i6 



Yoshida subjected his urtishic acid to the continued action 

 of hydrochloric acid for three days, and obtained a hard brown 

 mass which he cut into pieces, boiled with water, washed with 

 alcohol, dried at 100 C. and analyzed. The results obtained were 

 practically identical with those for urushic acid as will be seen 

 by the following comparison: 



MEAN FOUND FOR 

 FOUND URUSHIC ACID 



C 77-07 77.05 



H 8.77 9.01 



He considers this as a polymerization product, a molecular 

 transformation under the influence of strong hydrochloric acid 

 and names it ^-urushic acid, and states that it is soluble 12 in the 

 usual solvents for urushic acid. He claims that the substance 

 obtained by the decomposition of an alkali salt of urushic with 

 hydrochloric acid is the same body as ^-urushic acid. 



By the action of strong nitric acid he obtained a sponge-like 

 body which he washed with water, dissolved in alcohol, and pre- 

 cipitated with ferric chloride. The precipitate was washed, dried 

 and analyzed with the following results : 



CALCULATF.D FOR 



FOUND [C 1 4H 15 (NO 2 ) 2 O 2 ] s Fe. 



C 51.49 51-59 



H 4.82 4.61 



NO 2 28.16 28.25 



Fe 9.77 9-8i 



This nitro body was light yellow, and soluble in the usual 

 solvents for urushic acid. 



Yoshida oxidized urushic acid with strong chromic acid. 

 The product was washed with water and then with absolute alco- 

 hol and dried at 105 C. It was in the form of a brown powder 

 which by analysis was found to contain one more atom of oxy- 

 gen than urushic acid. See results below. 



He heated a portion of the fresh juice on the water bath 

 until the water was entirely removed, and at the same time the 

 action of the enzyme was destroyed. This was then analyzed. 

 For results see below. 



Another portion of the lac was allowed to harden in the 

 usual way by the action of the enzyme and then analyzed. For 



12 Doubtless this is a typographical error, and should read "insoluble 

 in the usual solvents for urushic acid." 



