1850—1854 67 



two years since they began to operate on crude tartar, and it is 

 only two years since they first saw the supposed sulphate of 

 potash, the supposed sulphate of magnesia. For, at M. 

 Seybel's, they had taken for sulphate of magnesia the little 

 crystals of racemic acid. 



' Shortly, this is as far as I have come — I spare you many 

 details : — 



1. " The Naples tartar contains racemic acid. 



2. " The Austrian tartar (neighbourhood of Vienna) contains 

 racemic acid. 



3. " The tartars of Hungary, Croatia, Carniola contain 

 racemic acid. 



4. " The tartar of Naples contains notably more than the 

 latter, for it presents racemic acid even after one refining 

 process, whilst that from Austria and Hungary only presents 

 it when in the crude state. 



" I believe it now to be extremely probable that I shall find 

 some racemic acid in French tartars, but in very small quanti- 

 ties ; and if it is not detected it is because all the circumstances 

 of the manufacture of tartaric acid are unknown or un- 

 appreciated, or because some little precaution is neglected that 

 would preserve it or make it visible. 



" You see, dear Marie, how useful was my journey." 



" Vienna, September 30, 1852. I am not going to Trieste; 

 I shall start for Prague this evening." 



" Prague, October 1, 1852. Here is a startling piece of 

 news. I arrive in Prague ; I settle down in the Hotel 

 d'Angleterre, have lunch, and call on M. Rochleder, Professor 

 of chemistry, so that he may introduce me to the manufacturer. 

 I go to the chemist of the factory, Dr. Rassmann, for whom I 

 had a letter from M. Redtenbacher, his former master. That 

 letter contained all the questions that I usually make to the 

 manufacturers of tartaric acid. 



" Dr. Rassmann hardly took time to read the letter ; he saw 

 what it dealt with, and said to me : 'I have long obtained 

 racemic acid. The Paris Pharmaceutical Society offered a 

 prize for whoever manufactured it. It is a product of manu- 

 facture ; I obtain it with the assistance of tartaric acid.' I 

 took the chemist's hand affectionately, and made him iepe'«t 

 what he had said. Then I added : ' You have made one of the 

 .greatest discoveries that it is possible to make in chemistry. 

 Perhaps you do not realise as I do the full importance of it. 



F 2 



