202 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
with ether, which, on evaporation, yielded a small amount of 
fatty matter. Another portion was treated in the usual way 
for obtaining quinise sulphas, but without any product. 
Destructive analysis was not attempted. 
From these experiments it may be concluded, that the 
Chrysanthemum par thenium contains chlorophylle, wax, re- 
sin, essential oil, fatty matter, bitter extractive, gum, gallic acid, 
and tannin; that it does not contain fecula, albumen, or any 
peculiar alkaloid, or crystallizable principle; and that its 
activity principally resides in its volatile oil and extractive 
matter, the effect of both being probably increased by the 
presence of tannin and gallic acid. From the quantity of 
tannin this vegetable contains, it is probable that the crystals 
spoken of by Hooper, as existing in the old extract, were 
gallic acid. 
In conclusion, it may not be improper to say, that its che- 
mical constituents harmonize admirably with its therapeutic 
character, showing it equally capable, by judicious manage- 
ment, of acting as a diffusible stimulant, or producing in an 
eminent degree the more permanent and solid impression of 
the tonics. 
ART. XXXII.— OBSERVATIONS OF L1EBIG, DUMAS AND 
PELIGOT, KANE, &c, ON PYRO ACETIC SPIRIT, AND 
, THE COMPOUNDS DERIVED THEREFROM. 
When acetic acid is decomposed, through the agency of a 
high temperature, there is produced a light liquid, bearing 
strong resemblance to alcohol in many of its properties. This 
liquid has attracted the attention of many of the best chemists 
of Europe, the results of whose investigations we will attempt 
to embody in the present article. It is, however, to Robert 
Kane, M. D., of Dublin, that we are indebted for the greatest 
amount of information on this subject. Previous to his inves- 
