360 ON THE BITTER PRINCIPLE OF ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM. 
violet-blue amorphous residue, which again dissolves with a yellow 
color. 
Hydrochloric acid dissolves absinthine with a yellow color, 
which on the application of a gentle heat passes into red; subse- 
quently the color becomes darker, with a turbidity and separation 
of a brown mass : it dissolves in fuming sulphuric acid with a 
brown color. Heated upon platinum foil, it is partially volatilized 
in brownish-yellow bitter vapors, which condense into an amor- 
phous substance, but the greater portion is carbonized. The sub- 
stance, dried in vacuo over sulphuric acid, gave the following 
analytical results : — 
Carbon - 65.06 65.30 16 = 96 65.30 
Hydrogen - 7.60 7.65 11 11 7.48 
Oxygen ----- 5 40 27,22 
The empirical formula for absinthine is therefore C 16 H 1 s , the 
rational formula probably C 16 H 10 4 -f HO. The preparation of a 
pure compound of absinthine with a metallic oxide of constant 
composition is exceedingly difficult. 
Absinthine was dissolved in alcohol and mixed with some caustic 
potash, carbonic acid passed into the dark golden liquid as long as 
carbonate of potash separated, and then some ether added and 
filtered. In this solution of absinthine and potash, acetate of lead 
produced a beautiful yellow flocculent precipitate of absinthine 
and oxide of lead ; but in the course of a few minutes it was con- 
verted into heavy white oxide of lead, and the alcohol became co- 
lored yellow by dissolved absinthine. It was also found impos 
sible to obtain the potash compound in a solid form. The spiritu- 
ous solution of the bitter principle gives no precipitate with neu- 
tral acetate of lead, and but a slight turbidity with basic acetate 
of lead; I succeeded however in obtaining a lead compound in the 
following manner: — Basic acetate of lead and some ammonia 
were added to an alcoholic solution, and evaporated to dryness in 
vacuo over sulphuric acid. The dry residue was rubbed to powder, 
and treated first with water, and after drying with ether as long 
as anything was dissolved, and lastly alcohol was employed for 
washing. This compound gave 55.25 per cent, oxide of lead, 
leading to the formula 2 (C 16 H 10 ) 4 + 3PbO, which requires 
54.80 oxide of lead. — Chem. Gaz. from Liebig's Annalen, April, 
1851. 
