Am,  Jour.  Pharm. 
Sept.,  1892. 
De nitration  of  Pyroxylin. 
4si 
that  deduced  in  the  same  manner  from  the  boiling  point  of  the 
solutions  of  the  same  salt  in  the  other  two  solvents.  In  water  and 
methyl  alcohol,  the  molecule  of  the  salt  is  therefore  dissociated  into 
2  mols.,  whence  it  follows  that  these  salts  consist  of  1  mol.  of  pep- 
tone and  I  mol.  of  hydrochloric  acid.  The  molecular  weight  of  the 
free  peptones  was  found  to  be  about  300  in  three  cases,  and  about 
215  in  the  fourth  case,  and  that  of  glutin  itself  about  900. 
The  author  concludes  that  the  glutin  molecule  is  resolved  with 
assimilation  of  water  into  peptone  molecules  of  gradually  decreasing 
molecular  weight,  till  a  point  is  reached  at  which  the  peptonization 
ceases,  and  the  simpler  peptones  are  resolved  into  amido-acids, 
lysin,  lysatin,  etc.  As,  however,  the  molecule  of  the  proteids  con- 
sists of  two  atom-complexes  which  present  a  varying  resistance  to 
further  hydrolysis,  the  simpler  products  of  decomposition  are 
always  mixed  with  unaltered  peptones. 
NOTE  ON  DENITRATION  OF  PYROXYLIN. 
By  Durand  Woodman,  Ph.D. 
An  interesting  reaction,  but  one  which  seems  to  be  considered  of 
little  practical  importance,  is  that  described  in  the  brief  references 
herewith  given. 
"  Some  nitrognous  substances,  as  albumen  and  pyroxylin,  are 
reduced  to  a  less  complex  form  by  certain  deoxidizing  agents,  as 
ammonium  sulphide,  ferrous  chloride,  sulphurous  acid  and  others, 
the  change  consisting  in  the  loss  of  N02." — (Gmelin,  Hand-book, 
Vol.  XVIII.) 
*  A  solution  of  potassium  sulphydrate  especially  if  mixed  with 
alcohol,  reproduces  the  original  cotton  (from  pyroxylin)  with  forma- 
tion of  KNO3  and  a  little  ammonia." — (Watts'  Diet.  IV,  778.) 
"  By  the  action  of  reducing  agents,  such  as  ferrous  chloride  or 
acetate,  or  potassium  sulphydrate,  the  cellulosic  nitrates  are  con- 
verted into  cellulose  even  by  digestion  at  the  ordinary  temperature. 
By  boiling  with  a  solution  of  stannous  oxide  in  KHO,  the  nitro- 
celluioses  are  dissolved,  with  conversion  into  cellulose,  which  is  pre- 
cipitated in  flocks  on  neutralizing  the  liquid." — (Allen,  Com.  Org. 
Anal ,  I,  3 2 7.) 
