1822.] Substance formed in the Wine of the Sugar Cane. 279 
ArticLe XII. 
Curious Substance formed by some Chemical Changes from the 
Wine of the Sugar Cane.* 
M. Cuaman sent from Martinique to M. Vauquelin, for the 
purpose of analysis, a quantity of vesou, or the wine made from. 
the sugar cane. It had been previously submitted to the means 
recommended by M. Apert for the preservation of vegetable 
substances ; notwithstanding which, however, it had undergone 
some very remarkable alterations during the voyage. 
In some of the bottles, it had fermented so as to produce alco- 
hol, vinegar, and carbonic acid, but still containing alittle sugar. 
In the greater number, it had entirely lost its saccharine taste, 
and a species of semitransparent gum had been formed in great 
apeenS and so thick as to quit the bottles with difficulty. 
esides this portion separated from the liquor, much of the same 
substance remained in solution, from which it was precipitated 
by alcohol. The peculiar odour of vesou, however, was very 
perceptible. The contents of some bottles remained entirely 
fluid, acid, and saccharine, but still held much gummy matter in 
solution. 
A portion of the vesou thus altered, which still retained a little 
sugar, was evaporated into a thick syrup, and the sugar crystal- 
lized. Another portion, which had been divested of its gum by 
alcohol, and of its acid by chalk, and which had likewise been 
reduced to a syrup, crystallized with more ease, and in greater 
quantity. 
M. Vaugquelin precipitated by alcohol two bottles of the thick 
vesou; washed and kneaded the gummy matter repeatedly with 
fresh portions of alcohol, pressed, and dried it. While moist, 
this substance is semitransparent, and of a greyish colour ; it: 
diminishes much in bulk by desiccation, and in that state is 
white, opaque, like the paste of starch, and has still a slight 
flavour of sugar. 
It is very soluble in water, but the solution is always milky, 
even after filtration. If laid upon a burning coal, it becomes 
puffed up, is quickly carbonized, and emits a smell like that 
produced by sugar or gum ; by distillation, it yields an acid, 
together with a little ammonia. 
our grammes of this substance were boiled. for 10 or 12 
hours, with 200 grammes of water, and 10 of sulphuric acid; 
the water lost by evaporation being from time to time replaced. 
The solution ilk a red colour, and on cooling deposited a 
substance of the same hue, which, after being washed and dried, 
* Ann, de Chim. xx: 93. 
