Scientific Proceedings. 



61 



that the solvent was saturated with the products of the digestion, a 

 theoretically favorable condition for the reversed reaction. To 

 this was then added 300 c.c. of a glycerol extract of livers 

 from large, soft shelled, California clams, which contain a strong 

 tryptic ferment. The solution was then miscible with alcohol 

 without cloudiness. Twenty c.c. of toluol were then added, and 

 the flask, containing over four litres, then sealed and set aside. 

 As time passed this solution became opalescent, then cloudy, and 

 finally a fine white precipitate settled on the bottom of the flask. 

 Five months after the experiment was begun the flask was opened, 

 heated to the boiling point to destroy the ferment, acidulated with 

 sulphuric acid, which dissolved the white precipitate, filtered and 

 then precipitated by the addition of four volumes of absolute alco- 

 hol. A heavy, white precipitate was produced, which was collected 

 by filtration, washed with alcohol, redissolved in water, reprecip- 

 itated by alcohol, and this procedure repeated four times. The 

 final white powder when fully purified and dried weighed 1.8 

 gram. Probably one fourth of the amount had been lost in 

 the processes of purification. This powder was soluble in water 

 up to a concentration of about three per cent., was precipitated by 

 acidulated alcohol, and was salted out of a ten per cent, solution 

 of sodium chloride. It was analyzed for carbon, hydrogen, nitro- 

 gen, and sulphuric acid. The results of these analyses agree well 

 with the known composition of the protamin sulphate. This 

 for the protamin of the striped bass I long ago determined to be 

 C 30 H 60 N 17 O 6 . 2H 2 S0 4 . Calculated according to this formula, the 

 theoretical percentages and the percentages determined in the 

 analyses were as follows : 



Calculated. 



c 37.85% 



H 6.72% 

 N 25.13% 

 H 2 S0 4 20.60% 



Found. 

 37-68% 

 6.89% 



24.45%, 24.93%, 25.06%, 25.18% 

 20.68% 



The conclusion is obvious that the substance formed was protamin. 



I had previously carried out experiments with protamin, but 

 always with negative results. The positive result in this experiment 

 must have been due to one of two circumstances. Either to the use 

 of this particular ferment, which is very resistant, or to the use of 



