386 Miscellanies. 



They examined the composition of fibrin, ajbumine, and coloring 

 matter derived from mammiferous animals, both herbivorous and car- 

 nivorous and found it identical in each variety. 



In reference to the third assumption — the creation of azote by vital 

 action — the authors, after mentioning the experiments of Vauquelin 

 and Majendie, inform us that they endeavored to feed a sheep upon 

 sugar and gum, substances which contain no azote. The animal, al- 

 though vigorous at first, grew meagre under this regimen, and died 

 under the twentieth day of the experiment having diminished in 

 in weight from fifty two to thirty one pounds. Its death and impov- 

 erishment were fairly attributed to the absence of azote in its food. 



The results of the whole investigation are thus enumerated : 



1. The identity of elementary chemical composition, particularly 

 as it respects azote in the chyle of herbivorous and carnivorous 

 mammifera. 



2. That arterial blood contains as much azote and less carbon than 

 venous blood. 



3. That the blood of herbivorous and carnivorous aninflals is of 

 the same composition, as well as the various substances that are se- 

 creted from it. 



4. That in equal weights of the two fluids perfectly dry, the blood 

 of mammifera, whatever the mode of nourishment, has more azote 

 than the chyle. 



5. That the excrements of carnivorous contain more azote than 

 those of herbivorous animals. 



6. That herbivorous animals cannot any more than carnivorous, 

 be supported by food containing no azote. 



7. That unless we admit that vital action may form azote, we must 

 conclude that that which the chyle contains proceeds from the food, 

 and that in both the classes of animals examined, respiration furnishes 

 the complement of that which is found in the blood. — Bib. Univ. 

 Avril, 1832. 



12. Process fo7- silvering copper, so as to polish. — Take two parts 

 of silver powder, precipitated from a nitric solution by a solution of 

 common salt — one part of alum, and two parts of cream of tartar; 

 make them into a paste with a little water, and after cleaning the cop- 

 per thoroughly, rub this paste upon it with the finger covered with 

 white leather or very fine muslin ; when the piece is sufficiently 

 whitened, polish it with a buff powdered with calcined hartshorn, or 

 a little Spanish white ; red copper takes the finest polish. 



