4 ART. 4. — T. KAMETAKA : 



The iodine value of pure elœomargaric acid itself was deter- 

 mined and found to be 180.2 (Hübl's method), and 183.1 

 (Wijis' method) ; the iodine value calculated from the formula 

 C18H32O2 is 181.4, with which botli of the above values are in 

 fair agreement. 



(b) Some other constants of Japanese wood oil were deter- 

 mined with the following results : — 



Acid value 3.81. 



Specific gravity i^ro) 0.9307. 



Saponification value 196.0. 



(c) Existence of an enzyme in the seeds of Elœococca 

 vernicia. 



The seeds of Elœococca vernicia, after removing the outer 

 husk were crushed in a mortar and extracted with water, and 

 at other times with glycerin, and the precipitate obtained on 

 the addition of alcohol was filtered, washed with alcohol, dried 

 at low heat and powdered. The greyish brown substance thus 

 obtained was added to a mixture of etliyl acetic ester or the 

 Japanese wood oil itself and water, and the mixture titrated from 

 time to time with baryta-water along with a blank mixture, 

 Phenolphthalein being used in both cases as the indicator. 

 Though the saponifying action of the enzyme was not remarkable, 

 its effect was apparent from the greater quantity of baryta-water 

 required in each case to neutralize the liquid than in the blank 

 experiment. 



It is possible that this enzyme, being present in a small 

 quantity in the oil itself, plays some part in the rapid drying 

 of this oil. 



