318 Scientific Intelligence. 
by the former of these chemists, that the saccharification of 
starch by diastase or dilute acids, should be considered a splitting 
into a dextrin and sugar simultaneously. They now find that the 
action of the above agents on starch produces: Ist, soluble 
50 
? 
reducing power =6; 2d, erythrodextrin, soluble in cold water, 
colored red ie eae ne, both in solution and pol, easily attacked 
y eng Nr 3d, achroddextrin a, not colored by ‘iodine, rotatory 
power [a|=+210, reducing power =12, partially saccha nies 
by diastase; 4th, achroddextrin f, rotatory power [aJ=-+19 
reducing powe r =12, unacted on by diastase in 24 hours ; oe 
saktsbaesuin Vs rotatory power [a]=-+ 150, reducing power "=98, 
unattackable by diastase, converted into olucose vy sulphuric acid 
wae eee +57 ste aay bon is ‘fermentable. 
f 
be determined. Under the influence of ferments or of dilute acids, 
it undergoes a ne of hydrations and successive splittings, 
w d 
lar weight. The value of m becomes less and less until the v 
form of achroddextrin is reached, which is transformed by simple 
hydration directly into maltose, which again splits into Soe: 
— %. Soc. Chim., U1, xxx, 54, July, 1878. . F. B. 
6. Synthesis of Tniligo-bive manly § in the present year, ae EYER 
showed that oxindol was identical with ortho amidophenylacetic 
acid, and hence had the formula C,H, Lag In order to pro- 
duce isatin ephewen ty from this, it is only necessary e reverse 
the ahtegs y which oxindol is produced from isatin; 7@.¢., to con- 
vert t , group in the above formula into CO. “this the 
author ae now succeeded in doing, not wi direct but by indirect 
oxidation. From nitrosodxindol C,H, og ue which con- 
— the 1) 00 group in the right ae a, Beet C,H, 
‘ » ~ | is produced by reduction, and from this by oxida- 
tion vy iene or cupric chloride or even with nitrous acid, isatin 
“ae 4 NB NH— is.produced. The reduction of this to indigo-blue, 
effected long since by the author in conjunction with Emmerling, 
by the action of phosphorous chloride, acetyl chloride and phos- 
phorus, ne now finds to take place in two stages. In the first, 
produced by the action 7; phosphoric chloride upon isatin, an 
Sesnonione of isatin results, C A} panes _ This, by reduetion 
with phosphorus, zine dust, or preferably with ammonium sul- 
