518 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOE 1884. 



GaUisin^ an utifermentablc Substance in Starch- Sugar^ by C Scbmitt and 

 A, Cobenzl. — ^^ ith aviewtoascertaining whether popular estimation of 

 starch sugar as an exceedingly unwholesome dietetic article is correct, the 

 authors made a careful investigation into the more obscure ingredients 

 contained therein, and especially of the unfermentable substances. They 

 succeeded in isolating a deiinite body, which they name gallisin. The 

 process for its extraction and purification is a follows : Five kilograms of 

 commercial starch-sugar were allovNed to ferment in a 20 per cent, solu- 

 tion, ata temperature of 28° to -O^ C. After five or six days the fermen- 

 tation was comi)leted. After filtering, the nearly colorless liquid was 

 concentrated as mnch as possible on a water bath, and the still warm 

 sirup introduced into a large flask. The sirup was then sliaken with 

 a large excess of absolute alcohol, when it became viscous, but did not 

 mix with the alcohol. The latter was decanted and the sirup re- 

 peatedly agitated with fresh quantitesof alcohol, which finally left behiijd 

 a pulverulent yellow-gray mass. This was then vigorously rubbed in a 

 large mortar with a mixture of alcohol and ether in equal parts, where- 

 by the whole mass was changed into a gray i)0wdcr. These operations 

 raustbe conducted as rapidly ; s possible, to prevent absorption of moist- 

 ure and deliquescence of the mass. The resulting material is dried 

 under a strong vacuum-pump, washed with alcohol and ether, and dried 

 under. a bell jar, over concentrated sulphuric acid ; calcium chloride will 

 not suffice, for the body is more hygr()Scoi)ic than the calcium chloride 

 itself. This material is further purified by dissolving in water, boiling 

 with animal charcoal, and evaporation to a sirup, which is then poured 

 iu a thin stream into a mixture of anhydrous alcohol and ether. 



Gallisin so prepared forms a fine white powder, which under the 

 microscope proves to be completely amorphous. As stated, it is far 

 more hygroscopic than calcium chloride. Tieated with dilute mineral 

 acids or with oxalic acid it yields dextrose. It does not ferment with 

 fresh yeast. It is slightly sweet to the taste. Analyses lead to t\u 

 formula Ci2H240in^ Treated in an aqueous solution with an alcohol so- 

 lution of barium hydroxide, it yields a flocculent precipitate of gallisin- 

 barium, Ci2H.22Ba6in . 3 HoO. Heated to 130° to 140°, under pressure, 

 with three times its weight of acetic anhydride, it dissolved, and subse- 

 quent treatment yielded a product which a])peared to be hexacetylgallisin. 

 The presence of gallisin in doctored wine was directly i>roved ; at the 

 same time by experiments on lower animals and on human beings it 

 was found to be quite innocuous. {Berichte d. chem. Ges.^ xvii, lOOU.) 



Sulphon-Fhthaleins, by Ira Remseu. — The analogy in constitution be- 

 tween phthalic and orthosulphobenzoic acids suggested to the author 

 that sulpho compounds analogous to the phthaleins might be obtained 

 by the action of the latter acid upon phenols. Preliminary experiments 

 confirm these views, and the author pi'oposes to make an exhaustive 

 study of the new class of bodies. {Am. Chem. Journ., vi, 180.) 



