1907.] On Globulins. 415 



does not occur. Electrically active solutions of globulin cannot be precipi- 

 tated by dialysis, nor at any stage do they cease to be electrically active. 



If G be used to denote globulin, the equation of hydrolysis or dialysis 

 would be : 



^GHS + 2/HOH = (GHOH) y (GHS)^_ y + 2/HS, 

 or x GB + y HOH = (GH) y (GB) x - y + yBOH. 



In dialysis, the ratio x/y varies continuously. It is as indeterminate as 

 the ratio between the combining salts has been found to be by Bocllander, 

 Abegg, Sherrill, and others in the double salts of mercury and silver. 



Clearly a relation of this kind agrees with van Bemmelen's definition of 

 absorption compounds as chemical combination with variable composition. 



Removal of water from a solution of acid or alkali globulin does not> 

 produce precipitation, and the dried gummy residue reabsorbs water and 

 passes slowly again into a state of solution. Acid and alkali globulin, 

 therefore, form, with water, solutions which have the feature characteristic 

 of colloidal solutions, in that there are no saturation points. 



In order to compare the solvent power of different acids or alkalies, it is 

 necessary to fix upon some arbitrary point, such as the point of minimal 

 opalescence. By the use of a system of controls and proper illumination 

 this point furnishes very concordant values. 



Measured in this way, it appears that for strong and medium acids* 

 solvent power is measured by the number of gramme molecules present., 

 not by the number of gramme equivalents : 



HC1 = H2SO4 = H3PO4. 



Very weak acids have a lower solvent power : HC1 = 5HA = 

 ±30,000H 3 BoO 3 . 



These relations are explained by the very weak basic function of globulin. 

 Salts with weak acids are much hydrolysed, and to reach the same grade 

 of solution an excess of acid is needed in order to lower the degree of 

 hydrolysis. 



With alkalies, the weak alkali NH4OH dissolves as well as the strong 

 alkalies, owing to the fact that globulin acts as an acid of considerable 

 strength. 



The acid and basic functions were measured by the well-known methods — 

 the catalysis of cane sugar and of methyl acetate — and the acid function 

 found to be much the greater. 



The molecular relation noticed above recalls the salts of amido acids : 



p NH 2 Hn _ p NHJECl. P NH 2 w qn p .NH 2 H 2 S0 4 



2 H 2 



