﻿ARTICLE 
  XVIII. 
  

  

  Of 
  Sassarubrin, 
  a 
  Resin 
  evolved 
  by 
  Sulphuric 
  Acid 
  from 
  Oil 
  of 
  Sas- 
  

   safras, 
  which 
  is 
  remarkable 
  for 
  Us 
  efficacy 
  in 
  Reddening 
  that 
  Acid 
  in 
  

   its 
  concentrated 
  state. 
  By 
  R. 
  Hare, 
  M. 
  D., 
  4*c, 
  4*c, 
  #c. 
  

  

  This 
  colour 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  a 
  peculiar 
  resin, 
  which 
  I 
  would 
  call 
  sassaru- 
  

   brin, 
  being 
  elaborated 
  from 
  the 
  oil 
  of 
  sassafras, 
  by 
  its 
  reaction 
  with 
  

   sulphuric 
  acid, 
  with 
  phenomena 
  which 
  are 
  striking, 
  and, 
  in 
  some 
  

   respects, 
  singular. 
  If 
  a 
  mixture 
  be 
  made 
  of 
  equal 
  parts 
  of 
  the 
  oil 
  of 
  

   sassafras, 
  alcohol 
  and 
  sulphuric 
  acid, 
  on 
  raising 
  the 
  temperature 
  to 
  a 
  

   certain 
  point, 
  the 
  whole 
  mass 
  rises 
  up 
  in 
  a 
  resinous 
  foam, 
  of 
  a 
  beautiful 
  

   colour, 
  between 
  copper 
  and 
  purple, 
  with 
  a 
  metallic 
  brilliancy. 
  In 
  

   some 
  instances, 
  it 
  has 
  been 
  partially 
  forced 
  out 
  of 
  the 
  retort 
  through 
  

   the 
  beak 
  in 
  a 
  cylindrical 
  mass, 
  which 
  acquired, 
  on 
  cooling, 
  the 
  con- 
  

   sistency 
  of 
  pitch. 
  This 
  pitchy 
  substance 
  is 
  a 
  compound 
  of 
  the 
  resin 
  

   above 
  alluded 
  to 
  and 
  sulphuric 
  acid, 
  with 
  which 
  it 
  forms 
  a 
  soluble 
  

   substance, 
  neutralising 
  its 
  sourness 
  to 
  a 
  certain 
  extent. 
  By 
  steeping 
  

   this 
  subacid 
  compound 
  in 
  ammonia, 
  straining, 
  washing 
  the 
  residue 
  

   with 
  water, 
  and 
  desiccation, 
  a 
  brittle 
  tasteless 
  resin 
  remains, 
  which 
  is 
  

   quite 
  insoluble 
  in 
  water, 
  but 
  very 
  soluble 
  in 
  alcohol 
  and 
  hydric 
  ether. 
  

  

  The 
  addition 
  of 
  this 
  sassarubrin 
  to 
  concentrated 
  sulphuric 
  acid, 
  pro- 
  

   duces 
  the 
  crimson 
  colour 
  already 
  mentioned 
  as 
  resulting 
  from 
  the 
  

   presence 
  in 
  that 
  liquid 
  of 
  a 
  minute 
  portion 
  of 
  oil 
  of 
  sassafras. 
  I 
  infer 
  

   that 
  the 
  colour 
  is 
  due 
  to 
  the 
  evolution 
  of 
  sassarubrin, 
  which 
  has 
  a 
  

  

  