EBLANA. 317 
with an equal part of water, produces, by the aid of moderate 
heat, a reddish purple solution with the new substance. But 
this solution, after remaining at least two or three days^ is 
deprived of its colour, depositing brownish black flocculi. 
Concentrated muriatic acid dissolves it slowly, producing a 
reddish purple colour, so beautiful and intense, that it can only 
be compared to that of a solution of an oxymanganate. This 
colour also disappears with time, depositing carbon in a very 
minute state of division.. Nitric acid dissolves it, rendering 
the crystals black. No hyponitrous acid is disengaged, except 
when a fuming, concentrated acid is employed, and then oxalic 
acid is the product, accompanied with a yellow substance, pre- 
cipitated with water, which, when dried and heated, is decom- 
posed with slight explosion — at the same time disengaging 
red vapours. Dry chlorine changes the crystals to a brownish 
resin, when aided by moderate heat. We have, as yet, been 
unable to produce any crystallized combination with the new 
body, so that the analysis of it has not been consonant with 
atomic weights. The mean of four analyses has given us 
C. 75.275, H. 5.609, 0. 19.116, from which is obtained the 
following empirical formula, C^^, H^^, O'*. 
Mr. Scanlan has given this substance the name of eblana, 
(Dublin,) which he prefers to that of pyroxanthine, which I 
have proposed. This body, which is to be ranged among the 
products, already numerous, of dry distillation, resembles more 
the naphtalase of M. Laurent, than any other, from which, 
however, it is very distinct, in consequence of its solubility 
in alcohol and ether, its reaction with muriatic acid, and finally, 
its composition. You are, perhaps, already aware that Mr. 
Scanlan has extracted from the same pyroligneous spirit, 
by simple rectification, a considerable quantity of aldehyd, 
which is also one of the products of the distillation of wood. 
Mr. Scanlan thinks that the largest part of the aldehyd passes ofi* 
wuth the gas; and it appears to me very probable, that by 
causing this gas to pass through cold water, the aldehyd could 
be collected, which might then be easily changed into con- 
voL. in. — NO. IV. 40 
