268 CEtfANTHIN GUM. 



mixed substance, and yields when warmed with diluted 

 sulphuric or muriatic acid and mixed with test solu- 

 tion of oxide of copper and potass, a considerable 

 amount of sub-oxide of copper. 



The method of preparation described above gives us 

 the oenanthin substance in a very impure state, since 

 it is impossible by such means to get rid of all cream 

 of tartar and other such vinous ingredients as are 

 soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. In order 

 to obtain it pure, it was dissolved in water and fil- 

 tered, and acetate of lead was added to a portion of it. 

 This gave rise to a copious precipitate, in which, 

 among other components, tartrate of lead was con- 

 tained. The liquid which passed through the filter 

 was precipitated with alcohol, for it still retained 

 what Faure calls oenanthin. But little precipitate 

 was obtained by basic acetate of lead from the watery 

 fluid which flowed from the sugar of lead, but the 

 addition of ammonia gave rise to a copious precipitate. 

 These are the properties peculiar to gum, dextrin, or 

 vegetable mucus, which may all be precipitated by 

 alcohol, and easily resolved into sugar, in one word, 

 they have the reaction of so-called oenanthin. In order 

 to be sure whether the cenanthin mentioned by Faure, 

 in a pure state, was vegetable mucus or a gummy 

 substance resembling dextrin, its solution was warmed 

 with test solution of oxide of copper and potass. (This 

 oenanthin solution can easily be obtained pure by pass- 

 ing sulphuretted hydrogen through the liquid which 



