Am,  Jour.  Pliarm.  \ 
April,  1883.  J 
Adulterated  Saffron. 
177 
tion  between  quinium  sulphate  and  sodium  valerate  is  also  practical. 
168  parts  of  hydrosodic  carbonate,  204  parts  of  valeric  acid  and  500 
parts  of  water  are  mixed,  and  when  effervescence  has  ceased  5,000  parts 
of  alcohol  and  872  parts  of  quinium  sulphate  are  added.  The  mix- 
ture is  then  warmed  until  decomposition  is  completed,  filtered,  mixed 
with  10,000  parts  of  hot  water  and  set  aside  to  crystallize. 
The  most  advantageous  and  efficient  process,  however,  is  that  by 
double  decomposition  between  quinium  sulphate  and  calcium  valerate 
in  the  presence  of  weak  alcohol.  This  yields  the  salt  chiefly  in  splen- 
did star  crystals,  although  some  plate  crystals  are  formed  in  the  mother 
liquor  poured  off  from  the  first  crop.  The  calcium  valerate  is  gener- 
ated by  the  action  of  valeric  acid  in  aqueous  solution  on  calcium  car- 
bonate. The  reaction  is  almost  instantly  completed,  with  copious  effer- 
vescence.   The  formula  is  as  follows : 
Quinium  sulphate,       ....  872  parts. 
Valeric  acid,  .  .  .  .  204  " 
Calcium  carbonate,       ....  100  " 
Alcohol,  ..... 
Water,  .  .  .  .of  each  sufficient. 
Mix  the  valeric  acid  with  5,000  parts  of  water,  add  the  calcium  car- 
bonate, and,  when  effervescence  has  ceased  and  a  clear  solution  has 
resulted,  add  2,500  parts  of  alcohol  and  the  quinium  sulphate.  Now 
heat  the  mixture  until  decomposition  is  complete ;  filter  whilst  hot,  and 
rinse  the  residue  of  calcium  sulphate  with  a  little  alcohol  or  weak 
alcohol,  and  set  the  filtrate  aside  to  crystallize.  Collect  the  crystals  on 
a  filter,  and  when  drained  expose  them  in  the  open  air  to  dry.  The 
drained  liquor  on  evaporation  will  yield  an  additional  crop  of  crystals. 
Adulterated  Saffron. — A  new  adulteration  is  described  by  Dr. 
J.  Biel  in  '^  Phar.  Zeitschr.  f.  Russland.''  It  consists  of  calendula  florets 
dyed  with  dinitrocresolate  of  sodium,  then  impregnated  with  oil,  and 
rolled  up  length- wise.  It  is  mixed  with  from  4  to  30  per  cenl.  of  true 
saffron,  and  was  offered  as  Alicante  saffron.  The  factitious  article 
closely  resembles  disconnected  styles  of  crocus,  except  that  it  is  of  uni- 
form thickness,  and  is  never  attached  to  a  yellow  filiform  style.  It 
tinges  water  yellow  like  saffron,  yields  about  the  same  amount  of  ash 
(9  against  8  per  cent,  for  saffron),  but  imparts  to  petroleum-bezin  a 
lemon-yellow  color,  while  the  coloring  matter  of  saffron  is  not  soluble 
in  that  liquid.  Sodium  dinitrocresolate,  being  cheap  and  innocuous,  has 
been  in  use  for  some  time  for  coloring  liquors. 
12 
