Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 393 



purified wax. The alcohol from which this white powder precipitated, 

 gave more of it by evaporation, mixed with some fatty matter which 

 was separated by aether. The substance dissolved by the alcohol 

 appears to be similar to that described by Vauquelin. M. Couerbe 

 calls it certbrote. 



Towards the end of the evaporation of the alcohol, a sort of fluid 

 fat is deposited, which is not the white fatty matter ; it dissolves in 

 aether, and is converted into oil during the spontaneous evaporation 

 of that fluid. The alcoholic residue contains only osmazome, a free acid, 

 and some inorganic salts. 



The aethereal solution was distilled, in order to obtain the aether as 

 well as the substances which it had dissolved. These were put into 

 a capsule, in order to finish the expulsion of the aether. The fatty 

 matters obtained were in considerable quantity, and in the state of a 

 whitish homogeneous adhesive mass, under which there was fre- 

 quently whitish granular fatty matter, almost entirely formed of cere- 

 brote. This appearance was constant in the brains of healthy persons. 

 This fatty matter was then treated with a small quantity of aether, 

 which dissolved it entirely when free from the whitish granular fatty 

 matter, but only partially when that was present. 



This cer£brote is always found in the mass, distinct from other ele- 

 ments which accompany it when extracted from healthy persons ; but, 

 on the contrary, sufficiently combined with them to become soluble 

 in a small proportion of aether, when taken from the brain of a 

 maniac. 



When, then, aether leaves any white substance, it is separated by 

 the filter, and when the aether dissolves it entirely, it is to be evapo- 

 rated to obtain more of the substance ; the residue is to be subjected 

 to the action of boiling alcohol, which dissolves the three fatty matters, 

 among which is the c£rebrote, and leaves undissolved a yellow solid 

 fat resembling wax. This substance is almost totally insoluble in 

 alcohol : it is to be washed several times with boiling alcohol to sepa- 

 rate extraneous matters. The substance is not yet pure ; it contains 

 another peculiar yellow matter that is separated by cold aether, which 

 dissolves the greater part of the mass, and leaves the other portion in 

 the form of a brown powder. By filtering and washing this brown 

 powder with aether, and then evaporating the aethereal solution, both 

 these substances are obtained. 



The portion soluble in aether is of a fawn colour : it cannot be 

 sufficiently dried to be pulverized. The other portion is of lighter 

 colour, readily dries, and is easily reduced to a fine powder by tritu- 

 ration. The first M. Couerbe calls ce'rance'phalote and the second 

 sttaroconote. 



When the alcohol, holding the remaining matters in solution, is 

 filtered through animal charcoal, and is exposed to spontaneous eva- 

 poration, it deposits a considerable number of crystals, which are very 

 white and have a greasy lustre : they are to be pressed in fine linen, 

 and the alcohol by evaporation furnishes more crystals, which are to 

 be added to the first. 



When the alcohol has been weakened by repeated evaporations, it 

 Third Series. Vol. 5. No. 29. Nov. 1834. 3 E 



