144 
ON COD-LIVER OIL. 
real solution caused the separation of the mixture into two 
layers, an upper turbid layer, which by evaporation yielded 
some drops of olein, some crystals of margarine and a 
brownish mass which was identical with that procured by 
the evaporation of the lower layer. This brown mass had 
a bitter taste, was separated by water into a soluble and in- 
soluble portion, and consisted of fellinate and cholate of 
ammonia. 
The extract which had been exhausted by ether, yielded 
to alcohol a blackish-brown, odourless, bitter, shining, hy- 
groscopic mass, which dissolved with difficulty in water, 
and consisted of biliverdin, bilifulvin, and bilifellinic acid. 
Dilute spirit removed from the residual extract a black 
shining substance, soluble in alkalies, concentrated sulphu- 
ric acid, and hot acetic acid, but insoluble in nitric and 
hydrochloric acids. From its alcoholic solution, baryta- 
water and acetate of lead precipitated it of a brown colour. 
It left no residue by burning. 
The residue of the aqueous extract, left after the action 
of the three above mentioned solvents, contained anorganic 
substance (whose nature has not been determined) and 
inorganic salts, in which chlorine, phosphoric and sulphu- 
ric acids, lime, magnesia, and soda were found, but no pot- 
ash or iodine. 
5. Iodine, bromine and chlorine. — Considerable, though as 
I conceive unnecessary, importance has been given to the 
fact that cod-liver oil frequently or usually contains both 
iodine and bromine. To the presence of one ©r both of 
these substances has been ascribed the whole or part of the 
remedial efficacy of the oil. A little consideration, however, 
would be sufficient to prove that their therapeutical agency 
in the oil must, if any, be exceedingly small. The propor- 
tions in which they exist in the oil is inconstant, though in 
all cases very small. Moreover, beneficial effects have 
been produced by the use of the oil, which neither iodine 
nor bromine are capable of producing. 
