1818.] Scientific Intelligence. 151 



kind of decomposition of the water and alcohol by the oil ; from 

 which it may be suspected, that if we were to mix a small quantity 

 of diluted alcohol with a large quantity of volatile oil, the water 

 would be separated, and be precipitated alone to the lower part 

 of the vessel. Hence we learn that the dealers in perfumes may 

 introduce eight per cent, of alcohol into them without our being 

 able to detect the fraud by the ordinary means ; but it may be 

 discovered by the assistance of the spirit hydrometer, as the 

 density will be diminished by about y^ part. 



Sulphuric ether does not act on the oil of bergamot like 

 alcohol ; it unites with it in all proportions, and the fluids do not 

 afterwards separate. 



XV. Analysis of Rice. By M. Vauquelin.* 



The object of the author in this analysis was chiefly to ascer- 

 tain in what respect rice differs from the other cerealea ; and 

 especially to know whether it contains any saccharine matter 

 proper for the formation of alcohol. A quantity of rice was 

 pounded and macerated during some time in water ; a transpa- 

 rent mucilaginous liquor was formed, without taste, that was 

 neither acid nor alkaline, and was not precipitated by acetate of 

 lead ; by evaporation an extract was formed that in every respect 

 resembled gum arabic. By treating this extract with nitric acid, 

 a strong acid liquor was formed, from which water separated the 

 phosphate of lime. This solution also contains a quantity of 

 starch ; and the author found that it was by means of the starch 

 that the phosphate of lime was dissolved in the infusion. He 

 also found in the same manner that animal jelly rendered a 

 portion of phosphate of lime soluble. The author then examined 

 the farina of rice, with a view to discover the quantity of ani- 

 malized matter which was united to it, by distilling it and ascer- 

 taining the amount of ammonia disengaged ; this was found to 

 be very inconsiderable ; he afterwards made an experiment for 

 the purpose of determining at what degree of heat the starch 

 begins to dissolve in water, which, by means of the test of iodine, 

 he determined to be 144-5°. (F.) 



The conclusions which M. Vauquelin deduces from his expe- 

 riments are, that rice is a grain essentially amylaceous, which 

 contains scarcely perceptible traces of gluten and of phosphate 

 of lime. In this respect it differs from the other cerealea that 

 serve for the nourishment of men and animals, which contain 

 a considerable proportion of these substances. He was not able 

 to detect any saccharine matter in rice, a circumstance which 

 is considered as remarkable, because in some countries an ardent 

 spirit, called arrack, is prepared from it. But potatoes also 

 afibtd a spirituous liquor, although they, in like manner, contain 

 no saccharine matter ; from which we must conclude that 

 alcohol may be formed by something else besides sugar, unless 



* Abridged from Jouni. Phys. Aug, 1817. 



