82 
DR. REES ON THE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CONTENTS OF 
two drachms in a second bottle) coagulated on becoming cold; but the portion re- 
ceived in the first bottle being retained in the hand of Mr. Holding, and thus kept at 
a higher temperature, did not coagulate during a full hour; and on subsequently 
being allowed to cool to the same extent as the specimen obtained in the other bottle, 
it still remained perfectly fluid. The coagulation which took place in the other spe- 
cimen was however very slight ; and a partial resolution of the clot occurred after a 
few hours had elapsed*. The specific gravity of this fluid was J'024. Chemical ex- 
amination yielded the following results. 
When fresh, it was neutral in its reaction on test papers ; a portion, however, 
which was kept some days, became slightly acid during decomposition. 
The application of heat coagulated it strongly. The addition of nitric acid also 
produced a strong curd. 
Acetic acid did not coagulate it, but, on the contrary, rendered it somewhat more 
pellucid. The addition of acetic acid and the subsequent addition of a solution of 
ferrocyanuret of potassium produced a strong white flocculent precipitate. A por- 
tion of the fluid was next submitted to analysis in the following manner. 
The proportion of water was ascertained by careful evaporation over a water-bath 
until no decrease of weight was observed by further application of heat ; the loss in- 
dicated the weight of the water. The solid extract obtained was finely powdered, 
digested with ether for a day in a closed vessel, and then again similarly treated with 
a second portion of the menstruum ; lastly it was washed with ether. The ethereal 
solutions thus obtained were mixed together and evaporated ; the solid residue was 
estimated as fatty matter. The portion insoluble in ether was next treated with boil- 
ing distilled water, and allowed to digest at a temperature of about 57° Fahr. for 
twelve hours. It was then again similarly treated, care being taken to pour off the 
first digested portion of water as nearly as possible without disturbing the deposit, 
before adding the second quantity. The solid matter was then placed on a filter 
washed with distilled water, dried and weighed as albumen. The filtered liquors and 
washings were collected and evaporated together, and the dry result treated with 
successive portions of alcohol, of the specific gravity 0‘832, until everything soluble 
in that menstruum was dissolved out. The insoluble portion was then dried and 
weighed as “ animal extractive matter and salts soluble in water only;” and the al- 
coholic solutions being evaporated, their extract was estimated as “animal extractive 
matter soluble in water and alcohol.” The salts were obtained from these extract- 
ives by incineration and carefully conducted decarbonization ; and their weights 
being subtracted from that of their respective extractives, the difference gave the true 
weight of the animal extractive matter with which they had been combined. The 
quantitative analysis, conducted as above, yielded the following result in 100 parts : — 
* The fibrin of the lymph and chyle of the Ass coagulate with sufficient strength to admit of separation 
and estimation in analysis. 
