102 
Analyses of Books. [February, 
was originally one of the weapons devised against England by 
the first Napoleon. On his fall it was not laid aside, but was 
vigorously wielded by several countries. The new manufacture 
was fostered by protective duties and by export bounties, but, 
above all, its rise and progress were due to technological skill. 
Every point of the chemistry of sugar-making and refining was 
carefully and perseveringly studied, whilst we looked on in indif- 
ference. The consequence is that our rivals have at last brought 
forward a product which, if from some hidden cause less pleasant 
to the taste, appears analytically on a level with the best produce 
of the cane. 
The work before us is designed to furnish English readers with 
the needful information on the analysis of sugars, saccharine 
juices, syrups, &c. The author begins with the chemistry of the 
sugars in general, and proceeds to saccharose, the sugar of the 
cane, and, as is generally supposed, of the beet-root, though 
doubts on this head are beginningto arise. Mention is made of 
strontium sucrate, formed by adding the hydrate of strontia in a 
solution of sugar, but we do not find a notice of the use of this 
earth as a substitute for lime in sugar-refining. 
Dr. Tucker next passes on to dextrose, levulose, and invert 
sugar. He then discusses the determination of the specific gra- 
vity of saccharine solutions, introducing Baume and omitting 
Twaddle. We find next the optical methods for the determina- 
tion of cane-sugar, the requisite instruments being described and 
figured. He then proceeds to the chemical methods for the de- 
termination of cane-sugar ; the instructions for the determination 
of dextrose and invert sugar, and for the analysis of raw sugar, 
treacle, cane and cane-juice, beet-root and its juice, and, lastly, 
the waste products, are quite on a level with the latest researches, 
and if they may — as we suspect — not work quite satisfactorily 
the fault lies not with the author. 
Notice is taken of one of the growing frauds of the day — the 
use of starch-sugar or corn-sugar in adulterating raw sugars, 
syrups, honey, preserved fruits, sweetmeats, and a long list of 
other eatables. Nor must beverages here be excluded, since 
wines are now often made by fermenting a solution of starch- 
sugar upon the marc of pressed grapes. One of the most critical 
symptoms shown by society as organised on the industrial type 
is the tendency to apply every invention to fraudulent purposes. 
Dr. Tucker’s work fills up an important vacancy in the che- 
mical literature of our common language, and will doubtless 
meet with wide appreciation. 
