326 
SPURIOUS CHEMICALS. 
which to a slight extent is 
perceived in its salts, but it 
is readily distinguished from 
that of oil of valerian. 
4. The true valerianates, 
when mixed with a little 
proof spirit, and one-fourth 
the volume of oil of vitriol is 
then carefully added, will 
yield valerianic ether, which 
is recognised by its agreeable 
fruity smell, somewhat re- 
sembling that of the pine-ap- 
ple. This ether can hardly 
be distinguished in smell 
from butyric ether. 
The foregoing tests are sufficient to distinguish the true 
valerianates from the spurious substitutes above mentioned, 
but there is reason to believe that other substitutions have 
been practised, although not so extensively. We have met 
with a specimen of so-called valerianate of iron, which is 
evidently not what its name indicates, and yet it contains 
neither citrate, tartrate, nor acetate. It is in the form of a 
brown powder, insoluble in water and in spirit. It smells 
of valerianic acid, but on being decomposed with hydro- 
chloric or sulphuric acid, yields no appreciable quantity of 
the oily product. We have not had time to submit this 
specimen to a careful examination, but it is easily distin- 
guished from the true valerianate of iron, by its being in- 
soluble in spirit, while the latter dissolves freely in this 
menstruum, even without the application of heat. This sus- 
pected specimen is also distinguished from the genuine by 
its behaviour when heated in a platinum crucible. 
The true valerianate, if The suspected specimen 
carefully heated, fuses, gives does not fuse or give off any 
off valerianic acid undecom- appreciable quantity of vale- 
4. The spurious valeria- 
nates yield no valerianic 
ether ; but the spurious va- 
lerianate of zinc, when 
treated as above, yields acet- 
ic ether, which is easily de- 
tected. 
