[ 2,36 ] 

 XXXIV. Intelligence and Miscella7ieous Articles. 



ASPARTIC ACID AND ASPARTATES. 

 lY/T PLESSON has shown that the crystalline matters obtained 

 ItJ. • from the young shoots of the asparagus, the liquorice root, and 

 the marshmallow, are identical, and have been described under the 

 name of asparagine. When treated with hydrate of lead, an insoluble 

 saline compound is obtained, which gives aspartic acid, when decom- 

 posed by sulphuretted hydrogen j the properties of this acid are the 

 following: The aqueous solution deposits a fine crystalline brilliant 

 powder, which consists of long quadrangular prisms with dihedral 

 summits. It is inodorous, slightly acid, and reddens litmus. Water at 

 47° Fahr. dissolves 1-1 28th part of its weight, but it is more soluble 

 in hot water. Alcohol does not dissolve it j and its specific gravity is 

 I '873. Heat decomposes it, yielding ammonia and hydrocyanic acid : 

 sulphuric acid, if hot, decomposes it, but nitric acid has very little 

 effect upon it. It expels carbonic acid, and by long ebullition, like 

 sulphuric and kinic acids, it converts starch into sugar. 



This acid combines with most bases j the resulting aspartates are 

 all decomposed by heat : those which have a mineral alkali base 

 are decomposed into ammonia, hydrocyanic acid, and metallic cyanide, 

 &c. The soluble aspartates have a remarkable flavour of meat gravyj 

 this flavour- is most pure in neutral alkaline or earthy salts ; in the 

 metallic salts it is followed by a styptic taste ; and in the salts con- 

 taining a vegeto-alkaline base, it is overpowered j oxygen being 8, 

 its equivalent number is about 136. 



Aspartate of potash is an uncrystallizable salt, attracts moisture 

 from the air, has the flavour already noticed with a slight degree of 

 sweetness ; it is soluble in water, does not precipitate the muriates 

 of barytes, lime, nickel, cobalt, gold, quina, cinchonia or morphia, 

 corrosive sublimate, or tartar emetic. 



It does not precipitate sulphate of copper or permuriate of iron ; 

 but with the former it produces a magnificent sky-blue colour, and 

 the latter solution becomes of an intense red. 



With the acetates of lead, the protonitrate of mercury, and nitrate 

 of silver, the aspartate of potash forms a more or less abundant white 

 precipitate, soluble in nitric acid, and also in an excess of either of 

 the two salts. 



Aspartate of soda crystallizes readily, possesses the peculiar flavour, 

 with a saline taste. Aspartate of barytes is a friable mass, consisting 

 of very small white opake crystals : it has the flavour of the aspartates, 

 without bitterness. Aspartate of lime : this is a gummy mass ; its 

 taste resembles that of aspartate of soda, and is not at all like any 

 other calcareous salt. It becomes sensibly alkaline by ebullition with 

 carbonate of lime. 



Aspartate of magnesia greatly resembles that of lime. 



Aspartate of zinc crystallizes in small white opake grains, does 

 not attract moisture from the air ; possesses the peculiar aspartate 

 flavour, which is soon followed by the stypticity of the salts of zinc. 



Aspartate of nickel by slow evaporation becomes a green fragile 

 mass. 



Aspartate 



