j5 CHEMICAL RESEAUCHES ON THE ANIMAX FLUIDS. 



coagulum of chyle; but of the precipitate from its alkaline 

 solution they dissolve a small portion, which has the proper- 

 ties of spermaceti : the remainder is coagulated albumen. 

 ami suli)hunc 5. Sulphuric acid very readily dissolves this coagulum, 

 *" ' even when diluted with its weight of water ; and with the as- 



sistance of heat, it is soluble in a mixture of one part by 

 weight of acid, with four of water ; but when the proportion 

 of water is increased to six parts, the dilute acid exerts no 

 action upon it. 1 was surprised to find, that the alkalis pro- 

 duced no precipitation in these sulphuric solutions when 

 heat had been applied in their formation, and where a small 

 proportion only of the coagulum had been dissolved ; and 

 was therefore led to examine more particularly the changes, 

 which the coagulum had undergone by the action of the 

 acid. 

 Tlie solution On evaporating a solution of one drachm of the coagulum 

 in this acid j^ ^.^^^ ounces of dilute sulphuric acid (con listing of one part 

 sxamined, , . , ,. . . • i , r y i "' 



by weight of acid with three ot water) down to one ounce, a 



small quantity of carbonaceous matter separated, and the 

 solution had the following propeirt"\e5. 



It was transparent, and of a pale brown colour. 



Neither the caustic nor carbonated alkalis produced in it 

 any precipitation, when added to exact saturation of the acid, 

 or ill excess. 



Infusion of galls, and other solutions containing tannin, 

 rendered the acid solution turbid, and produced a more co- 

 pious precipitation in that which had been neutralized by 

 the addition of alkalis. 



When evaporated to dryness, carbonaceous matter was de- 

 posited, and sulphurous acid evolved, with the other usual 

 products of these decompositions, 

 Aetion of nitric 6. On digesting the coagulum in dilute nitric acid, con- 



acid on the j^istjntr of one part by weight of the acid to fifteen of water, 

 coagulum. " • i i c i i 



it was speedily rendered or a deep brown colour, but no 



other apparent change was produced for some weeks; when, 



on removing it from the acid at the end of that period, it 



had acquired the properties of that modification -of fat, 



which is described by Fourcroy under the name of ade- 



pocire*. 



• JJciji. de TAcad. des gcicnces, 1789. 



A mixture 



