MISCELLANY. 
77 
after a short time, a considerable quantity of zinc in solution. I have 
found, by experiment, that a solution of sugar, which had stood only a 
few hours in a zinc vessel in the summer, contained, a considerable 
amount of zinc salts. It has been often stated, that the cream will 
separate more easily from milk if the latter be kept for a short time in 
zinc vessels. As, however, it is known that milk will become much 
sooner acid than a solution of sugar, it is the more to be apprehended 
that some zinc will be dissolved, and such milk will be the more noxi- 
ous, as it is well known that even a small amount of zinc will cause 
violent spasmodic vomiting. — Ibid, from Gewenb-blattfur Sachsen. 
Ntvj Method of Preparing Cinnamic Mid, By Mr. G. Heaver. — 
Having recently had occasion to prepare, amongst other chemical pro- 
ducts, a quantity of cinnamic acid, and finding that Turner's process 
for making it from oil of balsam of Peru, was a tedious and expensive 
operation, and that the product was exceedingly small in proportion to 
the quantity of balsam employed, I was led to make some experiments 
with a view of preparing this acid more economically. This I soon 
found might be effected by distilling genuine balsam of Tolu, the price 
of, which is now very low. On subjecting this article to a gentle heat 
in a retort, it fuses, and a little water and fragrant volatile oil first come 
over ; these are succeeded by the cinnamic acid, which distils over in 
the form of L a heavy oil, condensing in the cool part of the neck of the 
retort into a white crystalline mass. This gradually becomes contami- 
nated with an empyreumatic oil, that rises towards the end of the ope- 
ration. The acid may be freed from this oil by pressure between folds 
of filtering paper, and afterwards dissolving in a large quantity of boil- 
ing water, from which it deposits, on cooling, in minute colorless 
crystals. 
This process is very productive, so much so, that the balsam of Tolu 
I employed, yielded an eighth of its weight of pure acid — minus a few 
grains. — Ibid, from Annals of Chemistry and Practical Pharmacy. 
Mezereon Cerate. — The following formula is given by Mr. Pleischl 
for the preparation of this cerate. 
Digest the fresh bark of mezereon, collected at the period of in- 
florescence of the plant, in spirit of wine, for two or three days; pour 
off the liquor and add fresh spirit, repeating Ihis process until the bark 
is exhausted of its soluble parts. Mix the liquors thus obtained to- 
gether, and submit them to the action of hydrate of lime, prepared with 
three parts of water to one of quick lime. The hydrate of lime should 
be used in the proportion of one part, by weight, to three parts of meze- 
