310 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



Little notice is taken in the memoir of the crystalline unstratified 

 rocks associated with the several series. Any questions of classifi- 

 cation, bearing on their geological epoch, can only be determined by 

 the effects, produced by them on the stratified series, which mark the 

 period of their first protrusion ; but for the present this subject is 

 not touched on by the author. 



XLI. Ijitelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 



CONTINUATION OF THE SCIENTIFIC MEMOIRS. 



"lylT'E are glad to be enabled to announce that sufficient sup- 

 ^^ port has been proffered by private individuals and 

 public bodies, to secure the continuation of the Scientific 

 Memoirs; and that the Fifth Part, being the commence- 

 ment of a Second Volume, is in the course of preparation. 



SYNAPTASIN. 



M. Robiquet has given the name of synaptase to the principle of 

 almonds, which possesses the singular property of reacting on amyg- 

 dalin, and of determining, under the influence of moisture, the 

 production of the oil of bitter almonds. The name of synaptasin is 

 derived from the power of reuniting, as a connecting link, amygdalin 

 and water. This substance possesses the following properties : it is 

 of ayellowish white colour, sometimes brittle, and possessing the ap- 

 pearance of a varnish like dried gluten ; at other times it is opake and 

 spongy, like sarcocol. It is very soluble in cold water, but nearly 

 insoluble in alcohol ; when heated to about 140° Fahr. it is coagu- 

 lated, when in solution in water ; it is not precipitated either by acids 

 or by acetate of lead, but readily by tannin; it does not like diastase 

 form a paste when heated in water to 140° Fahr ; upon amygdalin 

 it acts strongly, even at 176° Fahr.; when the solution is heated in 

 contact with the air, it readily suffers a very evident decomposition, 

 it becomes every day more turbid, and acquires a fetid smell, and, 

 after a time, a very abundant flocky precipitate is formed ; when 

 subjected to the action of heat, it tumefies, yields empyreumatic oil, 

 and an acid which contains a little ammonia. This acidity induced 

 M. Robiquet to suppose that it retained a little of the acetic acid 

 used in preparing it ; when, however, it is put into contact with con- 

 centrated sulphuric acid, it undergoes a kind of softening, but neither 

 acetic nor sulphurous acid is disengaged ; when a drop of tincture 

 of iodine is added to a solution of synaptasin, a deep rose-red colour 

 is produced, but without any precipitation. 



Synaptasin is obtained by the following process : almonds which 

 have been dei^rived of their oil by jDressure, are to be mixed with 

 twice their weight of pure water, and the mixture is to be gradual- 

 ly pressed. After two hours' maceration, the liquid is to be filtered, 

 the albumen is precipitated by acetic acid, and after filtration the 

 gum is to be separated by means of acetate of lead, and after again 

 filtering, the excess of acetate of lead is to be separated quickly by 

 hydrosulphuric acid, and the excess of hydrosulphuric acid is to be 



