482  The  Examination  of  Chaulmoogra  Oil.  {AQctobeJ'  w™" 
Salts  of  Gynocardic  Acid. 
1.  Calcium  Gynocardate. — This  was  prepared  by  neutralizing  the 
oil  with  alcoholic  potash  and  precipitating  the  neutralized  solution 
with  a  dilute  solution  of  calcium  chloride.  A  granular  white  pre- 
cipitate was  obtained  which  became  plastic  when  boiled  with  water. 
It  is  soluble  partly  in  boiling  alcohol,  and  the  solution,  on  cooling, 
deposits  a  large  quantity  of  a  jelly-like  precipitate,  which  crystallizes 
on  standing.  The  alcoholic  solution  separated  by  filtration  when  it 
became  completely  cold  and  was  used  for  the  detection  of  phytosterol 
according  to  the  method  of  Kreis  and  Wolff  (see  Leach's  "  Food 
Inspection  and  Analysis").  The  phytosterol  was  further  identified 
by  extracting  the  crude  calcium  salt  with  ether  and  preparing  phy- 
tosteryl  acetate  by  the  method  of  Lewkowitsch.  The  calcium  salt 
is  slightly  soluble  in  boiling  water.  A  portion  of  the  salt  washed 
with  ether  was  dried  on  a  steam-bath.  Those  in  contact  with  hot 
surface  acquired  a  yellowish  tint,  the  substance  becoming  semi-solid 
at  the  same  time.  A  little  of  the  salt  taken  in  a  test-tube  and  kept 
in  a  steam  oven  for  six  hours  was  converted  into  a  brownish-yellow 
resinous  substance  with  a  characteristic  odor,  showing  that  the  salt 
is  decomposed  by  heat.  On  boiling  a  little  of  the  salt  with  water  in. 
a  test-tube  it  became  plastic  and  at  the  same  time  acquired  a  strong 
yellow  color.  On  cooling,  a  brittle,  hard  lump  of  resinous  color 
was  obtained.  On  dry  heating,  the  salt  decrepitates  (due,  per- 
haps, to  the  presence  of  water  of  crystallization  in  the  salt)  and 
then  melts,  acquiring  a  yellowish-brown  color.  On  more  heating,  it 
turned  reddish-brown  and  gave  acrid-smelling  white  fumes.  When 
cold  water  was  added  into  the  test-tube,  the  solution  gave  a  neutral 
reaction  with  litmus  paper  and  methyl  orange. 
2.  Zinc  Gynocardate. — Prepared  in  a  similar  manner  by  pre- 
cipitating soap  with  zinc  chloride  solution.  It  is  white  and  crystal- 
line and  becomes  plastic  on  heating.  But  no  coloration  takes  place. 
On  dry  heating  the  same  change  takes  place  as  with  calcium  salts. 
It  is  insoluble  in  water  and  very  slightly  soluble  in  boiling  alcohol. 
3.  Magnesium  Gynocardate. — This  salt  is  prepared  as  above  de- 
scribed by  precipitating  the  new  neutral  potash  soap  with  magnesium 
chloride  solution.  The  physical  properties  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
zinc  salts.  It  is  slightly  soluble  in  water,  but  more  soluble  in  boil- 
ing alcohol  than  the  calcium  salt  (compare  lauric  acid). 
