mucilage contained in linseed is about seven per cent. 



2. As prepared by swelling up the seeds in very dilute sulphuric acid and pre- 

 cipitation from the colloid solution thus obtained by means of much alcohol, 

 mucilage is a slightly acid substance, with a percentage composition approxi- 

 mating to that of a carbohydrate, and containing a small amount of ash. 



3. Purification by repeated solution in water and precipitation by alcohol 

 lowers the ash-content somewhat, but does not remove the acid property. 



4. On hydrolysis with dilute sulphuric acid, the following substances are 

 formed : Dextrose, galactose, arabinose, xylose, 1 and small amounts of a cellu- 

 lose-like substance, and of an acid which forms a soluble barium salt. 



5. On boiling with hydrochloric acid, furfurol is evolved in quantity corre- 

 sponding to the presence in the mucilage of about 17 per cent, of pentosans. 



6. Malt extract, saliva, and pancreatic juice are found to be without action 

 on the mucilage. 



7. It has not been possible to isolate the mucilage from the dung of rats, 

 guinea pigs, or cows eating large rations of linseed. 



8. The mucilage is readily decomposed by the bacteria of the crecum. Solu- 

 tions of mucilage inoculated with a drop of caecum contents rapidly ferment. 

 The mucilage disappears, the solution becomes acid, and carbon dioxide and a 

 mixture of inflammable gases are evolved. 



The investigation is still proceeding. 



G. British Weights. By John Porter, B.Sc. 



The present systems of weights and measures are very complicated. British 

 subjects do not take kindly to the metric (centimetre, gramme, second) system 

 because the physical sciences, trade, and commerce have been built up on the 

 British (foot, pound, second) system. 



Fundamc7ital Units. — A new system in this country must obviously recognise 

 the existing units of weight, volume, and measurement ; then a decimal system 

 built up on these units would not inflict any great hardships with weights which 

 were multiples of one pound; e.g., 10 lb. can easily be weighed out with ordinary 

 weights, and so can 50, 100, or 1,000 lb. Hence existing weights could be used 

 for a number of years. A decimal connection between weight and volume is 

 most desirable. One gallon (277'463 cubic inches) of distilled water at 62° F. 

 and 30 inches barometric pressure weighs 10 lb. The tenth part of a gallon 

 (1 lb.) could easily be taken as the unit of volume. The connection between 

 volume and lineal measure could probably be overcome by using a liquid of a 

 different density from water, but water must be the standard, as its use as a 

 standard in the sciences is so deeply rooted. It is therefore only possible to 

 connect two of the three units (weight, volume, and length) in a decimal manner, 

 and the most important connection is that of weight and volume. The decimal 

 system is already in use in surveying (10 square chains = l acre). 



Suggested System of Weights (Unit, 1 lb. Avoirdupois). 

 1. Multiples. 



Hilger, Ber.. 1903, 36, 3197. 



