NUTMEGS AND MACE. 25 



developed. In polarised light they prove to be doubly refractive. 

 The alcoholic solution is devoid of rotatory power. It reddens 

 litmus slowly, but very decidedly and permanently. In water, the 

 crystals are insoluble. They melt at 54-5 C. and evolve offensive 

 vapours, like a fatty substance ; if they are heated in a glass tube, 

 no crystalline particles are sublimed. On platinum foil they burn, 

 leaving no residue, giving off at first the same vapours as when 

 heated in a glass tube. Ko difference could be observed between 

 the purified crystals obtained from common nutmegs and those 

 obtained from long nutmegs. The ultimate analysis of the same 

 from both sources likewise corroborating their identity. 



In caustic alkalies, the crystals of this so-called Myristicin (of 

 course totally distinct from Semmler's Myristicin above referred to) 

 dissolve readily : if a somewhat considerable quantity is dissolved 

 in warm caustic lye, it will form, on cooling, a consistent jelly, 

 which, in fact, is nothing else than a soap. " Myristicin " warmed 

 for a day or two with absolute alcohol and an excess of anhydrous 

 carbonate of sodium, yields, on cooling^, a sjelatinisincr neutral solu- 

 tion. If this solution is liquified, filtered and mixed with an acid, 

 a crystalline layer will, on cooling, make its appearance on the 

 surface of the liquid. This layer may be collected, washed with 

 water, until the latter no longer reddens litmus, and then re-crystal- 

 lized from hot alcohol, when crystals are obtained which prove to 

 agree in every way with the original "Myristicin." If this process of 

 purification is repeatedly carried on with the same quantity of 

 the substance, the odour of the latter diminishes, and at last 

 disappears. 



After this complete purification from the essential oil with 

 which the crystals are contaminated, they proved on analysis to be 

 composed of : — 



I. 11. 



Carbon 73-27 ... 7341 



Hydrogen 12-25 ... 12-25 



Oxygen 14-48 ... 14-34 



100-00 100-00 



As a result of these researches, the Professor remarks in his 



paper read at the British Pharmaceutical Conference : — " It became 



now evident that I had before me Myristic acid (the body was 



formerly considered to be a stereoptene and was named Myristicin), 



