1078

I!LEM ENTS OF .MATERIA MSDICA.

.somewhat like fragments of the cochineal insect (see Grand >Bancroft’s Exp. Research, vol. i. p. 435). .. ^ j )0U se

An extensive system of adulterating cochineal, by a mercanti le ^ aSin London , was discovered a few years ago. The genuine pa‘ n r imoistened with gum-water, and then agitated in a box or lent efirst with powdered sulphate of baryta, then with bone or i'" or J c ;fjcto give it the appearance of black cochineal. By this means the S I^ eIgravity of the cochineal was increased from P25 to 1'35, an 1cent, of worthless heavy spar sold at the price of cochineal, (A j e3 dof Arts and Manuf. p. 305-(>). Powdered talc and carbonatehave been used to give the silvery appearance. But a lens v' 1 g jj v eiydistinguish these powders from the real wool which gives the truecharacter. e b.v

Composition. —Two analyses of cochineal have been made , p ;i -John ( Gmelin, Handb. der Chem. ii. 1474), the other by Pelletier a»ventou (Ann. de Chim. et Phys. viii. 250). The latter chemists * oU1 ^ c01 n'constituents to be carmine , peculiar animal matter, fatty matter, j, a tcposed of stearine, olein, and an odorous acid), and salts, (viz. P‘ie aand carbonate of lime, chloride of potassium, phosphate of potas ,salt of potash, containing an organic acid). ^

Cochenillin (Carmine ).— Obtained by digesting 1 cochineal in ether,fatty matter, and then in alcohol, which dissolves the carmine. This colourm^^r;is a brilliant purplish red substance, with a granular or crystalline appearanc sj

able in the air, easily soluble in water and alcohol, but insoluble in ether. t i]in er ®112°, F. Chlorine renders it yellow. Acids change its colour. The concentra g _„ateacids decompose it. Alkalies render the watery solution of carmine violet. O 1|j0 st * e 'forms a violet precipitate with it. The affinity of hydrate of .alumina for it 1markable: the compound formed by their union is called a lalce. a luab! e

The pigment sold in the shops as carmine, and which is one of the most v , jl)in *-lours employed by the painter in water-colours, is a compound, of which co Lgniffi 11 ’one of the constituents. Pelletier and Caventou regard it as consisting 0 * Aanimal matter, and an acid. Some mystery is attached to the manufacture 0 ‘ ]jty-clear day seems essential to the formation of a pigment of the most esteeme 1

Physiological Effects and Uses. —Diuretic, diaphoretic, an *j putmodic, and anodyne qualities, have been assigned to cocln n ®^ Ba tewithout the least evidence of their existence. A mixture of c a rpfoeof potash and cochineal is a popular remedy for hooping-coujj ■ - t Jstrnly real value of cochineal is as a colouring-matter, and “iS *£used both m powder and solution. In the arts it is extensiployed in dying scarlet and crimson, and in the manufacture oand lake.

Order 3. Hymenoptera, Linnaeus . s n l1

Four naked veined wings of unequal size. Mouth composed of jaws, ma 0 * p 0 ldt'dtwo lips. Lip tubular at its base, terminated by a labium, either double a* 4

and forming a kind of sucker. Females with a compound ovipositor or “anus (Stark).

A'pis mellif'ica, Linn. L. E. D .—The Hive Bee or Honey $ e

.. F _Mel. Aiori!

(1. Humor l floribus decerptus et ab Ape praeparatus, L.—Saccharine secretion, s ec^

2. Cera; Concretum ab ape paratum ; Cera alba ; Idem dealbatum, /v.—Ceraflava;

Cera alba ; Bleached Bees’Wax, E. —Cera alba. Cera Hava, A>.; t}V

i *« frcQ liel

History.— This animal was very anciently known, anti is