considered as a peculiar Acid. 158 
erystals are but slightly salt, a zoate reddens turnsole paper, 
Jittle aromatic, and bitter. This it has a less acrid taste than the 
combination also retains the camphorate, and is even mild. 
same properties when there is, If we redden it, a part of the 
an excess of acid, acid is volatilized without being 
decomposed, but the major part 
is decomposed : empyreumatic 
oil is formed, and there remains 
charcoal with the alkali in the 
state of carbonate of potash. 
The want of time and of a greater quantity of camphoric acid 
prevented me from prosecuting the foregoing researches : I shall 
content myself therefore with a brief recapitulation of the proper- 
ties of these two acids :— 
1. The camphorie acid is constantly crystallized upon cooling 
in the form of quill feathers, as observed by M. Bouillon-Lagrange. 
The benzoic acid in the same circumstances crystallizes either in 
needles or in lamin, or under a ribband form. 
2. The camphoric acid has a decided acid taste, and leaves a 
bitter smack. The benzoic acid is mild, sweetish, scarcely acid, 
and a little pungent. 
. 3. The camphoric aeid, in order to be dissolved, requires 100 
parts of water, at a temperature of 15° Reaumur, and 10 or 11 
parts of boiling water. The benzoic acid requires 2U0 parts of 
cold water, and a little more than 24 of boiling water. 
4, 6. of camphoric acid dissolved in one part of alcohol at 
_ a middling temperature, and it should seem that it is dissolved in 
all proportions in boiling alcohol. The benzoic acid is dissolved 
in two parts of alcohol at a middling temperature, and it requires 
weight equal to its own of boiling alcohol. ~ 
5. The camphorie acid is volatilized and sublimed, but the 
products are very different. a) It is denser. 4) There is a 
greater quantity decomposed : a particular oil is formed, an acid 
Jiquor, and more charcoal remains. The sublimate never takes a 
crystalline form. The benzoic acid is always sublimed in cry- 
stals : aqueous vapours are never produced, scarcely is there anv 
empvreumatie oil formed, and there remains but very little char- 
coal. 
6. The camphoric acid united to the bases produces salts very 
different from those formed by the benzoic acid, as may be seen 
from the above experiments, 
xX 
va 
. Pra- 
