486 
FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
substances, should also be seen; while, lastly, as a very deli¬ 
cate reaction, the author quotes that, when chloride of gold, 
strychnia (in solution) yields immediately a crystalline pre¬ 
cipitate, which, although slowly, is yet formed in solutions 
containing l-10th of a milligrm. of the alkaloid. This pre¬ 
cipitate, and that formed by chlorine, are at once dissolved 
by concentrated sulphuric acid, and, chromic acid being added, 
the well-known blue colouration that strychnia yields with 
this last reagent is produced. The presence of alcohol in 
liquids to be tested for strychnia should be avoided.— Ibid . 
Paralbumen in Serous Exudations. —In the Chemical 
News, March 1st, 1872, Dr. Hilger states that by paralbumen 
he means a modification of serum albumen, the alcoholic 
precipitate of which is soluble in water, and only partially 
coagulated by the addition of small quantities of acetic acid ; 
this paralbumen has been hitherto only found in the hydrop- 
sical ovarian cysts, but the author has recently found it also 
in the fluid abnormally secreted in ascites.— Ibid. 
Preparation of Pepsin. —This substance is now so 
much used in medicine that any improved mode of preparing 
it is of importance. Herr E. Scheffer thinks he has hit on 
some improvements in the following mode:—The mucous 
membrane of a previously well-cleaned hog’s stomach is dis¬ 
sected off, chopped finely, and macerated in water acidulated 
with hydrochloric acid for several days, during which time 
the mass is frequently well stirred; the resulting fluid is 
strained, and, if not clear, set aside for twenty-four hours, 
in order to allow the mucus to settle. To the clarified liquid 
a thoroughly saturated solution of chloride of sodium is 
added, and the whole thoroughly mixed. The pepsin, sepa¬ 
rated from the rest of the solution by the addition of the 
saline solution, is found floating on the surface of the fluid, 
and is removed with a spoon, put upon cotton cloth to drain, 
and finally submitted to strong pressure, to free it as much 
as possible from the salt solution.— Ibid. 
How Casein is formed in Lacteal Glands. —It is 
stated in a recent number of Pfliiger’s f Archiv' that Dr. 
Daennardt succeeded in extracting, from the lacteal glands 
of suckling guinea-pigs, a body which, by the addition of a 
mixture of the white of egg and carbonate of soda, was 
capable of forming casein. The doctor deduces from this 
that, as by a ferment of the saliva sugar is produced from 
starch, so by the ferment of the lacteal glands casein is pro¬ 
duced from the albumen.— Ibid . 
