276 ODORIFEROUS YOLATILE 



Although the editors of the "Journal de Phar- 

 macie " drew our attention to these facts for two 

 consecutive months, we may venture to agree with 

 them in their last publication in doubting them. 



Our researches have been prosecuted in the manner 

 suggested by WincMer. 



(running (who is now endeavouring to discover the 

 origin of raisin vinegar) first obtained an alcohol, 

 the smell of which was almost insupportable, by distil- 

 ling fermented raisin juice with lime ; this alcohol 

 had a strongly alkaline reaction, and plainly indicated, 

 when touched with a rod wetted with muriatic acid, 

 that it contained either ammonia or volatile alkali. It 

 was saturated with muriatic acid and evaporated, and 

 during evaporation it lost a little of its colour. Crystals 

 of some salt remained, which were dissolved in water 

 and mixed with chloride of platinum, ether and 

 alcohol. The precipitate obtained was apparently 

 ainmonio-chloride of platinum. 



The dried residue, when burnt, emits an odour 

 which distinctly indicates ammonia, and 0*0276 of it 

 yielded O'OIU platinum ; ammonia would yield 

 0-0113 platinum. 



As was to be expected, ammonia was liberated 

 from the albuminous liquid of the fermented raisins 

 by distillation with lime. 



Oudemans, following Winckler, has endeavoured to 

 discover a volatile odoriferous alkali. He evaporated 

 red Bordeaux, and added quick lime to the water that 



