354 
Chemical  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July, 1879. 
I34°C.  If  this  cantharen  be  boiled  with  10  parts  water  and  5  parts 
concentrated  nitric  aid,  in  a  tube  drawn  out  to  a  capillary  opening,  it  is 
oxidized  first  to  orthotoluy-lic  acid  and  finally  to  snow-white  crystalline 
phthalic  acid.  If  cantharidin  be  heated  with  an  excess  of  penta-sulphide 
of  phosphorus  the  mass  swells  up  and  there  distills  from  it  a  light  oil, 
which,  when  rectified  over  metallic  potassium,  is  found  to  be  pure 
orthoxylol,  C8H10. — Ber.  der  Chem.  Ges.,  xii,  p.  577. 
An  Examination  of  Distilled  Essence  of  Lemon. — In  this  journal  (May, 
1879,  p.  255),  in  describing  aprocess  for  obtaining  the  distilled  essence 
of  lemon,  reference  is  made  to  a  study  of  this  essence  by  Dr.  W.  A. 
Tilden.    The  results  of  that  study  were  as  follows  : 
The  specimens  of  oil  examined  had  a  sp.  gr.  of  '852  at  20°;  the 
first  rough  distillates,  after  being  heated  with  metallic  sodium,  gave  a 
distillate  boiling  under  1790.  The  following  substances  were  recog- 
nized :  (1.)  A  turpentine,  C10H16,  agreeing  in  general  properties  with 
terebenthene.  (2.)  A  terpene,  C10H16,  for  which  the  name  citrene  may 
be  retained,  and  which  constitutes  at  least  70  per  cent,  of  the  crude 
oil  ;  this  terpene  differs  but  slightly  from  the  corresponding  terpene  of 
orange  as  to  odor,  and  it  boils  at  the  same  temperature,  1760  ;  but  it  is 
distinguished  by  the  formation  of  terpene  hydrate  when  treated  with 
nitric  acid  and  alcohol,  whereas  hesperidene  yields  no  terpene  (hy- 
drate ?)  ;  citrene  treated  with  strong  sulphuric  acid  yields  an  inactive 
hydrocarbon,  boiling  at  about  1760,  whilst  hesperidene  yields  viscid 
products,  distilling  above  2400.  (3.)  Cymene  about  6  per  cent.  (4.) 
Distillates  c  and  d  consist  chiefly  of  an  oxidized  compound,  C10H18O, 
boiling  above  200°,  resembling  terpinol,  except  that  it  is  dextrorota- 
tory. (5.)  The  viscid  residue  consists  of  polymeric  hydrocarbons, 
(C10H16)2,  and,  also,  of  a  compound  ether,  C10H17(C2H3O)O,  which  is 
decomposed  by  heat  into  C10H16  and  acetic  acid. — four.  Chem.  Soc, 
May,  1879,  p.  386,  from  Pbar.  J.  Trans. 
On  the  Alkaloids  on  the  Aconites. — Wright  and  LufT  have  pub- 
lished farther  results  in  their  study  of  the  Japanese  aconite  roots.  The 
alkaloid  is  called  by  them  japaconitine,  and  they  give  to  it  the  formula 
C66H88N2021.  It  melts  at  1850  to  1860,  and  closely  resembles  aconi- 
tine.  On  saponification  it  splits  up  into  benzoic  acid  and  a  new  base, 
japaconine.  Japaconine  closely  resembles  aconine,  but  on  treatment 
with  benzoic  anhydride  it  forms  a  tetra-benzoylated  instead  of  a  diben- 
zoylated  derivation. — Chem.  News,  May  23,  1879,  p.  224. 
