334 Analysis of the Cerelral Matter of Man^ [MaVj 



The last portion was whiter and more solid ; but being melted, 

 it was changed^ like the first, upon being brought near the flame 

 of a candle. 



These substances, when dried upon filtering paper, rendered 

 it transparent, and stained it as an oil would have done. 



The matter, which had been retained in solution by the 

 alcohol, and which had been separated by the distillation of this 

 liquid, had a yellow colour, and was of the consistence of a 

 paste, and adhesive. When dried, it dissolved again in boiling 

 alcohol ; but before entering into combination with the liquid, 

 it melted at the bottom of the vessel, and assumed the appear- 

 ance of an oil. The alcoholic solution deposites, on cooling, 

 two matters, which probably differ from each other in the aspect 

 only: the one, which precipitates first, attaches itself to the 

 sides of the vessel under the form of a yellow, thick, tenacious 

 fat; the other remains suspended in the liquor, under the form 

 of scales, white and brilliant like boracic acid. 



Sect. ill. 



Desiccation of the Brain, 



Nine ounces, one gros (about 292 grammes, or 4312 grains 

 troy, or very nearly three quarters of a troy pound), of cerebral 

 matter, when dried over the water-bath, v/ere reduced to two 

 ounces, or nearly to a fifth part of their original weight ; but 

 the desiccation was not complete. These two ounces of matter, 

 burnt in a platinum crucible, decrepitated and melted, and 

 produced a smoke, which had the odour of an empyreumatic 

 oil. This oil, in burning, gave a yellowish white and very large 

 flame, and deposited a great deal of lamp black. Then the 

 odour of the empyreumatic oil became imperceptible. As soon 

 as the flame ceased, the crucible was withdrawn from the fire. 

 The charcoal which it contained weighed 5y^^ grammes (I gros, 

 25 grains ; or 78*7 grains troy). It was reduced to powder, and 

 exposed again to heat in a platinum crucible. Though exposed 

 to a violent heat, it did not appear to burn ; but softened, 

 assuming a pasty form. 



After having been exposed for an hour to a white heat, its 

 weight was still 4*6*8 grammes Q2\ grains troy) ; so that it had 

 only lost 38 hundred parts of a gramme, which demonstrates a 

 very difficult combustion in this charcoal. 



Being washed with boiling water, and dried, it now weighed 

 only 2 36 grammes (36-5 grains troy). Hence it had lost 2-32- 

 grammes. 



The solution strongly reddened the tincture of litmus ; and 

 the precipitate which lime-water formed in it was redissoived^, 

 till the excess of acid was saturated. 



