Chemical Science. 163 



Neutral Sulphate effloTtsced 



1 atom quinia 45 ... 86.12 



1 sulphuric acid ... 5 ... 9.57 



S water 2.25 . . 4.31 



100.00 



M. Baup also remarks that in medicine the same doses of 

 neutral sulphate of quinia, which after having been merely dried 

 in a cool damp place is preserved in a well-closed bottle, or of 

 the same sulphate kept in a badly- closed bottle or in the air, 

 should in no case be employed indifferently. In the first case 

 the salt may contain only 76 per cent of quinia, whilst in th^ 

 latter it may rise as high as 86 per cent. He considers, that con- 

 stancy would be most readily ensured by the use of the effloresced 

 salt, as it is always of definite and invariable composition. — Ann, 

 de Chim.y xxvii. 323. Ihisi :• 



22. Par mine <t or salifiable Base of Sarsaparilla. — A new ve^ 



feto-alkaline base is said to have been discovered by M. Galileo-* 

 'alotta, in sarsaparilla. The process for obtaining it is as fol- 

 lows : The sarsaparilla is to be cut, crushed in a mortar, six 

 times its weight of common boiling water poured on to it, and 

 the infusion to be continued for eight hours in a closed vessel j 

 the liquor is then to be passed through a cloth, an equal quantity 

 of water poured on to the residue, and treated aS the first portion. 

 The infusions added together have a deep amber-colour, and are 

 slightly bitter and nauseous. Sufficient milk of lime is to be 

 added, until the mixture sensibly reddens turmeric paper, agi- 

 tating the liquid strongly at the same time with a wooden spatula. 

 The infusion changes colour and becomes brown, and ultimately a 

 grey pulverulent substance precipitates, which is to be collected 

 on a fine cloth, and whilst moist mixed with water saturated with 

 carbonic acid ; it is then to be dried in the sun, and reduced to a> 

 fine powder. This powder is to be boiled in a matrass for two 

 hours with alcohol, specific gravity .817 ; filtered, and the residue 

 redigested in fresh alcohol. 



The alcoholic solutions being mixed, are to be distilled in a 

 glass retort by a water-bath, until the liquid in the retort becomes 

 sensibly turbid, when it is to be put into a capsule and left at rest : 

 in a short time a white pulverulent substance precipitates, and 

 attaches itself to the surface of the vessel. The liquid is to be 

 poured off", the vessel put into a stove heated to 23^ R (88° Fahr.) 

 When sufficiently dry, it is be collected and preserved in close 

 vessels, being Parilline. The liquid decanted and evaporated 

 slowly to dryness, yields a solid compact mass, slightly deli- 

 quescent, and of a dull colour. It is parilline combined with a 

 particular colouring matter, but may be purified readily by the 

 usual means. 



M2 



