§4 ANALYTICAL EXPERIMENTS AND 



0/ muriitie acid. A. Muriatic acid being added, a white curd is formed, and 

 when three parts of acid and one of the folution are heated to- 

 gether, a very fmall part of the balfam is rediflblved, which 

 Separates as the mixture cools, while the remainder is converted 

 into a black brittle fubftance when cold, part of the benzoic 

 acid having been diffipated by the heat and part dilTolved, fome 

 of which feparates in the form of a white fcum, as the mixtur* 

 cools, together with the benzoin. 



Of fulphuric B. Two or three drops of fulphuric acid added to the al- 



acl<J * coholic folution, occafion a white precipitate, which difappears 



on the addition of a fmall quantity more of acid, the mixture 

 afTuming the appearance of port wine. 



If however equal parts of the folution and of fulphuric acid 

 be mixed together, a dark pink precipitate is formed, the fluid 

 becoming iikewife of the> lame colour, but the addition of 

 water changes the whole to a lilac colour. 



On evaporating a mixture of equal parts of folution of ben- 

 zoin and fulphuric acid, the liquid retains its beautiful red co- 

 lour till towards the end of the procefs, when it becomes gra- 

 dually darker," and if the evaporation be carried on to drynef's 

 a black coaly fubftance remains, a decom poll lion of the balfam 

 having taken place. 



6; n 'trie acid. C Nitric acid added to the folution of benzoin in alcohol 

 forms a dark red fluid, and when equal quantities are mixed, a 

 violent effervefcence takes place, attended with theemiffion of 

 much nitrous gas. It muft be obferved that in this inftanee, 

 no precipitate is formed, which proves that the balfam is folu- 

 ble in nitric acid. 



Ot* acetous acid. D. The effects of acetous acid do not exceed thofe of 

 water. 



Of acetic acid. E. Acetic acid forms a precipitate when added (o this fo- 

 lution bf benzoin. The effects produced by acetic acid on 

 benzoin will be noticed hereafter. 



Of the alcalies. F. The alcalies form no precipitate in this folution of ben- 

 zoin, although the mixture in fome cafes becomes fomewhat 

 turbid. 



Action of 3. Ether difTolves benzoin with great facility, the balfam 



ether oobeipm. being feparated, when this folution isagitated with water. 



Effects of the The effects of the acids on this ethereal folution, fo nearly 



acids on w?| coincide with thofe produced on the folution in alcohol, that 

 there will be no need of a detailed account of them. 



4. Nitric 



