AMNon;mA2RM-}  Notes  on  Benzoin.  485 
The  alcoholic  percolate  (e)  was  evaporated,  by  means  of  a  water- 
bath,  to  a  syrupy  consistence,  and  then  treated  with  ether.  A  pre- 
cipitate was  produced,  which  was  separated  by  filtration  and  again 
treated  with  alcohol,  which  dissolved  out  the  phseoretin ;  the  aporetin 
remained,  being  insoluble  in  alcohol.  The  ethereal  filtrate  was 
allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously,  whereby  crysophanic  acid  sepa- 
rated in  small  crystals.  When  the  ethereal  solution  ceased  deposit- 
ing crystals,  evaporation  in  a  water-bath  yielded  a  soft,  fatty,  resin- 
ous mass  (</),  which  was  sparingly  soluble  in  cold  water,  more  soluble 
in  hot  water,  entirely  soluble  in  ether  and  alcohol. 
The  ethereal  percolate  (/)  was  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously, 
and  deposited  beautiful  yellow  crystals,  only  consisting  of  chryso- 
phanic  acid. 
To  determine  the  constituents  of  the  aqueous  extract,  a  few  ounces 
of  rhubarb  were  exhausted  with  cold  water,  the  percolate  evaporated 
by  means  of  a  water-bath,  to  a  syrupy  liquid,  and  this  treated  with 
alcohol,  which  separated  the  extractive  matter ;  the  alcoholic  solution 
was  evaporated,  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  to  a  syrupy  liquid  ;  the 
solution  in  alcohol  and  evaporation  was  repeated  twice,  to  separate 
all  the  extractive  matter,  when  the  residue  was  exhausted  with  water, 
then  dissolved  in  a  small  quantity  of  alcohol,  and  this  solution  treated 
with  ether,  whereby  phseoretin  and  a  small  portion  of  aporetin  were 
precipitated.  The  phseoretin  was  separated  by  solution  in  alcohol. 
Prom  the  ethereal  solution  only  a  trace  of  chrysophanic  acid  and 
erythroretin  were  obtained,  the  latter  resin  having  no  fatty  appear- 
ance, as  in  the  case  of  the  alcoholic  percolate  (g). 
notp:s  on  benzoin. 
By  Albert  C.  Curtis. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
For  the  following  experiments,  eight  samples  of  benzoin  were  used, 
two  of  which  were  obtained  from  Prof.  Maisch  ;  the  remaining  six 
from  different  stores  in  Philadelphia  : 
1st.  Three  drachms  of  each  of  Nos.  2,  3,  4,  5  and  8  were  mixed 
with  about  double  the  weight  of  lime,  and  boiled  for  half  an  hour  with 
six  fluid-ounces  of  water,  filtered  and  cooled  ;  an  excess  of  muriatic 
acid  was  added  to  the  filtrates,  which  gave  precipitates  of  a  white 
•color,  corresponding,  when  washed,  dried  and  weighed,  to  14J,  10J, 
10,  8  and  1  per  cent.,  respectively. 
