88 ~ "ON THE PHYTOLACCA. 



The decoction These experiments announced a del liquescent and diffi- 

 precipitatcdby <^"ltly crystal lizable salt in the phytolacca: and to separate 

 nitrate of lead, its elements, 1 diluted the decoction, which had been eva- 

 porated to a sirupy consistence, with a sufficient quantity 

 of water. To this I added a solution of nitrate of lead, 

 which formed a very copious precipitate ; and the filtered 

 liquor afforded an abundant crystallization of pitrate of pot- 

 ash. 

 Withsulphnric The precipitate, after being well washed and dried, weigh- 

 smplf oruree. ^^ ^ ^^"^- [77 grs.]. Being treated with a fourth of its 

 weight of sulphuric acid diluted with six parts of water, a 

 tolerably decided smell of uree exhaled from the mixture, 

 which had been exposed to a gentle heat on a sand bath ; 

 The acid U- and the liquor was filtered. What passed through was acid ; 

 quor. ^^^ ^^^ crystallize by evaporation or standing; and on con- 



tinuing the evaporation a glutinous matter remained, yellow- 

 ish, attracting moisture from the air, and carbonized by a 

 stronger heat. 

 Farther exa- In this acid the nitrate of lead produced a very copious 

 miaed. flocculent precipitate ; and the precipitate, exposed to the 



blowpipe, was immediately reduced to a globule of metallic 

 lead. 



The nitrates of lime and strontian produced no percepti- 

 ble alteration in it, but ammonia occasioned a precipitate. 



It precipitated lime water ; and the precipitate put on a 

 hot irou began by carbonizing, and left some ashes, which 

 dissolved with el'"'^rvescence in nitric acid. 



What remained of the acid I saturated v;ith soda, but no 



crystals were produced by evaporation. The result of this 



combination, when heated in a crucible, burned, leaving a 



light, alkaline coal, that efPervesced with nitric acid. 



Analoeous to From i • e properties here mentioned, it appears, that the 



the malic. gj^j^j of phytolacca has considerable affinity to the malic, but 



]f>ointsin\vhrch with a few sha«'es of difference. With lime and lead malic 



they differ. ^^.j^] forms i^occulent precipitates very easily soluble in disr 



tilled vinegHr ; but those with the phytolaccic acid are in- 



Perhaps inter- soluble. This acid may probably be a mean between tlie 



mediat.: be- .'malrc and oxalic, or an oxit^enized malic acid ; but as it iS 



tween th*' ma- -.,,.,,/ • n i 



lie and oxalic. ^^^5^ abundant m the phytolacca, it will be easy to ascertan 



this by farther examination of its saHne combinations, 



' ' ^ On 



