NOTES  ON  MINERAL  WATER  SYRUPS. 
309 
alcoliol,  and  the  solution  evaporated  gave  a  soft  resinous  extract ; 
this  by  being  stirred  up  with  a  dilute  solution  of  potassa  had 
the  odor  of  the  alkaloid,  as  eliminated  from  the  aqueous  solution, 
strongly  developed,  and  dense  cloudiness  was  produced  by^  the 
presence  of  chlorohydric  acid.  The  same  actions  occurred  with 
the  resin  obtained  by  ether,  but  very  faintly.  The  mass  was 
then  treated  with  water  mixed  with  one-twelfth  its  bulk  of 
alcohol,  and  the  action  upon  the  resulting  liquor,  of  the  several 
reagents  applied,  were  as  follows,  viz.  :  Lime  water  added  and 
gently  heated  gave  a  brown  gelatinous  precipitate,  leaving  the 
solution  colorless,  the  precipitate  was  redissolved  by  the  addition 
of  chlorohydric  acid,  the  solution  again  acquiring  the  former 
color.  Neutral  acetate  of  lead  gave  a  similar  precipitate,  which 
was  redissolved  by  the  addition  of  nitric  acid ;  liquor  potassse 
also  gave  a  precipitate  but  did  not  deprive  the  solution  of 
its  color,  caused  no  precipitate  when  added  to  solution  of  gelatine, 
and  was  not  colored  by  tincture  of  sesquichloride  of  iron. 
The  mass  was  then  boiled  in  2  pints  of  water  for  half  an 
hour  and  strained  ;  a  liquid  of  a  sweetish  taste,  but  having  very 
little  color,  was  obtained,  which,  after  cooling,  was  effected  by 
the  tests  applied  as  follows,  viz.  :  Did  not  give  a  blue  color  with 
tincture  of  iodine,  nor  a  perceptible  reddish  brown,  but  deep 
blue  with  recently  prepared  tincture  of  guaiae,  and  was  not 
affected  by  freshly  prepared  solution  of  tannic  acid,  nor  by 
solution  of  bichloride  of  mercury. 
The  results  of  my  experiments  enable  me  to  make  the  follow- 
ing deductions  :  That  this  substance  contains  secalin,  combined 
with  an  acid,  a  thick  viscid  fixed  oil  which  throws  down  a  large 
deposit  by  standing,  a  light  yellow  resin  soluble  in  ether,  but 
insoluble  in  alcohol,  a  large  amount  of  pectin,  gluten,  and  a 
sugar  which  crystallizes  in  tufts  of  needle-shaped  crystals,  from 
an  aqueous  solution,  and  behaves  like  cane  sugar  under  the  in- 
fluence of  Trommer's  test. 
NOTES  ON  MINERAL  WATER  SYRUPS. 
By  James  T.  Shinn. 
The  agreeability  of  carbonic  acid  water  as  a  beverage  depends 
principally  upon  its  coldness,  and  the  quality  of  the  syrup  with 
