Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
April,  1880.  j 
Albuminate  of  Iron. 
187 
of  ferric  chloride  ;  but  in  this  event  a  much  smaller  quantity  of  the 
latter  than  that  employed  by  Friese  or  Bernbeck  should  effect  the  same 
result. 
Experiment  10  was  made  simply  to  determine  the  probable  effect  of 
an  excess  of  hydrochloric  acid  in  the  liq.  ferri  chlor.,  and  is,  perhaps^, 
of  greater  interest  in  its  relation  to  albumen  itself  than  in  its  relation 
to  albuminate  of  iron.  Judging  from  the  action  of  ferric  chloride,  free 
from  hydrochloric  acid,  upon  albumen  (Exp.  8),  as  well  as  from  the 
evidently  incomplete  precipitation  of  albumen  by  the  dilute  hydro- 
chloric acid  (Exp.  10),  it  seems  justifiable  to  conclude  that  in  the  pre- 
cipitation of  albuminate  of  iron  in  the  presence  of  common  salt  the- 
action  of  the  ferric  chloride  is  independent  of  the  presence  of  free 
hydrochloric  acid.  The  whole  question  in  these  bearings  is,  however^ 
too  intricate  to  be  disposed  of  without  further  and  comprehensive 
study,  and  may  rest  here  for  the  present. 
In  the  foregoing  a  ready  method  for  preparing  dry  albuminate  of 
iron  has  been  given.  It  remains  to  consider  whether  the  product 
obtained  by  the  method  is  uniformly  the  same.  In  order  to  satisfy 
myself  on  this  point  the  ferric  oxide  was  determined  by  a  method,, 
which,  for  the  purpose,  appeared  to  me  sufficiently  accurate,  but  would 
not  be  sufficiently  so  if  my  object  had  been  the  establishment  of  a 
formula  for  the  compound. 
I'O  gram  of  albuminate  of  iron  obtained  by  Exp.  4  was  subjected  to 
incineration,  at  a  dull  red  heat,  until  it  ceased  to  lose  weight.  The 
weight  of  the  ash  being  ascertained,  this  was  exhausted  with  water,  the 
solutions  obtained  were  evaporated,  dried,  and  heated  at  an  incipient 
red  heat  as  long  as  it  lost  weight.  The  weight  of  soluble  salts  (prin- 
cipally chloride  of  sodium)  so  determined  being  deducted  from  the 
total  ash,  the  quantity  of  ferric  oxide  in  one  gram  of  the  original 
albuminate  was  ascertained,  and  from  the  figures  so  obtained  the  per- 
centage of  ferric  oxide  in  the  pure  albuminate  was  determined  as  shown, 
in  the  following  : 
I'O  gram  albuminate,  Exp.  4,  incinerated  until  it  ceases  to  lose 
weight  =  .  .  .  .  .    o*i2i  gram  ash 
Ash  yielded  to  water,  ....  0*073    "  ^^^^ 
Difference  is  ferric  oxide,  .  .  .     0-048    *'  Fe,,0,. 
100  grams  of  the  albuminate,  therefore,  contains  7*3  grams  of  salt 
