Isinglass

Pischt m. fish. >augenstein, m. apophyllite. -bein, n. whalebone, -blase, /. fish bladder sounds, isinglass, -dungemittel, n., -dtinger, m. fish manure, fish guano, fischen, v.t. t. h. 

Fisch-kdmer, n.pl. Indian berries (cocculus indicus). -leim, m. fish glue, isinglass, Pharm.) ichthyocolla. -lelmgummi, n. sar-cocolla. -mehl, n. fish meal, -dl, n. fish oil ichthyol. -olselfe, /. fish oil soap, -schwanz,... 

Dr. John Bostock tried unsuccessfully to use Hatchett s artificial tan as a test for jelly [gelatine]. Although it had been stated on the highest authority, that of Mr. Hatchett and Mr. Davy. . . that isinglass consists of nearly pure jelly, Dr. Bostock found that isinglass from the shops contained a certain amount of insoluble matter which he believed to be coagulated albumen. Dr. G. Melandri of Milan also investigated Hatchett s tannin. 

Col crysts, mp 232-6° (decomp), d 1.161. Very sol in w, si sol in ale, insol in eth. Was obtained in 1820 by Braconnot by treating isinglass (fish glue) with HaS04(Ref 2). Can also be prtpd by the action of coned NH4OH on monochloroacetic acid as well as by alkaline hydrolysis of gelatine, etc... 

In 1844, Messrs. J. and G. Cox of Edinburgh patented a process, by which they obtain a perfectly pure substance, possessing a gelatinising force superior to that of isinglass. 

A fish gelatin is also prepared by the same method from cod sounds, which forms a good and chanp substitute for isinglass for clarifying liquids. 

ISINGLASS.—Chile depouton, French FiachUim, German Ichthyocolla, Latin.—The repeated mention by Dioscorides and Pliny of ichthjocollei has already been noticed. 

Isinglass is obteined from the air-hag, or sound, as it is sometimes termed, of various fishes, many of which are still unknown. The finest kinds are produced by species of the Acipenmr, and some other genera, as the Morrh.ua, Silvrus, and Gadus. 

The method of preparing the air-bags for sale, differs considerably, according to the country In which it is conducted. The commercial pipe, puree, and limp isinglass consist of the hag desiccated, but unopened. The leaf and honeycomb kinds are examples of the bladder cut open and dried unfolded in the staple and hook varieties, it is folded, while in the ribbon isinglass, it is rolled out. It is pished or cut before importation into Great Britain. 

Description,—For a delineation of the various kinds of isinglass, the Editor holds himself indebted to Dr. Pereira. The very able dissertation of that pharmacologist on the various fishes from which isinglass is prepared, must, however, be omitted, as out of place bore. 

Russian and Siberian Isinglass,—The Isinglass prodiiced in the Russian empire is principally... 

Hudson s Bag Isinglass.—Dr. Pereira was unable to ascertain from what fish this isinglass is procured. It comes over in the purso form. One sped-. men measured twelve inches in length, and three and a half in diameter its weight is one ounce and a half. 

Picked East India isinglass is in small shreds, two or three inches long, and tapering at the extremities. It is hand-picked in India by the natives. 

Manilla isinglass has been imported recently as thin cake. It is white and dean, and is equul in quality to Brazilian or Samovey book. The fish which yields it, is found in the river of Manilla, and on the coasts of the Philippines, Luconin. It is smaller than the Brazilian, but greatly resembles the lump variety of that kind, and the fish is probably an allied species,... 

Cod Sounds,—These, in the dried state, aro brought from Scotland, and used as a substitute for foreign isinglass. They are, however, usually preserved soft by salting, and dressed for the tab . 

Para Isinglass.—A substanco has lately been imported under the name of isinglass, which, on examination, proves to be, not the air-bag, but the dried ovary of a large fish. 

It consists of bunches—somewhat resembling those of grepes—of ovoid or rounded masses, attached by peduncles to a central axis by immersion in water, the latter is found ta be a convoluted membrane, to one side only of which these ovoid masses are attached. When soaked in water, the fishy odor of this so-called isinglass is vary obvious. The ovoid masses are ova, are highly vascular on the surface, and are filled with an animal substance of a yellow color. In general appearance, they resemble the vitill us of a shark or ray. 

Brazilian isinglass imported into London, It is probable that the ovary of this fish constitutes tire false isinglass in question. If no t from this fish, it is probably obtained from some allied genus—as A nia o( highly organized osseous fishes.—Pereira s Materia Medico. 

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