162 Mr. W. Francis's Chemical Examination of the 



which they arrived at their conclusions has not merely ap- 

 peared satisfactory to few chemists, but seems rather to have 

 created increased doubt with respect to the true constituents 

 of these grains. 



Under these circumstances I was induced to subject this 

 fruit to an entirely fresh analysis : the results of my investiga- 

 tions I shall from time to time communicate, as soon as they 

 are so far advanced as to be fit for publication ; in the present 

 memoir I shall treat of the fatty substances which occur so 

 abundantly in the Cocculus grains. 



I. The Fatty Substances — Stearophanic Acid. 



The only paper with which I am acquainted in which these 

 substances aremadethe subjectof investigation, is theone above- 

 mentioned by Casaseca and Lecanu. By treating the coarsely 

 pounded grains with boiling water they obtained as extract a 

 considerable quantity of a fatty matter, impregnated with a 

 green colouringsubstance which reddened litmus paper: treated 

 with strong boiling alcohol a green solution was obtained pos- 

 sessed of acid properties, and from which on cooling were de- 

 posited flocky masses of a neutral fat of a white colour. On 

 evaporating this alcoholic solution they obtained a fat sub- 

 stance, which pressed between bibulous paper afforded a nearly 

 colourless adherent nacreous mass, easily soluble in boiling 

 alcohol, but sparingly in cold, and which melted at 59°. 

 From these properties the authors regarded it as margaric 

 acid. 



The mass which had been imbibed by the blotting-paper 

 was extracted with alcohol, which on evaporation left behind 

 an oily substance of a deep green colour, which Casaseca and 

 Lecanu considered to be oleic acid. They conclude therefore 

 from their examination, that margaric and oleic acids occur 

 in an uncombined state in the grains of Cocculus, and more- 

 over a neutral fat, probably analogous to stearine. 



From the following experiments, however, it will be seen 

 that this acid, which it is true occurs in large quantity in a 

 free state in these grains, is not margaric acid, but a new acid 

 neai'ly related to the latter in its constitution, but widely dif- 

 fering from it in its properties ; and further, that this acid 

 likewise occurs combined with the oxide of glyceryle, and 

 thus constitutes the neutral fat of Casaseca and Lecanu. For 

 this acid I propose the name of stearophanic acid, (from 

 cTBup and tpulvopai), on account of its beautiful lustre in the 

 crystallized state, and for the neutral fat that of ' stearophanine. 



When the coarsely pounded grains are digested with boil- 

 ing alcohol (that commonly used for spirit-lamps is sufficiently 



