230 
Notices of European Science. 
[July, 
devoured a few ears, all dying in about twenty- four hours afterwards. Between 
the standard of sound grain and that of the extreme disease, which the drawing 
forwarded by Dr. Tytler represents, there are, he states, many shades or degrees 
of distemperature, in all of which the diseased grain is liable to produce a 
deleterious effect upon the animal system. The cause ot this distemperature is 
wholly unknown. 
VIII. — Notices of European Science. 
On Caseum and Milk. — (Braconnot.) 
[From the Quarterly Journal of Science.] 
An excellent, because practical memoir on milk has been published by M. Bra- 
connot, in the Annales de Chimie , xliii. 337, which offers many applications of a 
substance long, but not thoroughly known, not a few of which we anticipate will 
hereafter come into use. This substance is caseous matter, or as he had called 
it, Caseum. , f 
Soluble caseum, and its applications — 2,500 parts (grammes) of the curd o 
new cheese, as sold in the market, were heated to 212° for some time ; it contrac - 
ed, and became a glutinous elastic mass, swimming in much rerum, and dried, it 
weighed 469 parts. It was a compound of caseum, with acetic and lactic aci s. 
being divided, put into sufficient water with 12. 5 parts of crystallized bicarbona e 
of potassa, and heated, it dissolved with effervescence, producing a mucilaginous 
liquor, distinctly reddening litmus paper. Being evaporated carefully, with con i 
nual agitation, it left a soft portion which, as it is cooled, acquired consistent}, 
was drawn out between the fingers into thin portions, and then dried in the an 
upon a sieve, it weighed 300 parts. This soluble caseum is a supercasea e o. 
potassa, containing still butter and salts. It resembles isinglass, is of a ye o" 
white colour, translucent, and of a stale taste : it is perfectly soluble in o 
cold water, producing a fluid rendered milky by the presence of butter. 
In this impure state the substance is easily prepared : instead ot the bicarbona » 
the potash or soda of commerce may be used. The following are hints foi 1 ® 
plication. Like gelatine, it may be preserved without alteration for any leng 1 
time, and may be obtained in enormous quantities, if required. Associated in 
l'ious ways with food, it must prove of the greatest importance on board 
for long voyages. Its aqueous solution, sugared and flavoured with a little e 
peel, makes an agreeable and nourishing drink for invalids. It is a pow ^ 
cement: its solution, evaporated on glass or porcelain to dryness, cannot L> ^ 
moved without injury to the vessels ; its hot concentrated solution has l)een j oQ 
plied with great success to join glass, porcelain wood and stone : the same so ^ 
forms a brilliant varnish ; being applied to paper, it makes labels, wbic , ^ 
moistened and attached, adhere with great force. It may be used ins ea. ^ 
isinglass in dressing silks, ribands, gauze, preparing artificial flowers, & c - ^ 
not answered in endeavours to clarify beer, but is equal to milk or cream 
clarification of table liqueurs, giving them the softness and qualities ot age. 
he used in place of creamed milk in the clarification of beet-root, sugar, sj^ 
&c. in conjunction with animal charcoal, without exciting any iear regai annuo- 
presence of serum. M. Braconnot thinks also, that by the help of a little 
nia the greater part of the curd, pi’eviously separated as above from its seru > ^ 
he taken up and converted into a dry substance. This, with the help 
earthy salts, will be of great service in clarification; for having dissolve! s ^. ^ 
this preparation in water, a small quantity of muriate of lime and sulphate ^ 
in powder was added ; the liquid remained clear whilst cold, but the siig 1 es 
of heat made it coagulate uniformly throughout ; the coagulum gradua ) 
tracted, and a perfectly clear liquid issued from it. ^ poi- 
Milk has always been considered as a certain antidote in some cases 
soiling. The soluble caseum will perform the same office against most o ^ er 
tallic salts, but there is reason to believe that white of egg is better t ia 
against corrosive sublimate. ■ f its ten* 
Chemical properties of Caseum. — Caseum is an acid which, because o £ 
dency to combine with almost every substance, it is very difficult to o j n to 
The soluble caseum already described is to be dissolved in boiling water, l 
