MANUFACTURE  OF  BORAX  FROM  NATIVE  BORATE  OF  LIMB.  549 
xsJfjo,  and  phosphomolybdic  acid  with  soioo  cytisina  a  tur- 
bidity. 
The  alkaloid  has  no  characteristic  color  tests.  Concentrated 
sulphuric  acid  yields  (even  when  heated  to  150  to  200°C)  a 
colorless  solution,  which  is  not  affected  by  molybdate  of  soda, 
but  rendered  permanently  orange-yellow  by  nitric  acid,  and  by 
bichromate  of  potassa  is  rendered  yellow,  the  color  becoming 
dirty  brown  and  finally  green.  Nitric  acid  yields  a  colorless 
solution  becoming  orange  on  heating. 
The  author  regards  it  difficult  in  forensic  cases  to  prove  the 
presence  of  this  alkaloid,  which  occurs  in  all  parts  of  Cytisus 
Laburnum  except  the  wood,  and  is  most  abundant  in  the  ripe 
seeds.  The  base  appears  to  be  peculiar  to  the  entire  genus  of 
Laburnum. 
Marme  states  that  this  poison  is  apt  to  act  as  an  emetic.  Em- 
ployed subcutaneously,  a  few  decigrammes  killed  a  large  dog, 
0-03  to  0*04  grm.  a  cat.  Introduced  into  the  blood,  death  was 
produced  in  cats  by  0-01-0'015  grm.,  in  dogs  by  0-03  grm.  ;  in 
large  old  rabbits  by  0-01-0'015  grm.  Death  results  from  as- 
phyxia, and  may  be  prevented  by  timely  resort  to  artificial  res- 
piration, to  be  continued  from  J  to  2  hours. — [Chemisches  Cen- 
tralhl.  1869,  No.  32,  from  Zugahe  zu  deyii  Programme,  der  Bund- 
ner  Oantonschule,  Chur  1869. 
THE  MANUFACTURE  OF  BORAX  FROM  THE  NATIVE 
BORATE  OF  LIME. 
By  Dr.  Graeger. 
The  author  states  that,  since  he  found  that  what  is  stated  in 
treatises  and  handbooks  on  chemistry  concerning  pure  borate  of 
lime  is  generally  quite  erroneous,  he  commenced  by  studying  the 
properties  of  that  substance  more  minutely.  Pure  borate  of  lime 
is  only  slightly  soluble  in  pure  water,  100  parts  of  which,  at 
about  18°,  only  dissolve  from  0*304  to  0-333  parts  of  that  salt ; 
boiling  water  does  not  dissolve,  perceptibly,  more  of  this  salt. 
A  solution  of  pure  borate  of  lime  in  water  behaves,  with  the 
following  reagents,  in  the  following  manner  : — Ammonia,  no 
precipitate ;  caustic  potassa  solution,  very  slight  precipitate, 
due  to  a  trace  of  carbonate  present  along  with  the  caustic 
