22 Mr. W. Crowder on the Fatty Add of Cocculus indicua. 



tory of Dr. Anderson, for whose kindness and valuable sugges- 

 tions I am greatly indebted. 



In order to obtain the substance in sufficient quantity for 

 experiment and for thorqugh purification, I commenced upon 

 fourteen pounds of the berries. The kernels (which contain the 

 fat) were separated by cracking the shells and picking them out 

 with a pointed instrument, a process sufficiently troublesome and 

 invohang a great loss of time. The kernels were next beaten 

 into a paste in a warm mortar, and after being heated for some 

 time at 212° in order to melt the fat, they were subjected to 

 hydi-aulic pressm'e between two plates of hot lead. In a short 

 time a great quantity of perfectly colourless oil made its appear- 

 ance, which upon cooling solidified into a mass resembling stea- 

 riue. The residue in the cloths, being reheated and pressed a 

 second time, gave a small additional quantity of fat. 



The quantity of kernels obtained from the berries amounted 

 to 28 per cent. The quantity of fat obtained from the berries 

 amounted to 15| per cent. 



Tlie fat is exceedingly soluble in sether, sparingly soluble in 

 absolute alcohol, and almost insoluble in rectified spirit. It begins 

 to melt at 72^ F., but is not completely fused till the temperature 

 rises to 78° F. Like other fats, it ciystallizes in warty masses 

 from its solution in hot sether, and in an arborescent fonn when 

 its hot alcohohc solution is cooled. The fat was saponified with 

 caustic soda, and the soap formed separated from the solution 

 by common salt. The soap was allowed to become hard by cool- 

 ing, repeatedly mixed ynih. small quantities of water to wash 

 away the salt, the soap pressed, dissolved in water, and decom- 

 posed by sulphuric or hydi'ochloric acid. Upon cooling, the acid 

 was subjected to veiy cautious pressure in order to separate it as 

 far as possible from oleic acid, which was present in consider- 

 able quantity. The product was then crystalhzed from alcohol 

 till its fusing-point became constant at 159° F. 



The acid when pure is highly crj'stalhne ; it melts at 159° F., 

 and, like all the acids of the fatty series, is volatile to a certain 

 extent \^dthout decomposition. It reddens litmus distinctly, 

 and decomposes the alkaline carbonates with effervescence when 

 boiled along with them. It is exceedingly soluble in hot alcohol 

 and in aether, and from its solution in the former liquid it is 

 almost entu-ely separated on cooling. 



The accurate analysis of this substance was attended with some 

 degree of difficulty. In the earlier analyses, in which oxide of 

 copper alone was used, results were obtained which in all but 

 one instance gave the per-centage of carbon decidedly too low. 

 In my subsequent analyses I therefore used from ten to fifteen 

 grains of chlorate of potash with my oxide of copper or chromate 



