MISCELLANJf. 
87 
Balsam of Peru. — M. Fremy, in a paper upon the balsams, has proven 
that there may be obtained from the liquid balsam of Peru, by very simple 
means, two substances, one liquid and the other crystalline. The liquid 
matter, which he has called Cinnamine, exhibits great analogy to the fatty 
bodies. When it is treated with a concentrated solution of potassa, it 
is changed into cinnamate of potassa and a neutral volatile substance, 
which he has called Peruvine. This reaction takes place without disen- 
gagement of gas, or absorption of oxygen. 
When cinnamine is treated by hydrate of potassa in fragments, the cin- 
namate of potassa is again formed ; but, in this case, pure hydrogen is dis- 
engaged, and there is no trace of Peruvine. The composition of cinna- 
mine explains perfectly these reactions. The crystalline matter of balsam 
of Peru is, in composition, a hydrate of cinnamine, and has similar reac- 
tions. When treated by hydrate of potassa, it is changed into cinnimate 
of potassa, and pure hydrogen is disengaged. 
These two bodies form the resin and cinnamic acid which is met with 
in balsams exposed to the air. The balsam of Tolu has exactly the same 
composition as the balsam of Peru ; it also contains cinnamic acid, and a 
resin of the same composition as that of balsam of Peru. 
Acad, des Sciences, Journ. de CJiim. Medicaid 
Falsification of Manna. — M. Boenoist, pharmacien at Saumar, states, 
that he received, a short time since, from a druggist of Paris, a quantity 
of manna in sorts, mixed with a substance which he recognised to be 
sugar of amidon. Having, without difficulty, separated a pound of this 
substance from twelve of manna, he was convinced that a pound of it still 
remained, which was so divided, and agglutinated with the fat manna, 
that it would have required a considerable expenditure of time to extract 
the whole of it. 
Upon examining, attentively, this manna, the substance was perceived 
existing under the form of small, irregular pieces, sometimes isolated, and 
at others agglutinated with the manna. These fragments, which, in 
addition, never assume the form of tears, are, in general, harder, and have 
neither the taste or the crystalline form of manna. Their fracture is 
granulated and gritty to the knife, their surface is shining. Among these 
pieces it is impossible to find a single one which has the form of a tear; 
thus none present a convex and a concave side, the result of the solidifi- 
cation of the manna upon the branches of the trees which produce it. 
The same falsification has been submitted to the Societie de Pharmacie, 
by M. Soubeiran, August, 1837, Journ. de Pharmacie. 
Sophistication of Carmine. — M. C. C. Ehrenberg informs us, that he has 
found in commerce, under the form of troches, a very beautiful carmine, 
of high price, which, nevertheless, has undergone sophistication. When 
