CARMINE 729 



CARMIKTIC ACID. (Carmin, Fr.; Kanninstoff, Ger.) The 

 colouring matter of the cochineal insect. See COCHINEAL. 



There are several methods of preparing carmine, the following being the most 

 approved: Dr. Pereira speaks highly of this process. A decoction of the black 

 cochineal is made in water ; the residue, called carmine grounds, is used by paper- 

 stainers. To the decoction is added a precipitant, usually bichloride of tin. The 

 decoction to which the bichloride has been added is put into a shallow vessel and 

 allowed to rest. Slowly a deposit takes place, which adheres to the sides of the vessel, 

 and the liquid being poured off, it is dried : this precipitate is carmine. The liquid, 

 when concentrated, is called Liquid rouge. 



By the Old German Process, carmine is prepared by means of alum, without any other 

 addition. As soon as the water boils, the powdered cochineal is thrown into it, stirred 

 well, and then boiled for six minutes; a little ground alum is added, and the boiling is 

 continued for three minutes more. The vessel is removed from the fire, the liquor is 

 filtered, and left for three days in porcelain vessels, in the course of which time a red 

 matter falls down, which must be separated and dried in the shade. This is carmine, 

 which is sometimes previously purified by washing. The liquor, after three days more, 

 lets fall an inferior kind of carmine ; but the residuary colouring matter may also be 

 separated by the muriate of tin. 



The proportions for the above processes are 580 parts of clear river water, 16 parts 

 of cochineal, and 1 part of alum : there is obtained from 1 to 2 parts of carmine. 



Another Carmine with Tartar. To the boiling water the cochineal is added, and after 

 some time a little cream of tartar ; in eight minutes more a little alum, is added, and the 

 boiling continued for a minute or two longer. Then take it from the fire and pour it 

 into glass or porcelain vessels ; filter, and let it repose quietly till the carmine falls down. 

 Then decant and dry in the shade. The proportions are 8 Ibs. of water, 8 oz. of cochi- 

 neal, i oz. of cream of tartar, and f oz. of alum ; and the product is an ounce of carmine. 



The Process of Alxoy, or Langlois. Boil two pails and a half of river water (30 pints), 

 throw into it, a little afterwards, a pound of cochineal, add a filtered solution of six 

 drachms of carbonate of soda and a pound of water, and let the mixture boil for half an 

 hour : remove the copper from the fire, and let it cool, inclining it to one side. Add 

 six drachms of pulverised alum, stir with a brush to quicken the solution of the salt, and 

 let the whole rest 20 minutes. The liquor, which has a fine scarlet colour, is to be 

 carefully decanted into another vessel, and there is to be put into it the whites of two 

 eggs well beat up with half a pound of water. Stir again with a brush. The copper 

 is replaced on the fire, the alumina becomes concrete, and carries down the colouring 

 matter with it. The copper is to be taken from the fire, and left at rest for 25 or 30 

 minutes, to allow the carmine to fall down. When the supernatant liquor is drawn 

 off, the deposit is placed upon filter-cloth stretched upon a frame to drain. When the 

 carmine has the consistence of cream-cheese, it is taken from the filter with a silver or 

 ivory knife, and set to dry upon plates, covered with paper to screen it from dust. A 

 pound of cochineal gives in this way an ounce and a half of carmine. 



Process of Madame Ccnette of Amsterdam, with -salt of sorrel. Into six pails of river 

 water boiling hot, throw two pounds of the finest cochineal in powder ; continue the 

 ebullition for two hours, and then add 3 oz. of refined saltpetre, and, after a few minutes, 

 4 oz. of salt of sorrel. In ten minutes more take the copper from the fire, and let it 

 settle for four hours ; then draw off the liquor with a siphon into flat plates, and leave 

 it there for three weeks. Afterwards there is formed upon the surface a pretty thick 

 mouldiness, which is to be removed dexterously in one pellicle by a slip of whalebone. 

 Should the film tear and fragments of it fall <Jown, they must be removed with the 

 utmost care. Decant the supernatant water with a siphon, the end of which may touch 

 the bottom of the vessel, because the layer of carmine is very firm. Whatever water 

 remains must be sucked away by a pipette. The carmine is dried in the shade and 

 has an extraordinary lustre. 



Carmine by the Salt of Tin, or the Carmine of China. Boil the cochineal in river 

 water, adding some Roman alum ; then pass through a fine cloth to remove the cochineal, 

 and set the liquor aside. It become brighter on keeping. After having heated this 

 liquor, pour into it, drop by drop, solution of tin till the carmine be precipitated. 

 The proportions are one pailful of water, 20 oz. of cochineal, and 60 grains of alum, with 

 a solution of tin containing 4 oz. of the metal. 



To make Ordinary Carmine. Take 1 pound of cochineal in powder ; 3 drachms 

 and a half of carbonate of potash ; 3 drachms of alum in powder ; 3 drachms and a 

 half of fish-glue. 



The cochineal must bo boiled along with the potash in a copper containing five pail- 

 fuls of water (60 pints) ; the ebullition being allayed with cold water. After boiling 

 a few minutes the copper must be taken from the fire, and placed on a table at such an 

 angle as that the liquor may bo conveniently transvased. The pounded alum is then 



