568 
Papaine, 
{Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1880. 
the  papaine  of  M.  E.  Bouchut,  and  the  results  of  recent  experiments 
with  it  were  that  he  found  it  dissolved  an  equal  weight  of  roasted  flesh 
or  albumen. 
The  experiments  which  I  have  made  on  the  effect  of  the  juice  on 
fibrin  and  albumen  confirm  the  results  of  previous  investigators  ;  but 
I  have  also  found  that  the  dried  juice  possesses  the  property  of  con- 
verting starch  into  sugar,  thus  taking  the  part  of  diastase.  1  have  not 
yet  had  time  to  follow  up  this  subject,  but,  in  the  meantime,  briefly 
indicate  the  experiments  made,  so  that  those  who  have  more  leisure 
may  find  ground  for  further  research. 
I.  Five  grains  of  starch  was  boiled  in  two  fluidrachms  of  water, 
and,  when  cooled  to  ioo°F,,  five  grains  papaw  juice  added,  and  the 
temperature  maintained.  In  half  an  hour  the  solution  was  quite  thin, 
and  in  an  hour  iodine  no  longer  gave  a  blue  coloration. 
2  and  3.  The  same  quantities  were  similarly  treated  with  the  addi- 
tion respectively  of  5  grains  of  glycerin  and  5  minims  of  alcohol,  with 
similar  results. 
4.  Ten  grains  of  starch,  similarly  treated,  was  decomposed  by  the 
same  quantity,  after  a  little  longer  action. 
5.  Fifteen  grains  nearly  all  decomposed  under  the  same  treatment. 
6.  Five  grains  starch,  similarly  treated,  but  allowed  to  cool,  gave  a 
similar  result. 
7.  Five  grains  starch,  similarly  treated,  with  the  addition  of  3  min- 
ims of  acid,  hydrochlor.  dil.,  showed  but  a  slight  action  after  three 
days. 
In  using  any  of  the  ordinary  tests  for  sugar,  the  fact  must  be  borne 
in  mind  that  papaw  juice  itself  contains  saccharine  matter,  which  must 
be  determined  before  the  conversion  of  the  starch  can  be  accurately 
ascertained. — Canadian  Pharm.  your.^  Oct.,  1880, 
PAPAINE. 1 
By  a.  Wurtz. 
In  a  former  paper^  the  author  described,  in  conjunction  with  Dr. 
Bouchut,  a  ferment  which  they  had  prepared  by  precipitating  •  with 
alcohol  the  aqueous  portion  of  the  milky  juice  of  Carica  papaya  after 
the  formation  of  a  coagulum,  and   to   which   they   gave  the  name 
Comptes  Rendus,"  vol.  xc,  p.  1379. 
^  See  "  Pharmaceutical  JournaP'  [3  j,  vol,  x,  p.  283. 
