232 Scientific Intelligence. [Sept. 



subearbonate of ammonia and an oily matter, which gives the 

 fluid a milky appearance. If the expressed juice of the cheno- 

 podium be evaporated to the consistence of an extract, it is 

 found to be alkaline, there seems to be acetic acid in it, while 

 its basis is said to be of an albuminous nature. It is stated also 

 to contain a small quantity of the substance which the French 

 call osmazome, a small quantity of an aromatic resin, and a bitter 

 matter soluble both in alcohol and in water, as well as several 

 saline bodies. The following is stated as the result of the 

 analysis, which, however, we may remark is so complicated and 

 so peculiar, that we should be glad to see it confirmed by further 

 experiments . 



The various constituents of the chenopodium olidum are as 

 follows : 



1. Subearbonate of ammonia. 



2. Albumen. 



3. Osmazome. 



4. An aromatic resin. 



5. A bitter matter. 



6. Nitrate of potash in large quantity. 



7. Acetate and phosphate of potash. 



8. Tartrate of potash. 



It is said that 100 pounds of the dried plant produce 18 

 pounds of ashes, of which 5^- are potash. 



VIII. Experiments on the Bilberry, and on the Method of detecting 

 extraneous Colours in Red Wine. By M. Vogel.* 



The berries of the vaccinium myrtillus contain a colouring 

 matter, the citric and the malic acids, and a considerable quan- 

 tity of uncrystallizable sugar. The colouring matter may be 

 removed by boiling the juice of the bilberry with powdered 

 charcoal, or with an argillaceous earth ; by this process it is 

 rendered as colourless as water. When the berries are bruised, 

 the pulp seems to be scarcely susceptible of undergoing the 

 process of fermentation, on account of the great proportion of 

 sugar which it contains ; by diluting it with about an equal bulk 

 of water, and still more by adding yeast to it, it readily ferments, 

 and forms alcohol in considerable quantity. 



With respect to the colouring matter of wine, M. Vogel 

 remarks, that of all the substances which he has employed to 

 give them a red colour, none of them form with the acetate of 

 lead a greenish grey precipitate, which is the colour that is 

 procured from the genuine red wines. Wines coloured by the 

 juice of the bilberry, by elder, or by Campeachy wood, form 

 wath acetate of lead a precipitate of a deep blue colour; Fernan- 

 bouc, red saundtrs, and the red beet, produce a colour which is 

 precipitated red by the acetate of lead. When wine is coloured 

 merely by beet, it may be rendered entirely colourless by lime 



* Abridged from Journ. Pharm. iv. 56. (Feb. 1818.) 



