20 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
This substance is soluble in alcohol and ether, and is depo- 
sited in acicular crystals, by evaporating its alcoholic or 
etherial solutions; also, very soluble in the oil from which it 
is derived, is nearly insoluble in the strong acids, and has a 
very peculiar odor, unlike any other with which I am ac- 
quainted. 
Experiment 8th. — A portion of the above substance was 
added to a solution of nitrate of silver, in diluted alcohol, with- 
out producing any change, but upon adding a few drops of 
sulphuric acid, a copious white precipitate was produced, 
which was entirely dissolved on the addition of ammonia, 
which is sufficient evidence of the presence of hydrochloric 
acid in the compound. 
Experiment 9th. — A portion of the substance obtained in 
experiment seventh, was intimately mixed with three times 
its weight of lime in powder, and the mixture introduced 
into a sublimary tube. On the application of heat, an oily 
matter and some water were condensed in the upper part of 
the tube. From this we may infer the decomposition of the 
compound, the chlorine of the hydrochloric acid unites with 
the calcium of a portion of the lime, while the hydrogen com- 
bines with the oxygen of the decomposed lime, forming water, 
which with the oily base of the compound is volatilized and 
condensed, and chloride of calcium remains behind. 
Experiment 10 th. — A portion of artificial camphor was 
treated as in the last experiment, which resulted merely in 
its sublimation, without being decomposed. The flame pro- 
duced during the combustion of this substance, like that 
of artificial camphor, is tinged with green. Hence we may 
assert, that the substance generated by the action of hydro- 
chloric acid on the oil of cajuput, is not artificial camphor, 
nevertheless that it is a compound of a carburet of hydrogen 
with the acid gas, similar in constitution to the hydrochlorate 
of oil of copaiba* 
Several of the volatile oils are known to deposite, on long 
standing, a crystalline matter, which has been called stearoptene, 
* See Traite de chimie appliquee aux art par J. Dumas, tome v. p. 676. 
