ch.

COMMON ALMOND.

1105

p re P n . es . s i as well as of the value of the cake which they yield. When recently ex-pos U 11 * s turbid, but by rest and filtration becomes quite transparent. It usually‘i?ht Se » a . slightly-yellow tinge, which becomes somewhat paler by exposure to solarReal 1 ls inodorous, or nearly so, and has a purely oleaginous bland taste. It con-per p * SS readi l v by cold than olive oil. Braconnot states, that at 14° F. it deposits 24gf Ca °f margarin , which fuses at 43° F. The residual elain did not congeal at thein „ est degree of cold. The accuracy of these statements has, however, been calledC«“*on. Its sp. gr. would appear to vary: Brandis found it 0-911, Brisson 0 917,t* e ® Ur ! 0-920, at 53°6 F. Sulphuric ether dissolves it. Six parts of boiling, ory-nve parts of cold alcohol, are required to dissolve one part of this oil.

Proximate Composition.

fM,,; BRACONNOT.

S ain ..

ar garin (Stearin of Braconnot)..

76

24

Almond oil . 100

Tb,

Ultimate Analysis.

SAUSSURE.

Carbon . 77-403

Hydrogen. 11-481

Oxygen. 10828

Nitrogen [loss] . 0-288

Almond Oil. 100-000

2 JJ tr °gen mentioned in Saussure’s analysis is probably an error,is ( Vegetable Albumen of Almonds). —This remarkable constituent of almonds

its w Ue ’ and soluble in cold water: hence it is a constituent of almond emulsion. Fromsolv e - ^ Sfd| ition it is precipitated in thick white flocks by alcohol; these flocks dis-l'eat(. ( j In , Water > even if they have been previously dried. If the watery solution be

H»H c ij to 212° F. the emulsin coagulates, and the liquor becomes thick, like starchio ? p rom ordinary vegetable albumen, emulsin is distinguished by its produc-

ed 0 p® ^composition of amygdalin, and yielding, among other products, the volatileRul a b 'tter almonds and hydrocyanic acid. When, however, emulsin has been coa-de pif “y heat, it loses its power of acting on amygdalin (Wohler and Liebig , Journ.('{’!, arw - xxxiii. 391). The composition of emulsin, according to Mr. RichardsonSon > Organ. Chemistry, 683), is as follows:—

P ar bon ..

< S ":

x )'gen ...

0

Atoms.

. 24 ,. 23 ,

. 4 .

. 9 ,

Eq. Wt.

144 ..23 ..56 ..

Per cent. Richardson.

48-81 . 48-835

7 79 ...... 7-732

18-99 . 18-911

72 . 24-41

24-722

Emulsin

295

100 00 . 100-200

Pe Cll ]j baryta, emulsin evolves ammonia, and yields a barytic salt containing a*i* j s ar ac id, which has been termed emulsic acid. It is probable, therefore, that emul-Hi,l- amide of emulsic acid (i. e. emulsate of ammonia, minus an atom of water).a Very 1 (J° urn - de Pharm. xxiv. 196) regards the emulsin of Wohler and Liebig as3 y° m plex product.

erystallizable substance found in the bitter, but not in the sweetalt * 0 It is a probable constituent of cherry-laurel leaves. From four lbs. of bitterIt i s Liebig obtained one ounce of pure amygdalin ( Handwort. d. Chem. p. 330).a )coho] lte ’ pdourless, has at first a sweet, then a hitter taste, is very soluble in boiling•ion j t • n . d in water, but is insoluble in ether. Crystallized out of an alcoholic solu-«ol„ ti , lS 111 P ear ly scales, and is anhydrous. The crystals obtained from a wateryc >-y st !?. ar e colourless, transparent, and prismatic, and contain six atoms of water ofn - 1 Zat ion. The watery solution has a feebly bitter taste. Submitted to distillatioube*, .^c acid, it yields hydrocyanic acid, oil of bitter almonds, formic acid, and someHc *! ed with an alkaline solution it evolves ammonia, and yields anL-tO jj 2 '' salt, which contains a peculiar acid, called amygdalic acid, composed ofd al aie -P 24 : hence, perhaps, amygdalin is an amide of amygdalic add (i.e. an amyg-0,1 a sil ? nim °nia, minus an atom of water). By the action of a solution of emulsin*be Vo |' u .t>on of amygdalin, we obtain, among other products, hydrocyanic acid andls th e c atl e °\I of bitter almonds (see Volatile Oil of Bitter Almonds). The followingde proposition of amygdalin, according to Wohler and Liebig (op. dt.; also Journ.

4 B