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BORACIC  ACID  IN  CALIFORNIA. 
Mix  the  cloves,  cinnamon  and  nutmeg,  moisten  slightly  with 
diluted  alcohol  and  transfer  to  a  glass  funnel,  having  previous- 
ly inserted  a  conical-shaped  piece  of  sponge  into  the  upper 
part  of  the  neck.  Displace  until  four  fluid  ounces  have  passed 
through,  which  reserve.  Mix  the  rhubarb  with  an  equal  bulk 
of  washed  sand  and  the  dregs  of  the  aromatics  ;  moisten  slight- 
ly with  diluted  alcohol,  transfer  the  whole  to  a  displacer  and 
add,  gradually,  diluted  alcohol,  until  two  pints  have  passed 
through,  to  whiclvadd  half  a  pound  of  the  sugar  and  evaporate 
in  a  water-bath  to  one  pint.  Make  a  syrup  of  the  remainder 
of  the  sugar  and  two  pints  of  water,  add  the  evaporated  tinc- 
ture, boil  for  a  few  minutes,  strain  and  add  the  reserved  aro- 
matic tincture  while  it  is  still  hot.  The  syrup  should  stand  at 
30°  Baume  while  boiling  hot. 
In  following  the  process  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  1850  for 
this  syrup,  a  large  amount  of  the  volatile  portion  of  the  aro- 
matic ingredients  is  lost  by  long  continued  heat  in  evaporation. 
By  the  process  above  recommended  this  objection  is  entirely 
obviated  and  the  aroma  uninjured.  The  object  of  adding  a 
small  portion  of  sugar  to  the  tincture  before  evaporation  is  that 
it  may  act  as  a  deoxidizing  agent,  and  prevent  the  formation 
of  apotheme.  The  amount  of  alcohol  retained  in  the  syrup, 
being  only  two  fluid  ounces  in  about  seven  pints,  is  too  small 
to  form  a  reasonable  ground  for  objection.  The  syrup  prepared 
as  above,  retains  its  transparency  and  contains  all  the  aromatic 
droperties  of  the  ingredients. — Journ.  Md.  Col.  Pharm. 
BORACIC  ACID  IN  THE  SEA- WATER  OF  THE  PACIFIC  ON  THE 
COAST  OF  CALIFORNIA. 
By  John  A.  Veatch.  ' 
The  existence  of  Boracic  Acid  in  the  sea-water  of  our  coast 
was  brought  to  my  notice  in  July,  1857.  I  had,  in  the  month  of 
January  of  the  previous  year,  discovered  borate  of  soda  and 
other  borates  in  solution  in  the  water  of  a  mineral  spring  in 
Tehama  county,  near  the  upper  end  of  the  Sacramento  Valley. 
Prosecuting  the  research,  I  found  traces  of  Boracic  Acid — in 
the  form  of  borates — in  nearly  all  the  mineral  springs  with  which 
the  State  of  California  abounds.    This  was  especially  the  case 
