212 



Syilliptase. This is tlie nitrogenised body which possesses 

 tlie faculty of separating amygdalin into hydrocyanic acid and its 

 other products, and which, in combination with albvimen, consti- 

 tutes emulsin. It is obtained by mixing the press-residue of 

 sweet almonds with water, pressing after two hours, filtering the 

 liquid, precipitating the albumen with acetic acid, filtering again, 

 I'emoving the gum by acetate of lead, precipitating excess of lead 

 by sulphuret of hydrogen and mixing the filtrate with alcohol, 

 which throws down the Synaptase ; the latter has to be washed with 

 alcohol and dried in a vacuum. — Yellowish-white, either brittle 

 and glossy like gluten, or opaque and spongy like sarcocolla, very 

 soluble in cold water, almost insoluble in alcohol; the aqueous 

 solution becomes soon decomposed at the air, curdles at 60°, is not 

 pi-ecipitable by acids or by acetate of lead, but considerably so by 

 tannic acid; acts strongly iijion amygdalin even at 80°. The 

 Synaptase does not behave towards stai'ch similarly to diastase. 



Syrin«'in=C3s H28 O20 + 2 HO. Tasteless glucosid of the bark 

 of Syringa vulgaris, and other species especially developed in early 

 spring, found in the leaves and half-matured fruits, and only in 

 traces in the leaf buds; it disappears during the progress of vege- 

 tation, and in its stead appears syringopicrin ; is also contained in 

 the bark of Ligustrum vulgare and other Privets. Precipitate 

 the decoction of the bark with subacetate of lead, treat the filtrate 

 with sulphuret of hydrogen, filter, evajiorate to a syi-up consistence, 

 press the crystalline mass and recrystallise in hot water with aid of 

 animal charcoal. — Forms long, colourless needles, tasteless, neutral; 

 loses its water at 115°, fuses at 212°, and becomes decomposed 

 with the odour of burnt sugar; dissolves slowly in cold, readily 

 in hot water, in alcohol, not in ether; dissolves in concentrated 

 sulphuric acid with dark-bhie colour, and forms, on addition of 

 water, grey -blue flocks; dissolves in concentrated nitric acid with 

 deep-red colour; breaks uji with diluted acids under formation of 

 sugar; is not precipitable by metallic salts. 



Syrill2,'01)icrilirzC26 H24 O17. Bitter glucosid of the bark of 

 Syringa vulgaris. Remains after the preparation of syringin in 

 the mothei'-ley and is absorbed by animal charcoal. Wash the coal 

 with warm water and boil with alcohol, which dissolves the S. and 

 leaves it, after evaporating, in the form of a brown syrup-like 

 liquid. Purify by dissolving in alcohol, decolourising with animal 

 charcoal, evaporating and treating the remnant with ether, which 

 dissolves an acrid substance, leaving theS. undissolved. — Yello>vish, 

 pellucid mass, friable to a permanent white powder, of a very 

 bitter taste and of acidulous reaction; fuses below 100° and is de- 

 composed by more heat; dissolves readily in water and in alcohol, 

 not in ether, is not altered or precipitated by alkalies, by chloride 

 of iron or by sub-acetate of lead, seems to yield sugar on treating 



