1835.] Improvements in Science. 127 



Malate of silver may be obtained by mixing nitrate of 

 silver and malate of ammonia. It is a white granular 

 precipitate, becoming yellow by drying, and consists of 



66*53 oxide of silver, and 33*47 malic acid. It dissolves 

 in hot water, and metallic silver precipitates on cooling. 



Malate of zinc consists of oxide 37*75, and 62*25 of acid. 



The crystallized salt has 3 atoms of water, which are 

 driven off at 240°. 



Malate of magnesia is formed of 23*45 magnesia, and 

 76*55 acid. 



Malate of barytes, when formed from a solution of a 

 malate is deposited by evaporation, in the form of a white 

 crust, which is insoluble in cold and hot water, but readily 

 on the addition of a drop of nitric acid. It consists of 

 56*441 barytes, and 43*559 malic acid. 



Paramedic Acid. — Winckler described an acid under the 

 name of fumaric acid, (Jahresbericht 247,) which M. Demar- 

 cay has shewn (An. de Chim. lvi. 429,) to be paramalic acid. 



It is obtained from the juice of the fumaria officinalis, by 

 treating it with animal charcoal, and precipitating by acetate 

 of lead. The precipitate being washed, and a little water 

 added, it is to be decomposed by sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 By nitration a clear liquor is obtained, from which crystals 

 of paramalic acid are separated by evaporation. Hitherto 

 this acid has only been obtained by the decomposition of 

 malic acid. The paramalate of silver, when analyzed, 

 afforded for the composition of the acid 



Carbon 41*84 



Hydrogen . . . 3*41 

 Oxygen . . . .54*75 



100*00 

 It dissolves with difficulty in cold water, more readily in 

 hot, and the solution affords by cooling arborizations. It 

 has an acid, styptic taste, volatilizes, and is sublimed by heat ; 

 forms crystallizable salts with ammonia and lime. It has 

 no smell, and dissolves in alcohol and ether. JNltric acid 

 sp. gr. 1*4 dissolves it completely, and fine needles separate 

 on cooling. 



Pyrotartaric Acid. — This acid is prepared by distilling 

 tartaric acid, between the temperatures 337° and 374°. 



