196 O'Brien. — The Proteids of Wheat. 
moist gluten in the same state in each case ; also because 
different specimens of gluten must contain different propor- 
tions of impurity, and a different degree of hydration may 
have been attained in the washing of each. 
More important, however, than the actual amount of zymom 
present, is the fact that the amount may be made to increase 
by placing gluten in circumstances favourable for hydration : 
as in water or dilute sulphuric acid. Absolute alcohol is 
practically without effect ; prolonged action of dilute sulphuric 
finally causes a dissolution of the zymom already formed. 
The results are shown in the following table, the columns 
indicating, as above, the percentage of zymom in (1) moist, 
(2) dry, crude, (3) pure, dry gluten. The results, A, were 
obtained from equal weights (about 2 grams) of the same 
gluten ; B, similarly, from gluten prepared at another time. 
A. Zymom prepared immediately 
After 3 days in H 2 S 0 4 (-5 %) 
„ 4 ,, „ distilled water 
B. Prepared immediately 
After 15 days in absolute alcohol 
„ 8 ,, „ distilled water 
( „ 7 „ „h 2 so 4 (. 5 %) 
C. Prepared from unwashed gluten 
28.9% 
(2) 64.89 
( 3 ) 58 
38-8 
88.98 
86 
42.05 
96-37 
95 
35-26 
78-35 
74 
34-98 
77-73 
73 
39-78 
88-40 
86 
26-71 
59-3 
49 ) 
28.6 
15 
That the 7o°/ o of zymom found in crude gluten which has 
been washed for some hours in the usual way, is in excess of 
that originally present, is shown in the result C\ the amount 
of zymom present in just-formed gluten being estimated as 
follows. Five grams of flour were made into a paste in the 
usual way for gluten-formation ; but the paste, instead of 
being washed with water to remove starch, was extracted 
with alcohol, and the glian was collected, dried, and weighed. 
From the flour employed, io*5°/ o of crude gluten was obtain- 
able, of which about 7o°/ o consists of zymom. From the 
•5 gram of gluten thus present in the 5 grams of flour 
employed, -357 gram glian was extracted, leaving -143 gram 
zymom, or 28-6°/ o , corresponding to if/ Q of the pure gluten 
present. 
Hence, during the process of washing, the amount of zymom 
