ANALYSIS OF TOBACCO. 2^3 



flocculent sediment, the properties of which were perfectly - 

 similar to those of animal matters. Notwithstanding this 

 enluration, nutgails still produced a very evident precipi- 

 tate in the liquor ; whence we perceive there exists a very 

 great afBnity between the acid and this animalized prin- 

 ciple. 



This acid, purified as much as possible, exhibited all the The acid wau 

 characters of malic acid ; that is, it imparted considerable 

 consistency to water by evaporation, did not crystallize, 

 gave with acetate of lead a precipitate soluble in distilled 

 vinegar, swelled up in the fire giving out a smell of burned 

 sugar, and was converted into oxalic acid by the nitric 

 acid. 



Thus the acetate of lead had thrown down at once malic Mal^e of 

 acid, a great deal of coloured vegeto-animal matter, and '•* rl'JiV'^^*" 

 little raalate of lime. The last appeared' to have been car- 

 ried down in combination with the malate of lead, and to 

 have been redissolved by the malic acid, as fast as it \yrs 

 separated by the sulphuretted hidrogen. 



In several experiments, in which we thus precipitated to- 

 bacco juice by an excess of acetate of lead, we in like man- 

 ner found again malate of lime in the malic acid. 



A large quantity of malate of lime therefore exists in to- which «;cisu 



bftcco, which may be obtained directly by evaporating the*"^^^^ 



„ , , , . , ' ^^ plant largely. 



juice ot the plant to two thirds. 



As soon as we had completely ascertained the nature of The juice de- 

 the acid, we returned to the juice of tobacco into which we diniUed ^^' 

 bad poured an excess of acetate of lead, to treat it also with 

 sulphuretted hidrogen. We had obtained a very transpa- 

 rent liquid, of a lemon colour, which retained the exact 

 smell and all the acrimony of the unaltered juice. Suspect- 

 ing, that this taste depended on a volatile oil, we distilled, 

 the liquor, and obtained a product, that had a slight herba- 

 ceous smell, and but little taste. 



The concentrated portion, that remained in the retort, ^^^"^'■'^ftin 

 , , IT- p !• « 1 • t^6 retort. 



emitted, on the aadition or a jittle potash or ammonia, a 



strong smell, which was so pungent, that, if snuffed up with 



a little force, it occasioned sneezing and tears. We repeated Distilled with 



the experiment by adding potash to a more considerable j*!'**"*^ 



quantity of matter, and distilled, after having diluted it with 



a lit- 



