Chemical Science. 399 



discovered in solution in water; 2. That, when animals have been 

 poisoned by hydrocyanic acid, traces of the poison may be disco- 

 vered in them from eighteen to forty-eight hours after death ; 

 3. That, it is always in the parts into which the poison has been in- 

 troduced, that it may be discovered ; 4. That, it has as yet been 

 impossible to shew the existence of the poison in the brain, the 

 spinal marrow, or the heart, although these organs evolve an odour 

 sufficient to excite suspicion of its presence. — Ann. de Chini. 

 xxvii. 200. 



22. Purification of Vinous Liquors, from Fruits. — M. Cadet de 

 Vaux states, that the very different products obtained by distilling* 

 the fermented liquors of various kinds of mellow and sweet fruits, 

 may be purified and rendered almost identical with each other, by 

 re-distilling the product with milk. As an instance, he quotes the 

 comparison of a liquor he obtained from plums, as compared with 

 the kirschwasser or cherry water of the best kind. The plums, 

 when fermented, gave a wine, which being unfit for the market, 

 was distilled ; but the product obtained was weak, was precipi- 

 tated white by water, and was very inferior in flavour and value. 

 On adding milk to it, when put into the still a second time, the lat- 

 ter instantly curdled; and when the distillation was completed, the 

 product was found to be so good and excellent in its flavour 

 and other qualities as to deceive the best judges, who took it for 

 real cherry water, as made directly from cherries. — Bulletin des 

 Sciences. 



23. On the preparation of Morphia. — The following process, by M. 

 Hottot, appears from the description, far to surpass any other that 

 has yet been recommended, both for the readiness with which 

 pure morphia is obtained, and the quantity of the product. Opium 

 is to be dissolved in so much water, as to yield a solution of a 

 specific gravity not higher than 1012 ; a small quantity of ammonia 

 is then to be added, just sufficient to precipitate the colouring matter 

 of the solution. In consequence of the diluted state of the liquor this 

 readily falls to the bottom ; the clear solution is then removed and 

 more ammonia added to it to precipitate the morphia. The alkali 

 separates, and falls upon standing as a crystalline sediment, con- 

 taining very little colouring matter ; this washed with cold water 

 and afterwards treated by alcohol of sp. gr. 847 or 837, and a 

 little animal charcoal, according to its quantity, gave, by the first 

 operation, a morphia so pure that it required no further solution in 

 alcohol or in sulphuric acid. By this process a considerable 

 quantity of morpiiia may be obtained in twenty-four hours, with 

 very little expense of alcohol ; and the only point necessary to be 

 attended to, is to separate carefully the fatty matter, which falls in 

 the first instance, on adding a small quantity of ammonia, so that 



