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To the Editor:
—The view of the increasing current interest in the physical chemistry of the vitreous mucoid, it seems desirable to communicate to you a partially completed study made many years ago. Evidence has been reported long since (Friedenwald, J. S., and Stiehler, R. D.: Structure of the Vitreous, Arch. Ophth.14:789-808, 1935) indicating that the viscosity of the fluid component of the vitreous was largely determined by the presence in that fluid of a small quantity of material of high specific viscosity.It was found possible to isolate this material as follows: Vitreous fluid was prepared by sucking cow's vitreous through a Buchner funnel without filter paper. The solid matter was removed by centrifugation. To each 100 ml. of fluid 9 gm. of NaCl was added, after which 95% alcohol was added slowly, with manual stirring. At an alcohol concentration of 50%-55% by volume a flocculent precipitate