Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VIII.djvu/54

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GLUKHOV GLUTTON quite insoluble in water, it has been recom- mended as a material for fastening together the timbers of ships; so securely are these held by its application that it is said they will sooner break across the fibres than sepa- rate at tin- joint. GLI KHOV, a town of Russia, in the govern- ment and 108 m. E. by N. of the city of Tcher- nigov, on the Yesmana; pop. in 1867, 10,747. eight churches and several schools, and was formerly the seat of the governor general ot I.ittk- liussia. M.I TEX, or Vegetable Flbrine, a tough elastic substance, named from its adhesive glue-like property, an ingredient in wheat especially, and in smaller proportion in most of the cerealia and in some leguminous plants. When wheat flour is well kneaded upon a sieve under a stream of water, the starch is removed in sus- pension in the water, and the soluble dextrine and sugar are washed away, and the gluten re- mains behind. This was supposed by Beccaria, who first noticed it, to be a distinct principle ; but it is found still to retain a little starch, and other ingredients are separated from it ac- cording to their different reactions when treat- ed with boiling alcohol. The pure vegetable fi brine is then found to constitute about 72 per cent, of the original gluten, while an albumin- ous substance called gliadine, vegetable caseine, and a vegetable oil make up the remainder. Gluten from rye flour contains very little of the tenacious ingredient, gliadine; and other grains furnish gluten of variable proportions of its ingredients. It is gluten which gives to the dough of wheat flour its peculiar tenacity, and A ing to this that the escape of carbonic -acid gas is arrested in the fermentation of wheat bread, and the product is consequently and more spongy than other bread. Macaroni and vermicelli are preparations of ^ In ten. and the flour of the south of Europe is >aid to be peculiarly adapted for this manufac- is it generally contains a considerably lar<rer proportion of gluten than that grown further north. But the proportion is variable in wheat of the same vicinity, and it may be d by the use of animal manures, espe- cially those richest in nitrogen. Liebig noticed h -at manured with cow dung (which contains but little nitrogen) produced 11-95 per cent, of 00 ton; while another portion ma- nured with human urine yielded the maximum of gluten. :;:,- 1 per cent. Summer wheat grown in thejardin de plants at Paris was found to 1 per cent, of gluten, while a sample <>t wmt.T wheat gave but 3'33 per cent. As gluten is the ino-t nutritious ingredient in the grain*, its proportion has been carefully esti- lated by chemists. Vauquelin found it in avenging II-IM ,,,. r cent: Dumas 12-50 per cent.; and Dr. Lewis C. Meek, from 33 Mmplei gathered from different parts of the 1 Ditad Mates, found an average of 11-72 the range being from 9-85 to 15-25 per cent. Prof Hereford, by ultimate analysis of the wheat, in- stead of separation of the gluten by mechanical washing, obtained an average of 15-14 per cent. from six samples. Payen found the propor- tions of gluten and other nitrogenous matters in wheat to range from 11*20 to 22*75 per cent. ; in rye, 13-15; barley, 13-96; oats, 14-39; corn meal, 12-50; rice, 7'05. Prof. Johnston found in English fine wheat flour 10, in bran of the same flour 18, in Scotch oatmeal 18, and in corn meal 12 per cent, of gluten. It is found by very careful and repeated analyses that the bran of wheat and of most other cereals is richer in gluten, and consequently more nutritious, than the rest of the grain. Hence the preference for flour that by thorough bolting has been most completely deprived of bran is unwise ; and the whitest flour is less valuable for its nutritive qualities than that made from the whole grain. The bran sometimes constitutes one quarter or more of the grain, and, according to the analyses of Prof. Johnston, contains 14 to 18 per cent, of gluten, while the fine flour con- tains only 10 per cent. Gluten is readily re- duced in quantity, and its tenacity is dimin- ished by injury to the grain. Flour dealers and bakers judge of the quality of flour by the tenacity of the dough made from a few grains of it. The subject is further treated under ALIMENT. GLUTTON, a carnivorous mammal, belonging to the family mustelida, subfamily martinm, and genus gulo (Storr). The dental formula is that of the true martens, viz. : incisors f if , ca- nines ~, premolars |z|, molars !=?, in all 38 ; the first three molars in the upper and the first four in the lower jaw are small, succeeded by a larger carnivorous tooth. In dentition and general structure the glutton resembles the Glutton or Wolverene (Gulo luscus). martens; but in its shape, and partially planti- grade feet, it so much resembles a small bear that many writers have placed it among the ursidai. Ihe head is rather pointed and bear- like, the eyes and ears very small, the body long and stout, the legs short and robust, the claws