92 SUBSTANCES SOLUBLE IN DILUTE ACID. 



in acetic acid, is allowed to settle, and when the supernatant liquid 

 is perfectly clear it is pourisd off, and the precipitate transferied 

 to a fine filter, washed and dried. It may then be converted 

 either into carbonate by gentle, or into oxide by strong ignition, 

 and from the weight of either the amount of oxalate calculated. 

 The filtrate and washings are evaporated to dryness, and the 

 residue weighed. As the amount of chloride of sodium and un- 

 decomposed acetate is known, it will thus be ascertained if other 

 substances (albuminoids, § 223 et seq.) have been dissolved by 

 dilute hydrochloric acid. 



Instead of estimating the oxalate as carbonate or oxide, the 

 washed precipitate may be dissolved in dilute sulphuric acid, and 

 the oxahc acid determined by titration with permanganate of 

 potassium, (Cf. §§ 81, 219.) 



Microscopical Exmninafion. — Oxalate of calcium is always de- 

 poated.in plants in the crystalline condition, and its presence 

 may therefore be confirmed by microscopic examination. The 

 crystals must be insoluble in water, alcohol, and ether, but soluble 

 in dilute hydrochloric acid. 



It should also be ascertained, by means of the microscope, if all 

 the oxalate has been dissolved by the treatment directed in §109. 

 If that is not the case, the maceration with dilute acid should be 

 repeated. 



§ 111. Estimation of Oxalate of Calcium and Pararahin^ — If the 

 oxalate of calcium is accompanied by pararabin, but not by starch, 

 the maceration is continued for twenty-four hours as before ;but 

 previous to filtering, the whole is rapidly raised to the boiling- 

 point in a flask provided with an upright condenser. A measured 

 quantity of the filtrate (filtered whilst hot) is neutralized with 

 ammonia, and mixed with 2 to 3 volumes of 90 per cent aJcohoL 

 The precipitate, which contains oxalate of calciiun and pararabin, 

 is collected on a tared filter, washed with 60 to 70 per cent, 

 alcohol, dried, and weighed. It is then incinerated, the ash cal- 

 culated to oxalate of calcium, and deducted from the weight of 

 the precipitate. The remainder is the weight of the pararabin. 



The filtrate arid washings from the precipitate may be evapo- 

 rated to dryness as directed in § 110, in order to ascertain if other 

 substances have been dissolved. Here, too, albuminous substances 

 may possibly be found, and they may also be present in the 

 precipitated pararabin. Should that be the case, they may be 



