ANALYSIS OF MYRRH. 235 



lution contained nothing but lime, which was separated 

 entirely by subcarbonate of potash. 



Sea. II. A. Fifty gram. [772 grs.] of niyrrh distilled ^^l'^\,^' 

 witli water yielded a product having the smell of the myrrh, water, 

 and in which floated a little volatile oil. 



B, The residuum of this distillation being thrown on a, 

 filter, the liquid was a long time in passing through. The 

 matter that did not dissolve was well washed with boiling 

 water. 



C. The several liquors, being mixed aed evaporated to Gum, 

 dryness, left 23 gram. [355 grs.] of a red transparent gum, 

 bitter to the taste. 



1. This gum reddened infusion of litmus. I w properties, 



2. Treated with boiling water it dissolved only in part. 

 What remained was a substance of a gummy appearance, 

 and was perfectly insoluble even in dilute acids. It was 

 bulky, became brittle when dried, and afterwards swelled 

 up in boiling water without dissolving. This insolubility 

 acquired by the gum of rayrrh appears to be owing to heat. 



3. The gum of myrrh yielded by distillation subacetate 

 of ammonia, some oil, and a coal, which incinerates very 

 easily compared with those of animal matters. 



4. Treated with dilute nitric acid, and gently heated, it 

 gave out carbonic acid gas mixed with nitrogen ; a yellow 

 flocculent matter was deposited, which soon disappeared; 

 and, the liquor being evaporated, oxalic acid remained, 

 mixed with malic acid, and a bitter yellow matter, which 

 did not detonate. 



5. Oxalate of potash threw down oxalate of lime from 

 the solution of the gum. 



C. Lime-water in excess did not alter its transparency, so 

 that it contained neither malic nor phosphoric acid. 



7. Neither decoction of galls nor oxirauriatic acid occa- 

 siuned any change in it. 



8. Several metallic solutions, as those of lead, mercury, 

 and tin, form copious white precipitates in the aqueous so- 

 lution of this gum. 



- The precipitate produced by nitrate of lead in 23 gram. 

 [355 grs.] of this gum dissolved inVater weighed 20*2 gram. 

 3118 grs.]. It was of a reddish colour, like myrrh, and 



Remitransparent 



