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BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
tive matter on tlie mode in whicli the crystals are deposited, a small quantity 
of vegetable extractive was added to a saturated alcoholic solution of the 
chloride, which was then allowed to evaporate spontaneously; the result is 
shown at Fig. 2 c. The characters of the crystals under the different condi¬ 
tions are remarkably uniform, varying chiefly in size. 
Chloride of potassium is somewhat more soluble in water than common 
salt, scarcely at all soluble in absolute alcohol. It crystallizes in cubes, often 
prismatically elongated when formed slowly, but when more rapidly depo¬ 
sited on glass from a thin film of water, it takes the form of minute square 
plates, commonly aggregating in fours, or spreading into arborescent groups. 
Belonging to the cubical system, it is not affected by polarized light, and 
may thus be distinguished from the phosphates, kreatine, and the other or¬ 
ganic salts of extractum carnis. 
It has been stated that chloride of sodium is occasionally added to adulte¬ 
rated or inferior specimens of extract to make up the quantity of saline 
matter. We have never experimented on a sample which we had any reason 
to believe to be so adulterated, but there is no doubt that difficulty would 
arise in distinguishing the two salts in such a case. The resemblance of their 
crystals, and their similar solubility in water and alcohol, would necessarily 
give rise to uncertainty. At the same time, if common salt were artificially 
introduced, the quantity present would probably lead to suspicion of the fact. 
Kreatine (C 8 N 3 II 9 O 4 + 2 HO) is one of the most abundant, as it is also 
the most important of the crystalline bodies present in meat extract, so far as 
our knowledge at present extends. In the pure state it exists in prismatic 
crystals, modified variously into rectangular plates and parallelepipeds (?). 
It is a neutral base, soluble in hot water, less so in cold, and sparingly 
soluble in alcohol. The appearance of the crystals, when viewed with polar¬ 
ized light, is remarkably beautiful. Fig. 4 is taken from a specimen of 
kreatine prepared by ourselves from the meat we were employing for extract. 
In Fig. 3 we have copied the drawing given by Herr Otto Funke in the 
beautiful atlas to Lehmann’s ‘ Physiological Chemistry,’ as confirmatory of 
our own observations. 
Another crystalline body was observed, the nature of which we have not 
entirely made out. A portion of the meat solution made with cold water 
having been evaporated to the consistence of weak syrup, was allowed to 
stand for about thirty-six hours in a porcelain basin. On removing it the 
surface of the porcelain was found coated with adherent, somewhat solid 
crystals, which on examination were found similar in many respects to krea¬ 
tine, but still differing from any specimens of that base which we have seen. 
Whether these be kreatine modified by the nature of the medium from which 
they were deposited, or whether, as we think possible, kreatinine in combina¬ 
tion with an acid (phosphoric ?), we are scarcely prepared to say. On ignition 
the crystals left a scarcely perceptible residue, but the quantity obtained 
was not sufficient for analysis. 
The question of the existence of ammoniacal salts in the juice of flesh is 
one upon which we are not prepared to enter; we may, however, incidentally 
note that in a certain state of the evaporation, that is at about the time when 
the fluid reaches the consistence of syrup, a certain amount of ammonia or 
other amine is invariably evolved, and the osmazome (roast meat) flavour is 
developed. We have thought it possible that this may be due to the splitting 
up of an ammoniacal phosphate. We have more than once noticed that 
during this evolution the fluid itself has had an acid reaction. Ammonia is 
rapidly evolved in the decomposition of the extract. Some, apparently good, 
samples have given strong ammoniacal reactions within twelve hours from the 
time a freshly prepared solution was placed in a dialyser. 
