AmAJgust,PiSm*}        Keratin  and  Keratinized  Pills.  421 
tion,  but  is  perfectly  soluble.  Such  a  mixture  is  largely  used  in 
weaving  or  spinning.  Commercial  samples  of  linseed  oil,  when  cold 
drawn,  have  a  much  higher  iodine  absorption,  probably  due  to  the 
same  cause.  Oils  extracted  by  CS2  are  very  much  higher  than  the 
same  oils,  especially  if  hot  pressed. — Chem  News,  June  14,  p.  279. 
KERATIN  AND  KERATINIZED  PILLS.1 
By  E.  Bourquelot. 
Under  thu  name  "  keratin "  are  designated  certain  products 
obtained  by  exhausting  different  horny  tissues,  such  as  bristles,  nails, 
horn,  feathers  and  epidermal  tissue,  successively  with  ether,  alcohol, 
water  and  dilute  acids.  Although  these  present  among  themselves, 
according  to  their  origin,  differences  of  composition,  they  may  be 
classed  under  the  same  designation  by  reason  of  the  chemical  and 
physical  properties  they  possess  in  common.  In  the  dry  state  they 
are  all  very  hygroscopic,  but  nevertheless  they  do  not  swell  much  in 
water.  If  they  are  subjected  underpressure  to  the  action  of  water 
at  150°  C.  they  are  decomposed,  sulphuretted  hydrogen  being 
given  off. 
Keratin  swells  in  cold  and  dissolves  in  hot  concentrated  acetic  acid. 
When  boiled  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid  it  is  decomposed,  yielding  leucine, 
tyrosine  and  asparagic  acid.  Keratin  swells  in  alkalies  and  dissolves 
in  them  when  heated,  and  if  an  acid  be  added  to  an  alkaline  solution 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  is  evolved. 
The  centesimal  composition  of  the  products  designated  as  keratin, 
so  far  as  they  have  been  studied  up  to  the  present,  varies  within  the 
following  limits:  C,  50*3-52*5  ;  H,  6*4-7;  N,  16-2-17*7  ;  O, 
20*7-25  ;  S,  0*7-5.  It  would  appear  from  their  composition  that 
these  products  are  intimately  related  to  the  albumenoid  substances. 
Keratin  has  been  employed  and  recommended  by  Unna  and 
Beiersdorf  for  the  making  of  "  keratinized  pills  "  or  "  pills  for  the 
small  intestine."  Pills  coated  with  a  layer  of  keratin,  which  is 
insoluble  in  the  gastric  juice,  are  not  dissolved  until  they  reach  the 
intestines,  when  they  come  under  the  action  of  the  alkaline  bile  which 
dissolves  the  keratin. 
The  medicines  which  may  advantageously  be  administered  un- 
1  Journal  de  Pharmacie  et  de  Chimie;  reprinted  from  Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans., 
June  22,  p.  1035. 
