BY R. GREIG SMITH. 609 



character (with steam), its action upon alkaline permanganate, 

 its beha\iour on dry distillation, Windisch's reaction and the 

 analysis of the calcium salt. In the analysis the residue remain- 

 ing after distilling off the volatile acids was heated on the water 

 bath for several hours with excess of calcium carbonate, filtered, 

 evaporated, and allowed to crystallise overnight. A solid mass 

 of crystals was obtained which, after drying in vacuo over 

 sulphuric acid, was dried in the water oven till nearly of constant 

 weight. In one portion the calcium was estiiriated, and in 

 another the water (by drying in water oven till of constant 

 weight). 



2-493 grms. contained 0-36 % of water and gave 1-1185 grms. 

 CaC03= 18-01 %Ca. 



Calcium lactate contains 18-35 % Ca. 



The butyric acid was separated as calcium butyrate by taking 

 advantage of its comparative solubility in absolute alcohol. It 

 was, how^ever, never pure, being associated with formic and 

 acetic acids. It was identified by the solubility of the calcium 

 salt in absolute alcohol, by the pine-apple or rum odour of the 

 ethyl ester, by the odour of the moist barium salt, and of the 

 same salt w^hen warmed with sulphuric acid. Finally the analysis 

 of the silver compound prepared by the addition of silver nitrate 

 to the mixture of substances obtained by dissolving the calcium 

 salts in absolute alcohol while not absolutely agreeing with silver 

 butyrate, is sufficiently distinctive (i.e., low in silver) to show 

 that butyric acid was contained therein. This silver compound, 

 after precipitation and washing, was dried on a porous tile, and 

 then at 80°, at which temperature there was no loss of water. 



00548 grm. gave 0-0438 grm. Ag. CI. = 60-16 % Ag, 



Silver butyrate contains 55 38 % Ag. 



Silver butyracetate contains 59-67 % Ag. s^ 



Silver acetate contains 64-68 V A^. 



