456 BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 
with water and treated with dilute sulphuric acid added in slight 
excess. The precipitate of barium sulphate that formed was 
removed by filtration, and lead carbonate was added to the filtrate 
to get rid of the sulphuric acid. After filtration the solution had 
an acid reaction when tested with litmus paper, but it gave no 
precipitate when tested with barium nitrate. Sulphuretted hydro- 
gen gas was passed to remove lead, the filtrate from the lead sul- 
phide was evaporated to dryness and the residue was treated with 
suecessive portions of strong alcohol of 93%. The matter in- 
soluble in alcohol gave a slight acid reaction on being dissolved 
in water, and a rotation of quasi(a) D = 111°. The solution was 
again evaporated to dryness and tested for crystals as before 
(see page 448), but none appeared. The dark-brown syrupy mass, 
on being treated with successive small portions of pure methyl 
alcohol, dissolved completely. This methyl alcohol solution set 
aside in a cold room, in mid-winter, dried down to a syrup of the 
same appearance as before; it was now washed with ethyl alco- 
hol of 93% until all traces of acidity had been removed from it. 
On being dissolved in water it tasted somewhat bitter, with a 
suggestion of sweetness. A portion of it was tested for mucic 
acid, with nitric acid, and none was found, —a result which con- 
sists with that of a similar trial made by Braconnot. 
Yet another portion of the matter insoluble in alcohol (of 
page 455) was dissolved in water and filtered, dilute sulphuric 
acid was added, to precipitate barium, if possible, and subse- 
quently lead carbonate to remove sulphuric acid. Sulphuretted 
hydrogen was passed to remove lead, and, since the solution gave 
an acid reaction after the removal of the lead sulphide, a new 
quantity of lead carbonate was added, and afterwards sulphuretted 
hydrogen. It appeared, however, that the acidity could not be 
annulled by this method of procedure. It was only by evaporat- 
ing the filtrate from the lead sulphide to the consistence of a 
syrup, and washing this syrup with strong alcohol that the last 
traces of free acid were removed. ‘The syrup thus washed, when 
freed from alcohol and dissolved in water, had a peculiar, dis- 
agreeable odor, and a sweetish though somewhat bitter taste. 
After complete removal of the acidity the syrup was dried care- 
fully at a temperature of 70° to 80°C., and finally weighed after 
it had been heated for a short time to 100°. The rotatory power 
