of Edinburgh, Session 1884 - 85 . 
121 
with chemical reagents under the microscope, the following reactions 
were observed : — 
On running in between the slide and cover-slip a solution of 
iodine in potassium iodide, a brown deposit was the result ; and 
on running in concentrated nitric acid on another slide, containing 
a drop or two of the secretion, a yellow coloration was formed, due 
to the formation of xanthoproteic acid. These reactions show the 
presence of albumin in the secreted fluid of the organ. 
Isolation of the Ferment of the Organ. 
The process I followed to obtain the ferment or ferments in a 
crude state from the fluid of the organ was that devised by Wittich 
and used by Kistiakowsky (Pfliiger’s Areliiv fur Physiologie , vol. ix. 
pages 438-459) in his researches on pancreatic ferments. The pro- 
cess consists in hardening the organ in alcohol for three days, and 
then cutting it up into very small pieces, extracting with glycerin 
and filtering. 
On the addition of alcohol to the filtrate, the ferment is precipi- 
tated. 
The action of this ferment on starch was its complete conversion 
into dextrose right-handed glucose, which was proved by Fehling’s 
solution ; and the formation of crystals (C 6 H 12 0 6 NaClH 2 0) with a 
solution of sodium chloride, a distinction between levulose or left- 
handed glucose, which does not form these crystals with salt 
solution. 
The action of the ferment on fibrin from the muscular fibres of a 
young mouse was the formation of leucin and tyrosin; for on 
treating the fermented mass with hot water and filtering, a solution 
is obtained which contains leucin and tyrosin. To this solution 
was added acetic acid, when acicular crystals are deposited insoluble 
in ether, but soluble in boiling water, and gave with a neutral 
solution of mercuric nitrate a red flocculent precipitate, which is 
characteristic of tyrosin (C 9 H n ]N"0 3 ). 
The acetic acid solution after precipitating the tyrosin is evapo- 
rated, when leucin (C 6 H 13 N0 2 ) is deposited in white shining plates, 
which melt at 98° C. These shining plates of leucin, when heated 
with barium oxide, yield amylamine and carbonic dioxide, 
C 6 H 13 N0 2 = N(C 5 H u )H 2 + C0 2 .. 
