bitelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, . 545 



holic solution with acetic acid, washing witli cold water, and treating 

 with hot acetic acid, alcohol and Bether. By digestion with cold 

 concentrated solution of potash, no decomposition takes place, inas- 

 much as the residuary powder and the dissolved ingredient are both 

 obtained of a snow-white colour. The powder which remains after 

 treating the seed-coats of Phytelephas, when dried at 302°, Baum- 

 hauer found to possess the following composition : — 



Carbon 4.3-63 24- 4.3-71 



Hydrogen 6*30 42 6-24 



Oxygen 50-07 21 50-05 



The substance soluble in potash, which the author intends exa- 

 mining more accurately, yields the same composition as starch, from 

 which however, as from inuline, it differs in properties. By decora- 

 posing the salt of lead with sulphuretted hydrogen, evaporation, and 

 washing the residue with the solvents mentioned above, it is obtained 

 in a state of purity. — Ann. der Chem. und Pharm. xlviii. p. 356. 



ON LIMONE. BY DR. C. SCHMIDT. 



This substance, which was discovered by Bernays in the pips of 

 lemons and oranges, is probably contained in the seed of all the 

 Aurantiacece. From the author's investigation it appears that it is 

 not a base, and does not contain any nitrogen. It is obtained in 

 the form of a white crystalline powder ; its crystals belong to the 

 rhombic system. This substance is very sparingly soluble in water, 

 aether and ammonia, somewhat more in mineral acids, more easily 

 in alcohol and acetic acid, but most readily in potash, from which 

 solution it is precipitated unaltered by acids. Concentrated sulphuric 

 acid dissolves it with a blood-red colour, from which water precipi- 

 tates it, as well as from the alcoholic and acetic solutions, un- 

 changed ; it is carbonized by heat. When neutralized with car- 

 bonate of barytes, no barytes remains in the solution. It crystal- 

 lizes readily from acetic acid ; the crystals are free from chemically- 

 combined acetic acid. The alcoholic solution has a neutral reac- 

 tion ; it neither affords precipitates with chloride of platinum nor 

 with perchloride of mercury, with salts of lead nor with those of 

 silver, potash, barytes and others (the latter must naturally be dis- 

 solved in alcohol, as otherwise the pure substance is precipitated by 

 the water of the saline solution). It can be heated to 302° without 

 undergoing change and without any remarkable loss in weight ; at 

 a higher temperature it suddenly becomes yellowish, and melts at 

 47 i° to a liquid of the same colour, which resembles a melting 

 resin ; it resolidifies to an amorphous mass, and even after several 

 days does not present any trace of crystalline structure ; it may how- 

 ever be dissolved in acetic acid by long digestion in the warmth, 

 from M'hich it crystallizes in the form and with the properties of the 

 original unmelted substance. 



The indifference of this substance towards oxidizing agents is re- 

 markable ; concentrated nitric acid dissolves it, especially with the 

 assistance of a little heat ; the solution is of a pale yellow, and even 

 after long heating it is precipitated by water from the solution in 



