A METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF TAURIN IN 
LARGE QUANTITIES.* 
By CARL L. A. SCHMIDT ann THOMAS WATSON. 
(From the Hearst Laboratory of Pathology and Bacteriology and the Depart- 
ment of Biochemistry of the University of California, Berkeley.) 
(Received for publication, January 22, 1918.) 
For the preparation of large quantities of taurin for experi- 
mental work being carried on in this laboratory, we have found 
that the abalone, Halzotes, which can be obtained in quantity 
on the Pacific coast, is an excellent source for this substance, 
giving larger yields than can be obtained from ox bile, the more 
common source for taurin.! Kelly? found that tanriu was pres- 
ent in Pecten opercularts and Mytilus edulis, and it was likewise 
found by Merdel* in the muscle of Halzotzs. 
Miyake, working in this laboratory with Takeoka,* prepared 
taurin from the abalone. His process was to precipitate the pro- 
teins in the aqueous extract obtained by pressing out the juice 
from the finely ground and boiled abalone muscle, by the addi- 
tion of potassium aluminum sulfate, filtering, and removing sul- 
fates by barium hydroxide. The excess of the latter was removed 
by carbon dioxide precipitation and the taurin repeatedly crystal- 
lized. | 
We have used Miyake’s method a number of times and found 
that it was not the most economical and suitable method when - 
large amounts of material are to be used. The difficulties of fil- 
tering and washing the enormous precipitate of barium sulfate 
* Work aided by a grant to the Medical Research Committee from the 
State Council of Defense, and the George Williams Hooper Foundation for 
Medical Research. 
1 Salkowski, E., Virchows Arch. path. Anat., 1873, lviii, 460. Tauber, 
S., Beitr. chem. Physiol. u. Path., 1908, iv, 323. 
2 Kelly, A., Beitr. chem. Physiol. u. Path., 1904, v, 377. 
3’ Mendel, L. B., Beitr. chem. Physiol. u. Path., 1904, v, 582. 
4 Takeoka, M., J. Infect. Dis., 1917, xx, 442. 
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