i.NALYSI8 OF EUPHORBIUM. ^3^ 



ported itself like bees wax, wViich it p-seinbles in smell when 

 tuelted or burned. This wax of euphorbiutn retained a 

 slight detrree o*' acrimony, no doubt because it had not 

 been sufiiciently washed with alcohol. I made a taper of 

 it, wiiich burned with a veiy clear flame. 



C. The 6*4 grasn. [988 grs] insoluble in alcohol [A] were xhe matteim" 

 heated to the boiling point in 100 gram. [1544 grs] of dis- soluble in al- 

 tilled water. The filtered liquor left behind little bits ^^ter 



of wood and thorns, which when dried weighed 2*7 dec. 

 [4-17 gr.s]. 



D. The aqueous solution (C), being evaporated, formed and ctapa* 

 a varni<>h on the surface of the glass. On evaporating to ^^^^ ' 

 dryness a brittle substance was obtained, which separated 



in micaceous scales, did not attract moisture, and weighed 



4*1 gram. [63.3 grs], which I perceived at once to be malate j](.]^Qd maldie 



of lime*. In fact, on heating this substance with diluted of lime. 



sulphnric acid, I obtained, 1st, very white sulphate of 



lime, which, after being washed and dried, weighed 1'6 gram. 



[247 g's]: iidly, an acid, which alcohol dissolved, and from I 



which it separated 5 dec. [7 grs] of sulphate of lime. 



The solution, being evaporated, produced 2 gram. [30*83 



grs.] of malic acid, retaining a little sulphuric acid, which 



was separated by barytes, 



Malate of lime therefore appears to exist in tolerable This mistaken 

 quantity in the milky juice of the euphorbias; and it was ^°'' 8""^ 

 this salt, which the older chemists mistook for a gum in the 

 euphorbium of the shops, and which Mr, Laudet has con- and extract, 

 founded with extract. 



E. The alcoholic solution (J5), being evaporated to dry- More wax ob- 

 ness, left a residuum weighiijg 8*3 gram. [128 grs]. This '^'^^'i* 



was treated with cold alcohol, which dissolved the resinous 

 parts, and farther separated 4 dec. [6*2 grs,] of wax, 



F. This solution being evaporated afresh, a resin was ob- Rosins mixed 

 tained, that attracted moisture from the air in a small de- '^^Ij^jj''^''''^ °^ 

 gree. This was owing to the presence of malate of potash, 



which I obtained by heating the resin with distilled water. 

 When well dried it weighed 4 dec. [6*2 grs.] 



♦ 1 hare already made known, that the ricinus, which is of th6 family 

 of euphorbias, contains raalic acid, neutralizing a large quantity of pot- 

 Uh and lime. 



G. The 



