176 
MISCELLANY. 
juice, so rich in the coccine of Lassaigne, which is analogous to the carmine 
of Pelletier, and obtained from the entire cochineal. But it is known that 
after the expression of the juice of the Kermes, for tinctures, for syrups, or 
the exciting liquors so much used in the East, (PAlkermes) the residue, 
the debris of these gall insects, contain a semi-corneous envelope, and 
other dry organs, connected with matter nearly useless. The greater part 
of these remains, in fact, is composed of the corneous substance, common 
to most insects and called chitine, with some mineral salts, (phosphate and 
carbonate of lime,) which ordinarily accompany it. 
But it was easily shown that these debris still contain a notable quanti- 
ty of coccine, the red coloring matter. 
It was only necessary to submit this dry residue of Kermes to porphy- 
risation, and to give an eastern name to the substance to increase its value, 
to disguise it under the title of syria, syrian powder. 
Further, it is evident that there can be obtained a sufficiently large 
quantity of purple coloring powder, and a pigment more or less solid of 
this powder, but we have not observed it with the vivid, brilliant, and pure 
tints, which the carmine of cochineal or its magnificent preparations pre- 
sent, yet it is probable that a useful application of syria may be made in 
the art of dyeing, and to color either papers or tissues, and a multitude of 
substances in daily use. 
Journ. de Pharm. 
Additional Note. — Tt has been suspected that the lac-lake or lac-dye 
enters into this coloring powder, because both present equally a purple co- 
lor. But the specimens of lac-dye, in violet reddish-brown cubic cakes, 
such as have been described by us in the Journal de Pharmacie for 1821, 
tome vii, pages 523-4, at the termination of our memoir upon lac resin, 
are not completely incinerable by fire, like the powder of syria. Be- 
sides, lac-dye contains also a portion of friable magnesian talk, which has 
received the color so as to be employed in water colors, which is not the 
case with the syria ; it affords no earthy parts and gives no effervescence 
with acids as I have determined. It has, nevertheless, a specific gravity 
greater than lac-dyes; for the latter retains a portion of lac resin, suspend- 
ed in the caseum of milk by aid of soda, then precipitated by citric acid. 
On the contrary, the powder of syria, equally soluble, as regards its coloring 
portion, in water and alcohol, does not contain an abundant resin, like the 
lac. Such are the differences between these coloring matters. 
