534 
The  Acids  of  Butt  a-. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm^ 
t      Nov.,  1892. 
contained  35-35  per  cent.  Ag.  (calculated  for  lauric  acid,  35- 18  per 
cent.). 
Fraction  A  was  neutralized  with  ammonia,  and  fractionally  pre- 
cipitated by  5  portions  of  20  cc.  of  normal  alcoholic  silver  nitrate. 
Am —  Av  corresponded  to  silver  caproate. 
Portion  II.  This  was  fractionated  as  fraction  III  A  by  means  of 
10  portions  of  silver  nitrate.  These  were  washed  with  alcohol, 
boiling  water,  and  again  alcohol,  and  air  dried. 
Fractio?i  4  contained  a  percentage  of  silver  corresponding  nearly 
to  silver  caprylate ;  it  was,  therefore,  refractionated,  and  a  series  of 
precipitates  were  obtained  corresponding  exactly  to  silver  caprylate. 
Fractions  5 — 10  were  chiefly  silver  caproate.  In  order  to  decide 
whether  this  was  normal  caproic  acid  or  isobutylacetic,  the  author 
determined  the  solubility  of  the  calcium  salt.  100  cc.  of  water  at 
17-5  dissolved  2-58  grammes  of  anhydrous  calcium  salt.  Lieben 
{Ann.  165,  118)  has  shown  that  at  18-5°  100  cc.  of  water  dissolves 
2707  grammes  of  normal  calcium  caproate  and  11*3  grammes  of 
calcium  isobutylacetate.  Butter,  therefore,  contains  normal  caproic 
acid. 
Portion  I  This  was  principally  butyric  acid.  The  silver  salt} 
after  crystallization  from  water,  gave  5  5  27  per  cent.  Ag.  (calculated 
for  butyric  acid,  55-38  per  cent.).  Grunzweig  {Ann.  162,  215)  has 
already  shown  that  the  butyric  acid  in  butter  is  normal. 
The  butter  then  examined  contained  91-5  per  cent,  of  fatty  acids, 
of  wnich  the  percentage  composition  is  as  follows : 
Oleic  Acid  -\ 
Acid  of  the  formula  C15H  2  804      l    34-o 
"       "  "  C29H5405(?)J 
Stearic  Acid,  -  .   2*0 
Palmitic  Acid,   28*0 
Myristic  Acid,   22-o 
Lauric  Acid,    .   8  0 
Capric  Acid,   2'o 
Caprylic  Acid,   0  5 
Caproic  Acid,   2'o 
Butyric  Acid,   ;   i\5 
ioo-o 
Eupliorbia  pilulifera  administered  in  the  form  of  fluid  extract  has  been 
found  useful  by  Dr.  E.  S.  Blair  {Theiap.  Gaz.,  March,  1892)  in  hay  asthma, 
nof  only  in  the  primary  attack,  but  also  in  cutting  short  any  recurrence  of  the 
affection. 
