294 Prof. Muspratt and Mr. J. Danson on Carmufellic Acid. 



inula for this substance was established : — 



CiOHSQ*. 



Chemists well know the numerous difficulties presenting them- 

 selves at every step in organic chemistry ; and as we have now 

 worked for more than twelve months upon cloves^ we feel convinced 

 that others who ventured upon this department left it impatiently 

 on account of the numerous obstacles daily appearing, and the 

 small quantities of some of the substances derivable from this spice; 

 e. g. it would be utterly impossible to obtain enough of eugenine 

 from the aqueous extract of ten or twelve pounds of cloves ; and 

 the acid we are about to describe, and which is produced by the 

 action of nitric acid upon the aqueous extract of cloves, could not 

 be obtained in sufficient quantity for examination from less than 

 twenty pounds. One pound of cloves yields two grains of im- 

 pure acid. 



Preparation of the Acid. 



About twenty pounds of cloves were introduced into a copper 

 boiler and well-macerated with four gallons of water, and then 

 boiled briskly for an hour ; the dark brown liquid syphoned off, 

 and the pulpy mass boiled with successive portions of water untd 

 the solution withdrawn was nearly colourless. These several 

 decantations amounted to about thirty gallons of liquor, which 

 were evaporated to about six gallons. We found upon treating 

 a small portion of the brownish decoction with nitric acid that 

 the action was most violent. 



The mixture frothed up to about twelve times its volume, 

 consequently this was a warning for future operations. We 

 divided the six gallons into twenty or thirty portions, treating 

 each with nitric acid in the cold. When the intumescence had 

 subsided, the vessels were ranged on a covered sand-bath and 

 allowed to digest for several days j the liquid became of a pale 

 yellow colour, and large quantities of a whitish precipitate 

 floated through the menstruum. The gas evolved during the 

 brisk effervescence was most irritating, producing extreme lacry- 

 mation ; in fact the eyes were quite swollen when subjected for 

 a short time to its influence. A small quantity of nitric oxide 

 was evolved collaterally with the suffocating vapours, and a large 

 quantity of oxalic acid was found in the solution. Carbonic acid 

 also escapes during the action. If the above extract be concen- 

 trated to the consistence of syrup, the action is very energetic 

 even in the cold, and the supernatant liquid cannot be obtained 

 except of a blood-red coloui*. All the irritating vapours were 

 completely expelled before separating through bibulous paper 



* Dr. Muspratt on Caryophylline, Lancet, Novembers, 1850; Pharma- 

 ceutical Journal, vol. vii. p. 343, 



