222 Miscellaneous Intelligence. 



by degrees diluted muriatic acid, to hold the piperine in solution ; 

 then add water sufficient to precipitate the resin and separate the 

 oil, a muriate of piperine remaining in solution ; concentrate the 

 solution by evaporation, and add pure potash to decompose it, and 

 neutralize the acid ; when the piperine, in consequence of the di- 

 luted state of the alcohol, and the absence of the muriatic acid, will 

 be deposited in yellowish transparent crystals. The crystals may 

 be obtained perfectly colourless, by carefully separating the oil and 

 resin ; but as there is no disadvantage in the colour (for medical 

 use), the additional trouble and expense would not be compensated. 

 The piperine in a colourless state is insipid and inodorous, but 

 united with as much resin as enters into its crystallization, its taste 

 is extremely hot, possessing, in an intense degree, all the pungency 

 of the pepper, with a considerable portion of its odour. 



The crystals were perfectly transparent tetrahedral prisms, with 

 oblique summits, of a straw colour, and as large as the ordinary 

 crystals of sulphate of magnesia. — American Journal, Med. Scie. 



39. Substitute for the Sulphate of Quinia. — Bartholomea Riga- 

 telli, a chemist of Verona, says he has discovered a substance which 

 may be used instead of the sulphate of quinia j but the notice 

 given of it is so imperfect, that it would not be worth attention 

 except that it comes from a Committee appointed by the Academy 

 of Verona, and may therefore be supposed to have some foundation. 

 The committee report that the saline substance spoken of is 

 obtained from an indigenous plant common to all Europe ; that it is 

 obtained in considerable quantities by a simple process ; that it 

 consists of an acid in union with a vegetable alkali ; and that it con- 

 tains nothing which can injure the health. The salt is friable, of an 

 earthy appearance, and brick red colour, having a more astringent 

 and bitter tasle than the sulphate of quinia; its odour is slightly 

 vegetable, but scarcely perceptible. When pulverised, the powder 

 is white and very soluble in water. Multiplied observations hav« 

 proved that it may be successfully used in place of sulphate of 

 quinia, in every case where the latter has been found advantageous.— 

 Bull. Ujiiv. C. xiv. 101. 



40. Citric Acid from Gooseberries. — Mr. Tilloy has obtained 

 citric acid from this fruit, at an expense less than half the usual 

 price of the acid in France. The gooseberries are to be bruised 

 and fermented: the alcohol formed, distilled off, and the residue 

 pressed to extract the liquid. The latter is to be heated, and carbo- 

 nate of lime added as long]as effervescence is occasioned ; the citrate 

 .of lime is then to be collected, drained repeatedly, washed, and then 

 pressed ; it is still coloured and mixed with malate of lime : it is to 

 be mixed with water until of the consistence of thin syrup, heated, 

 decomposed by sulphuric acid, and the whole diluted with twice its 

 weight of water. The fluid separated from the precipitate is to be 



