and some other Animal Fluids . 
93 
alkalies. With solutions of potash and soda, it forms pale 
brown compounds, from which, when recent, a little ammonia 
is evolved. In liquid ammonia the solution is of a reddish 
hue. 
3. The action of the acids upon these different compounds 
is attended with nearly similar phenomena, a substance being 
separated intermediate in its properties between fat and albu- 
men. Nitric acid added in excess redissolves this precipitate 
in the cold, and sulphuric, muriatic, and acetic acids when 
boiled upon it for a short time. 
4. Neither alcohol nor ether exert any action upon the co- 
agulum of chyle ; but of the precipitate from its alkaline solu- 
tion, they dissolve a small portion, which has the properties 
of spermaceti : the remainder is coagulated albumen. 
5. Sulphuric acid very readily dissolves this coagulum, even 
when diluted with its weight of water ; and with the assist- 
ance of heat, it is soluble in a mixture of one part by weight 
of acid, with four of water ; but when the proportion of water 
is increased to six parts, the dilute acid exerts no action upon 
it. I was surprised to find that the alkalies produced no pre- 
cipitation in these sulphuric solutions when heat had been 
employed in their formation, and where a small proportion 
only of the coagulum had been dissolved, and was therefore 
led to examine more particularly the changes which the co- 
agulum had undergone by the action of the acid. 
On evaporating a solution of one drachm of the coagulum 
in two ounces of dilute sulphuric acid (consisting of one part 
by weight of acid with three of water) down to one ounce, a 
small quantity of carbonaceous matter separated, and the so- 
lution had the following properties. 
