1896 - 97 .] Dr T. H. Milroy on Nucleins ancl Par a, nucleins. 255 
nucleins. In order to find out whether this were the case or not, 
I examined these bodies, which I shall call “ artificial nucleins,” in 
different ways. 
The first one, which I investigated, was obtained after the 
following method:— A weak solution of syntonin in 025 per 
cent, hydrochloric acid was prepared in the usual way, and to it a 
1 per cent, solution of nucleic acid in water was slowly added 
until no more precipitate appeared. The artificial syntonin nuclein 
so prepared was filtered from the excess of fluid, then washed with 
alcohol and ether, and finally dried in a desiccator. Portions were 
analysed before and after peptic digestion, and it was found in 
all cases that the percentage of phosphorus remained fairly con- 
stant at about 4 per cent.. It was only after very prolonged peptic 
action that the phosphorus percentage of the undissolved nuclein 
began to fall, and then only very slightly. A gradual solution of 
the nuclein, however, took place continuously. 
The phosphorus present in the filtrate (be., the soluble peptic 
products) was almost entirely in organic combination, in all pro- 
bability in the form of albumose nucleins. 
This artificial syntonin nuclein was also digested with pancreatic 
extract for varying periods, with the result that in all cases a rapid 
splitting up of the nuclein took place, the phosphorus passing in 
organic combination from the undissolved nuclein to the soluble 
products of digestion. After five to six hours’ pancreatic digestion, 
the percentage of phosphorus fell to 1'5. An interesting property 
wdiich these soluble products of digestion possess is that of pre- 
cipitating albumins and albumoses out of their solutions. This 
property is due to the presence of an organic phosphorus-holding 
acid, closely allied to nucleic acid. 
Weak alkaline solutions, such as 0‘25 per cent. Ha 2 C0 3 , also 
gradually decompose this nuclein, though not to the same extent 
as the pancreatic extract. 
Hydrochloric acid of the same strength as that which occurs in 
the gastric secretion is practically without any effect on the nuclein. 
The combination between nucleic acid and syntonin is a com- 
paratively firm one. In the same way I have examined combina- 
tions between different albumoses and nucleic acid. Such bodies 
were found to be very soluble when subjected to peptic digestion. 
