358 ON THE BITTER PRINCIPLE OF ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM. 
original weight. The other experiment was made with spinach. 
820 kilogrms. of raw spinach were picked, and thus reduced to 
639 kilogrms, of matter for drying. These in twenty-four hours 
were reduced to 71 kilogrms. of dry matter, having thus lost 89 
per cent, of their weight. Pressure in the hydraulic press subse- 
quently reduced the volume, bringing the density to 550 or 600 
kilogrms. for the cubic metre. 
The vegetables subjected to this process present a satisfactory 
odor and appearance, retain their flexibility and natural color ; 
and the form is so well kept in some, that they have the aspect of 
recently-gathered vegetables. When subsequently immersed in hot 
water, they absorb the principal part of the water lost during the de- 
siccation. The following table exhibits the results thus obtained : — 
Weight 
before 
Vegetable used. immersion. 
Common cabbage, . . 280 grms. 
Brussels sprouts, . . . 139 
Celery, 130 
Spinach, ....... 87 
This mode of preservation of vegetables evidently offers peculiar 
advantages in its application to the use of the army and navy. — 
London Chem. Gaz. } July 15, 1851, from Comptes Rendus, May 
19, 1851, 
Tern- 
Weight 
Proportion 
srature of Duration 
after 
of weights 
the of the 
immer- 
before and 
water. immersion. 
sion. 
after immersion. 
122° F. 33 m 
1480 
5-30 
122 38 
0630 
4-53 
122 41 
0-510 
3-93 
113 30 
0475 
547 
ON THE COMPOSITION OF THE BITTER PRINCIPLE OF 
ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM. 
Br Dr. E. Luck. 
Mein and Righini have described methods more or less tedious 
for preparing pure absinthine. The former chemist states that he 
obtained it crystalline and while. To obtain this substance, I 
proceeded in the following manner : — The dry herb was exhausted 
with alcohol of 0.863, and the clear liquid distilled to the consist- 
ence of a syrup, the residue transferred into a stoppered bottle, 
and well shaken with ether. After some time this separates with 
a yellowish-brown color. This treatment with ether is repeated 
until it no longer has a very bitter taste. The etherial liquid is 
