442 Dr. Stenhouse on the Resin of the Xanthoroea hastilis. 



of manganese and sulphuric acid, oil of bitter almonds was 

 immediately evolved, and on boiling a second portion with 

 hypochlorite of lime, the very peculiar chlorinated oil de- 

 scribed in a former paper was also abundantly produced, thus 

 clearly indicating the presence of cinnamic acid. A third 

 portion of the crystals was dissolved in alcohol and left to 

 spontaneous evaporation ; it yielded after some time the fine 

 rhombic prisms so characteristic of cinnamic acid when it is 

 crystallized out of alcohol, mixed however with some long 

 acicular crystals, having all the appearance of benzoic acid. 

 I think myself warranted to conclude therefore that Botany 

 Bay resin contains cinnamic acid mixed with a very little ben- 

 zoic, in which respect it resembles balsam of Tolu, which con- 

 tains both cinnamic and benzoic acids, though fortunately in 

 much greater abundance. 



Action of Nitric Acid on the Resin, 



When the resin is treated with moderately strong nitric 

 acid in the cold, a violent action ensues with the evolution of 

 nitrous fumes. The resin is completely dissolved if the quan- 

 tity of the nitric acid is considerable. The colour of the solu- 

 tion is dark red, but by boiling it becomes of a bright yellow 

 colour. The liquid should be evaporated to dryness on the 

 water-bath, to get rid of the great excess of nitric acid. The 

 residue forms a mass of fine yellow crystals, consisting chiefly 

 of carbazotic acid, but mixed with some oxalic and a little 

 nitrobenzoic acids. The nitrobenzoic acid is evidently de- 

 rived from the cinnamic acid in the resin. The carbazotic 

 acid is easily separated from these other acids by converting 

 it into carbazotate of potash, which is easily purified by one 

 or two crystallizations, and then by decomposing the salt with 

 muriatic acid, pure carbazotic acid may be obtained. 



0*3823 grm. of the acid, dried at 212° F., gave 0-442 C0 2 



and 0-049 HO. 



Found. Calculated numbers. 



Carbon .. 31*53 31*37 



Hydrogen . 1'42 1*30 



Oxygen . . 67-05 67*33 



100*00 100-00 



0-3975 grm. of the potash salt, decomposed by sulphuric 

 acid and then ignited with carbonate of ammonia, left 0-1300 

 of sulphate of potash = 17*68 per cent, of potash; calculated 

 quantity 17*60. 



The silver salt was also formed by boiling the acid with car- 

 bonate of silver. It is a very soluble salt, which crystallizes in 

 fine red-coloured needles. 0*8975 grm. of the salt gave 0*372 



