THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXXIII. 
No. 387. 
MARCH, I860. 
Fourth Series. 
No. 63. 
Communications and Cases, 
ON VALERIANIC ACID, AND THE 
VALERIANATES. 
Valerianic, or Valeric acid, is one of those organic 
principles which, although found in the vegetable kingdom, 
lias been also formed by the chemist in his laboratory. 
The name is derived from this acid being known to 
exist in the root of the common valerian (Valeriana officinalis ), 
and from which it may be obtained by distilling water off it, 
as long as the solution reddens litmus, when it is to be 
neutralized by means of ammonia, or the carbonate of soda 
or potassa. By evaporation a saline compound results, which 
is to be distilled with sulphuric acid, diluted with half its 
weight of water. The distillate, according to Brande, sepa¬ 
rates into two layers, the uppermost of which is a saturated 
aqueous solution of valeric acid, and the lowermost an oily 
hydrate of the acid. This oily hydrate is removed, and 
being distilled, the first portion that passes over is aqueous, 
but when the boiling point attains 346°, the pure hydrated 
acid is obtained unmixed with water. 
The composition of this acid is C 10 H & O 3 + HO. 
It is also met with in other vegetables, as in the root of 
the angelica (.Angelica archangelica ), and the bark of the 
guelder-rose (Viburnum opulus ). It may likewise exist in 
some other plants, as it 44 is generated,” Fownes says, 44 by 
the spontaneous decomposition of azotized substances, ani¬ 
mal and vegetable, and is produced in many chemical re¬ 
actions in which oxidizing agents are employed.” 
The following mode of preparing this acid artificially is 
thus given by Brande : 
“Hydrate of oxide of amyle (oil of potato-spirit) is mixed in a 
flask, with ten parts of a mixture of equal weights of quicklime and caustic 
xxxiii. 17 
