\ 
ACTION OF NITRIC ACID UPON BRUCINE. llT 
likewise the case with salts of mercury and lead. The 
silver salt detonates when heated. The silver was deter- 
mined in it several times as chloride ; the results always 
differed. The reactions of this body agree with those de- 
scribed by Gerhardt. 
By the action of manganese and sulphuric acid upon 
brucine, a substance was obtained in ihe aqueous distillate, 
which possessed a peculiar odour and reduced nitrate of 
silver in the form of a very beautiful mirror; it was not 
altered by potash, and was consequently no aldehyde ; nor 
could any formic acid be detected in it. 
From the foregoing experiments, although imperfect, it 
is evident that the gas evolved in the action of nitric acid 
upon brucine is not pure nitrous ether, and also that the 
formula of cacotheline cannot be that proposed by Laurent, 
altliough with respect to the amount of carbon and hydro- 
gen the analyses agree. — Chem. Gaz. from Liebig^s 
idnnalen. 
ART. XXXI.—ON THE BALSAM OF TOLU AND SOME 
PRODUCTS OBTAINED FROM IT. 
By E, Kopp. 
The composition of the balsams of ToJu and Peru has 
been established by the researches of M. Plantamour and 
by the beautiful investigations of MM. Fremy and Deville. 
M. Deville also examined the products of the destructive 
distillation of the balsam of Tolu, and we are indebted to 
him for the discovery of benzoene and its derivatives, sub- 
stances analogous to benzine; one of these derivatives, 
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