^2^ Scientific Intelligence^ Sfc. 



Charlard, and Henry, is an oily liquid of a yellowish colour. It is 

 completely soluble in ether and alcohol, and is lighter than water 

 which dissolves a small portion of it. Its smell is strong, resembling 

 that of the hemlock, or tobacco, or mice. Its taste is very acrid and 

 corrosive. It proves fatal to animals in very small doses and with 

 great rapidity. It readily dissolves in acids, and produces with 

 sulphuric, phosphoric, nitric, and oxalic acids, combinations which 

 crystallize in the form of prisms. During the saturation the liquor 

 assumes a bluish green tint which passes into reddish brown, and 

 when they are evaporated, either at a gentle heat, in vacuum or in 

 the open air, they lose, as the ammonial salts do, a part of their 

 base, the smell of which is very distinct ; the salts of conein attract 

 water very quickly from the atmosphere, and are soluble in alcohol. 

 The nitrate of conein decomposed in the fire gives origin to brown 

 pyrogenous products. When placed in vacuo with bodies which 

 attract much water, it partly volatilizes and leaves a reddish residue, 

 which appears to be a hydrous conein. The vapour of conein is 

 inflammable and produces white fumes in a tube filled with muriatic 

 acid gas. The solutions of the salts in water form a cheesy precipi- 

 tate with tannin, soluble .in alcohol. A white precipitate is also 

 formed when a solution of conein in alcohol of 30° is mixed with 

 iodic acid. According to Liebig, conein consists of carbon 66*91, 

 hydrogen 12-00, azote 12-80, oxygen 8-29. Charlard and Henry 

 erroneously state that this is the first instance of a vegetable alkaloid 

 being liquid. They have entirely overlooked Nicotin, the narcotic 

 principle of tobacco, which has been shewn by Mr. E. Davy to be a 

 liquid. — {Records, ii. 204,) Conein may be obtained by distilling 

 green hemlock with caustic soda, and receiving the product into a 

 receiver containing a little dilute sulphuric acid. 



4. Pectic acid in Gentimi. — M. Bussy took 8 ounces of the root 

 of the Gentiana hitea in rough powder, and poured over it 8 ozs. 

 of pure water. In a quarter of an hour, he placed the powder thus 

 moistened in a suitable apparatus. He then poured pure water over 

 it in small portions at a time, taking the precaution not to add any 

 more until the first was absorbed. In the course of a few minutes, 

 a very deep brown liquid, of a thick consistence and transparent 

 aspect, strained through into the receiver. He continued the wash- 

 ing until he had obtained 12 ounces oFthe liquid ; when the colour 

 became less deep, he changed the receiver and continued the wash- 

 ing, for which purpose, 3 kilogrammes of water were employed. 

 The powder possessed then an insipid taste and slight colour. In 

 12 hours, the liquid in the first receiver had acquired the consistence 

 of very firm jelly. It was completely soluble in a solution of car- 

 bonate of potash. From this solution it was precipitated in the form 

 of a jelly by alcohol, sugar, &c., shewing that it was pectic acid. 

 Bussy subsequently extracted it from gentian by the same process, 

 followed by Braconnot in separating it from carrots. He suggests 

 that the pectate of soda in solution may be substituted for eggs in 

 clarifying sugar, and for gelatin in clearing wine, &c. — Journ. de 

 Pharm., June, 1836. 

 5. Guaiae Wood^Guaiacum Oj^ciwa/e.)— According to Righini, 



