Chemical Science. 417 



ideas, and therefore that malic acid must contain just double the 

 number of atoms given above, or else that carbonic acid is formed 

 of an atom of carbon and an atom of oxygen. We recommend the 

 facts as useful ; the theory merely as amusement. What is an 

 atom ! 



20. Chemical Constitution of Acetic Ether. — By a series of experi- 

 mental researches, M. Planiava has arrived at the conclusion, that 

 acetic ether is formed of 1 equivalent of acetic acid and 2 equivalents 

 of alcohol ; that, therefore, it is a sub-acetate of alcohol, and is re- 

 presented by the number 97. — Kas. Archives. 



21. New Vegeto-Alkalies obtained from Cinchona. — Dr. Sertur- 

 ner, in re-examining the products obtained by chemical means from 

 the cinchonas, finds that the precipitates produced by alkalies from 

 the acidulated infusion of these barks contains, besides cinchona and 

 quinia, other vegeto-alkalies, which are to be considered as modifi- 

 cations of the former. The new bodies recall the case of opium to 

 mind, in which narcotine exists simultaneously with morphia. The 

 new substances, and especially that named by M. Serturner chi- 

 nioidia, exist in the alkaline precipitate, in intimate combination 

 with a resinous subacid substance, which is not injurious, but is 

 of no advantage. It is very difficult to separate these two sub- 

 stances, and M. Serturner succeeded only when he used the charcoal 

 obtained when croconic acid is prepared by Liebeg's process. This 

 substance, combined with animal charcoal, completely decolours the 

 solution of the alkaline matter in sulphuric acid (diluted with 3 or 4 

 parts of water), but it is necessary afterwards to act on the thick 

 solution with alcohol, to separate earthy salts. 



The new vegeto-alkalies exist in the red and yellow cinchona 

 with the quinia and cinchonia. The chinioi'dia has more alkaline 

 power and capacity of saturation, and also more medical power than 

 any other vegeto-alkali in the cinchona, but it resembles them by 

 its insolubility in water, its colour and taste. Its alkaline reaction 

 on known vegetable colours, and its intimate state of combination 

 with the brown extractive matter, are remarkable. Its salts are 

 very fusible by heat, and become viscid like some balsams. 



According to M. Serturner, in febrifuge power, chinioi'dia is as 

 superior to quinia and cinchonia as these are to ordinary bark. It 

 is to this alkali that many cinchonas are indebted for their medical 

 powers. M. Serturner has, in many cases, given his new medicine 

 in doses of 2 grains three times per day; the patients take a little 

 vinegar after each dose, for the purpose of saturating the gastric 

 juice, which, by its alkaline nature, would else decompose the salt : 

 from 12 to 24 grains have, in all the cases, sufficed to prevent the 

 return of the fever, whilst patients, in the same neighbourhood, 

 treated with the sulphate of quinia, had frequent returns of the 

 disease. — Hufeland's Journal. 



