342 Comparative Analysis of the Gum Resins. 
solution of camboge, that the whole liquor goes into a thic& 
coazulum ofta fine yellow colour. 
Lime-water produces in this soap a precipitate of a fine 
orange coléur. 
The earthy salts also form yellow precipitates in it as 
_ well as most of the solutions of white metals. It precipi- 
tates the sulphate of iron in brown, and the nitrate of cop- 
per in green. ; 
§ V. Ten grammes of camboge were put into a retort 
with S0 parts of the strong nitric acid used in commerce. 
As soon as the retort received the inipression of the fire, red 
vapours were produced, the intensity of which soon disap 
peared. I poured into the retort the first products which 
had passed dtiring the operation, which was continued until 
the matter was dissolved, and thickened to the consistency 
of a syrup*: on cooling, there was formed a mass of la- 
mellated crystals, enveloped in a viscous matter: the whole 
was diluted with a quantity of water, which produced a se- 
diment which when well washed and dried weighed one 
gramme three decigrammes. 
This substance was of a yellowish colour, of a bitter 
taste, and wag partly dissolved in boiling water: the solu- 
tion became turbid on cooling, and deposited part of the 
dissolved matter on filiering the liquor. It is of a reddish 
yellow colour, becomes frothy by agitation, reddens turnsole 
tincture, assumes a deeper colour on its mixture with the 
alkalis, and slightly precipitates at the end of a certain time 
the sulphate of iron. me 
When put upon the fire, this matter does not melt so 
easily as the resin of camboge: it gives out an aromatic 
smoke, and leaves plenty of charcoal. 
It unites very well with potash and spirit of wine, and 
red transparent solutions result. 
The nitric acid when slightly heated with this. substance 
dissolves it without ‘altering it sensibly : water prodaces in 
the solution an abundant white coagulum. 
From these properties I think myself warranted in re- 
garding this substance as a particular species of soluble 
factitious resino-bitter, united with a yellowish resinitorm 
matter insoluble in water. 
* The produce of this distillation, when well saturated with chalk and 
distilled again, furnished a liquor slightly acid, of an extremely pungent 
smell and of a yery strong bitter. The alkalis colour it slightly in yellow. 
On adding sulphate of iron to this mixture, a precipitate is formed entirely 
soluble in the acids. There is no prussic acid therefore in this liquor, the 
nature of which is not well known to me. | sai a ae 
aly ; The 
