M. H. Bleibtreu on Cumarine. 493 



The fluid, from which, even after several days, no sulphur 

 separated, was distilled in a retort till no more sulphide of 

 ammonia passed over. On exposure to the air in a flat vessel 

 it now deposited a yellow, slimy, tenacious mass, the cha- 

 racteristic garlic smell of which led to the suspicion of its 

 containing sulphur. 



By longer exposure to the air the slimy mass assumed the 

 consistence of wax, and finally hardened into a resinous-like 

 body, insoluble in water, but tolerably soluble in alcohol and 

 aether. 



Ammonia also dissolves this substance with separation of a 

 little sulphur. On boiling this solution a portion of the sub- 

 stance is again deposited as the ammonia is driven off. 



The filtered solution, which is nearly neutral, gave on the 

 addition of hydrochloric acid a brown- coloured amorphous 

 precipitate, and with lead and silver salts light yellow com- 

 pounds. 



Want of substance has as yet prevented me from making 

 a thorough investigation of these bodies. I will however here 

 only add, that the yellow lead compound gave 34*21 per 

 cent, of lead, and that the organic substance separated from it 

 contained 9*55 per cent, of sulphur. 



Cumarine in Anthoxanthum odoratum. 



The detection of cumarine in the Asperula odorata led to 

 the suspicion that this principle is probably also contained in 

 other plants in which benzoic acid has been hitherto sup- 

 posed to have been found. 



Some time ago Guillemette * showed that the crystalline 

 principle of the Melilotus officinalis, which was formerly be- 

 lieved to be benzoic acid, Avas identical with cumarine. 



This observation was completely confirmed by some expe- 

 riments made by me with the crystalline principle of this 

 plant, particularly by completely transforming it into salicylic 

 acid. 



Of the other plants said to contain benzoic acid I have as 

 yet been able to obtain only Anthoxanthum odoratum, a grass 

 to which is attributed the agreeable smell of new hay, and 

 which, under the name of 4 " Sweet Vernal Grass/ is to be found 

 in most meadows. 



To detect the cumarine I proceeded in the same manner as 

 with the Asperula odorata, and obtained white crystals, which 

 in odour and taste, as well as in all other properties, were not 



* Ami. der Chem. u. Pharm., vol. xiv. p. 324. Journ. de Pharm., 1835, 

 p. 172. 



