76 IiUelligcnce and Miscellaneous Articles. 



a« Bi'^clioff who has made a similar observation, is inclined to sup- 

 pose ; the same appearances have not been observed on the receivers 

 of the air-pump, nor in any other kind of glass. 



Journal de Pharmacie, vol. xxiv. p. 3b/. 



ACONITIC ACID. 



M Buchner, jun. has investigated the properties of this acid, which 

 was first obtained by M. Peschier of Geneva in 1820, from the 

 Aconitum napellus and Aconitmn paniculatinn. M. Reuss. haymg oc- 

 casion to prepare a large quantity of the extract of aconite, ob- 

 tained a considerable portion of a granular dirty white substance, 

 consisting principally of aconite of lime, and this he sent to M. Buch- 

 ner who in order to separate the aconitic acid from it, hrst wash- 

 ed it repeatedly with water and alcohol, to remove the extractive 

 matter and then dissolved it in dilute nitric acid. The solution 

 bein- filtered, the aconitic acid was precipitated by excess of acetate 

 of lead The precipitate obtained, being well washed and separated 

 by filtration, was difiused through cUstilled water, and submitted to 

 a current of hydrosulphuric acid until the aconitate of lead was 

 completely decomposed. The sulphuret of lead bemg separated, the 

 liquor was evaporated with a gentle heat, and the aconitic acid form- 

 ed a white granular crystaUine mass. Some aconites are so rich m 

 aconite of hme, that nearly as much may be obtained as of pure ex- 

 tract In order to dry it sufficiently for analysis, the acid was dried 

 in a current of air of the temperature of 248° Fahr. By combustion 

 with oxide of copper the results obtained were. 



Hydrogen 3-44 3-80 



Carbon 41-01 41;84 



Oxygen 55-55 54 36 



100- 100- 



The composition of the acid as combined with oxide of silver, ap- 

 peared to be 



Hydrogen -"^'J 



Carbon 48-71 



Oxygen 49-06 



100- 

 From which it appears that the free acid is composed of 



4 atoms of hydrogen = 24-959 .... 3-42 



4 „ carbon = 305-744 .... 41-84 



4 „ oxygen = 400-000 .... 54-74 



C' H^ 03 + H^ O _ = 730-703 100- 



while the combined acid consists of ^ ^ 



2 atoms of hydrogen = 12-479 .... --0- 



4 " carbon = 305-744 .... 49-45 



3 " oxygen = 300-000 . . ■■ 48-53 



C4 H"- 03 = 618-223 100- 



