CRYSTALLINE DEPOSIT OCCURRING IN TIMBER. 199 



could be easily purified. The acid sublimed unchanged. 

 The melting point of the sublimed acid was the same as 

 that of the acid obtained from water, this was 180° O. (cor.) 

 It was found to melt at identically the same temperature 

 as a sample of pure veratric acid, nor was the melting 

 point different when equal parts of the new acid and veratric 

 acid were mixed together. The molecular value was 

 determined by titration and agreed very well with that of 

 veratric acid. 



When a very dilute alkaline solution of potassium per- 

 manganate was added to a large quantity of a saturated 

 aqueous solution of the crystals the colour remained per- 

 sistent for a long time; it then slowly faded with the 

 formation of the oxide of manganese; oxidation had thus 

 taken place. The acid formed in this way was collected, 

 purified by sublimation, and found to melt at the same 

 temperature and to be identical with the acid formed by 

 oxidation with chromic acid. It was thus veratric acid. 



It is apparent that oxidation of the side chain had taken 

 place, in both instances, with the formation of dimethyl- 

 protocatechuic acid. 



When oxidised with bichromate of potassium and sul- 

 phuric acid with the aid of heat, the action was too 

 energetic, and most of the substance was destroyed by this 

 method. 



Potash fusion. — When the crystals were heated with 

 potash at a temperature not exceeding 200° C. for one half 

 hour, the colour of the melted substance had become very 

 dark, and phenolic bodies were largely formed. The odour 

 of creosote was most marked. The melt was dissolved in 

 water and the solution repeatedly agitated with ether to 

 remove the unaltered substance. The remainder was 

 acidified, extracted with ether and the ether evaporated. 

 The residue was treated with a solution of sodium carbon- 



