220 Dr. A. von Planta ank Mr. W, Wallace on Apiine. 



Three different portions of apiine were convei-ted into this 

 substance at different times and under varied cii'cumstances. 

 The mode of operation in each case was nearly as follows : — 



From 0'5 to 1 grm. of apiine was boiled from two to five hours 

 with several oimees of a mixture of one part sulphuric acid^ and 

 from ten to twenty parts of Avatei'^ the bulk being occasionally 

 made up with water. The solution M'as then poured into cold 

 water, on which a ])recipitate formed of a yellow colom*. This 

 was collected on a filter, and washed perfectly tasteless with cold 

 water, during which the yellow tint disappeared, and it assumed 

 what may be called a dirty-white colour. The filter and its con- 

 tents were dried thoroughly over sulphuric acid : the substance 

 was then separated from the paper, powdered, and finally dried 

 in the water-bath . It was then of an olive-brown colour, inodorous 

 and tasteless, easily powdered, and qiiite soft between the fingers. 

 It was soluble in hot water and in hot spirit of T\nne : the solu- 

 tions were insensible to test-papers, and gelatinized on cooling. 

 Its reactions are similar to those of apiine. 



An analysis was made of each of the three above-mentioned 

 preparations, which gave the following results respectively — 



1. 0'339 grm. gave 0"1343 grm. water, and 0'7915 grm. car- 

 bonic acid. 



2. 0*3455 grm. gave 0"1418 grm. water, and 0*8024 carbonic 

 acid. 



3. 0*3703-ash 0-0088 = 0-3665 grm. gave 0-15 grm. water, 

 and 0-8527 carbonic acid. Or, — 



100-00 10000 10000 100-00 



Taking the mean of these analyses, and dividing each element 

 by its respective equivalent, and taking 24 atoms of carbon, we 

 amve at an approximation to the formida C^'* H'°0^, thus : — 



Found. 



24 Carbon .... 144 63-71 6368 6334 63-45 63*49 



10 Hydrogen . . 10 4*42 4-40 4*56 4-55 4-50 



9 Oxygen, ... 72 31-87 31-92 32-10 3200 32-01 



■' f 226 100-00 10000 100-00 10000 100.00 



This substance may therefore be considered as apiine which 

 has lost four equivalents of the elements of water, or C^^ H''' 0'^ 

 — 4H0. This is a very singular decomposition, as substances 

 like gum, starch and lignine, acquire water or its elements by a 



