230 
ON THE LACTATE OF IRON. 
terations by means of nitrate of baryta, which precipitates all 
the sulphuric acid from the sulphate. For the second, the 
tincture of iodine affords a sensible reagent. 
The third is less easy of detection, the sugar of milk and 
lactate of iron being equally soluble in water, and insoluble in 
alcohol or ether. We can succeed, however, by means of 
nitric acid, which transforms the sugar of milk into mucic 
acid. Heat about 2 grammes of the suspected article with 30 
grammes of nitric acid, until the whole shall be reduced to 6 
or 7 grammes. If the salt be pure, the liquid will remain 
clear after cooling. Should the salt contain lactine, it will 
form a white pulverulent precipitate of mucic acid, of which 
the characters can be easily recognised. 
It is possible, doubtless, to avoid these falsifications, by 
testing the pulverized lactate of iron before employing it, 
but it is simpler and surer not to admit the salt, except 
under the form of crystalline plates, which with difficulty 
permit of fraud. 
Journal de Pharmacie. 
