On Pectic Acid and the Pectates. 
63 
ART. XVIII. — ON PECTIC ACID AND THE PECTATES. 
By M. Simonin. 
Hitherto the use of pectic acid and the pectates, in the- 
extemporaneous preparation of jellies, &c. has not been as 
general as it ought to be ; this may have arisen from the dif- 
ficulty of preparing them ; in fact the operation is tedious,, 
intricate, and often attended with failure, especially with 
persons not accustomed to the manipulations requisite for 
success. The intention of the following remarks is to sim- 
plify the process by the employment of means hitherto con- 
sidered as inadequate. 
I have employed the following method for several years, 
profiting by the observations of M. Braconnot on the conver- 
sion of pectine into pectic acid by the fixed alkalies. 
The pectine, or abundant jelly which forms in currant 
juice, after the juice of sour cherries has been mixed with it, 
is to be separated from the fluid, and washed, to get rid of as 
much as possible of the colouring matter ; it is then to be 
boiled with a very weak solution of caustic potash ; after- 
wards, to separate any fragments of the fruit that may be 
present, it is to be filtered through a coarse cloth. This pec- 
tate is to be decomposed by gradually adding and stirring a 
sufficient quantity of liquid chloride of lime ; the fluid rapidly 
loses its colour, and there is a formation of pectate of lime, 
in whitish flakes ; this is to be collected on a cloth, and then 
mixed with water slightly acidulated with hydrochloric acid, 
which decomposes the pectate and dissolves the lime. The 
pectic acid is now to be drained on a cloth, and well washed 
with distilled or rain water, to dissolve any excess of the hy- 
drochlorate of lime or of acid which may be present, it is 
then to be subjected to a slight pressure to separate the water. 
In this state the pectic acid is almost colourless and transpa- 
rent, in the form of a compact jelly ; it combines with the 
alkalies with great facility, a few drops of ammonia being 
sufficient to liquify it, giving it at the same time a brown co- 
lour. If it is wished to prepare the pectate of ammonia, a 
