94 Mr. W. Brande's Chemical Researches on the Blood , 
It was transparent, and of a pale brown colour. 
Neither the caustic nor carbonated alkalies produced in it 
any precipitation, when added to exact saturation of the acid, 
or in excess. 
Infusion of galls, and other solutions containing tannin, ren- 
dered the acid solution turbid, and produced a more copious 
precipitation in that which had been neutralized by the addi- 
tion of alkalies. 
When evaporated to dryness, carbonaceous matter was de- 
posited, and sulphurous acid evolved, with the other usual 
products of these decompositions. 
6. On digesting the coagulum in dilute nitric acid, consist- 
ing of one part by weight of the acid to fifteen of water, it 
was speedily rendered of a deep brown colour, but no other 
apparent change was produced for some weeks, when on 
removing it from the acid at the end of that period, it had 
acquired the properties of that modification of fat which is 
described by Fourcroy under the name of adepocire.* 
A mixture of one part of nitric acid with three of water, 
acted more rapidly upon the coagulum of chyle ; a portion of 
it was dissolved, and when the acid was carefully decanted 
from the remainder, it was found to possess the properties of 
gelatine. But when heat was applied, or when a stronger acid 
was employed, the action became more violent, nitrogen and 
nitric oxide gas were evolved, and a portion of carbonic acid 
and of oxalic acid were produced. 
7. Muriatic acid in its undiluted state does not dissolve the 
coagulum of chyle, but when mixed with an equal quantity of 
water, or even more largely diluted, it dissolves it with facility, 
* Mem. de I’Acad. des Sciences, 1789. 
