238 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles, 



only in being minus water : for, C^*^ H-'^ O'^^ anhydrous sugar, be- 

 comes C+« H30 0'8, the first acid, by losing 6 H'^ O; then C's ffo O'^ 

 becomes C*8 H^'' O^, japonic acid by losing 7 H- O. Sugar thus loses 

 water successively even in the midst of water. This remarkable 

 transformation is well characterized with starch sugar, and analo- 

 gous sugars. When the sugar and alkali are not in contact with 

 water, the phsenomena of decomposition no longer occur : an alkaline 

 saccharate is obtained in which the sugar possesses its usual pro- 

 perties. 



M. Peligot has examined the nature of the action of acids, and 

 particularly that of concentrated sulphuric acid upon sugars. With 

 sulphuric acid and common sugar, a deep colour is produced, and a 

 certain quantity of japonic acid is formed. With sugar of starch, 

 on the contrary, there is no colour ; and what is very remarkable 

 is, that this sugar and the acid combine and form sulphosaccharic 

 acid. This is to be saturated with carbonate of barytes, and treated 

 with subacetate of lead : sulphosaccharate of lead is precipitated, 

 the composition of which is C^s H'*" 0'-° SO^ + 4 PbO ; but it has 

 not been precisely determined what quantity of water the sulpho- 

 saccharic acid contains. This acid when uncombined is not very 

 stable : it does not precipitate barytic salts, and in general forms 

 soluble salts. 



The action of heat upon sugars, when properly managed, yields 

 very simple results ; at about 410° Fahr., water only is obtained, and 

 a black product remains, which is entirely soluble in water. The 

 author has preserved the name of caramel for it. When purified by 

 alcohol a tasteless substance is obtained, which does not ferment. Its 

 composition is very simple, C*sH-''^Q'S; and it differs only from 

 sugar in losing a part of its water. Common and starch sugar, 

 treated in this way, both yield the same substance. 



These experiments, it will be seen, greatly modify the present 

 opinions of the atomic weight of sugars, confirming the analyses 

 already made of cane and starch sugar. 



Journal de Ch. Med. — June, 1838. 



SUCCISTERIN. 



MM. Pelletier and Walter, in examining the pyogenous products of 

 amber, have obtained and analysed several substances, among which 

 there is one that they think worthy of being particularly noticed. 



It is white, crystalline, scarcely soluble in alcohol or aether, and 

 its colour is rendered intensely blue by sulphuric acid. The analysis 

 which they have performed indicates the formula C^ H^ ; it has there- 

 fore the same composition as idrialin, and possesses also all its pro- 

 perties. It is well known that idrialin, which was discovered by M. 

 Dumas, has been met with only in a mineral, the site of which is 

 lost, and is found only in a few mineralogical collections. The 

 authors do not assert the identity of idrialin with the substance 

 which they have found in amber. If it be supposed that they are 

 merely isomeric, they propose the name of succisterin for the newer 

 compound. — L'Institut, Juin, 1838. 



