Chemistry of the Lens

In the first paper on the chemistry of the lens, 1 the analyses of the albuminoid and alpha crystallin were given. The present paper continues with the report on the analyses of the beta crystallin, albumin (gamma crystallin) and capsule of the lens. The last two proteins occur in such small quantities in the lens that the material from many thousands of eyes was allowed to accumulate in order to obtain sufficient protein for repeated analyses. Of the three proteins, beta crystallin has been most completely studied in the past. Morner found 17.04 per cent of nitrogen and 1.27 per cent of sulphur in beta crystallin, 2 and 14.1 per cent of nitrogen and 0.83 per cent of sulphur in capsule. 3 Jess, disregarding the presence of albumin, reported 17 per cent of nitrogen and 1.34 per cent of sulphur in beta crystallin. 4 By the use