LEGAL CHEMISTRY. A GUIDE TO THE DETECTION OF POISONS, EXAMINATION OF TEA, STAINS, ETC., AS APPLIED TO CHEMICAL JURISPRUDENCE. TRANSLATED WITH ADDITIONS FROM THE FRENCH OF A. NAQUET, _Professor to the Faculty of Medicine of Paris_. BY J. P. BATTERSHALL, Nat. Sc. D., F.C.S. _SECOND EDITION, REVISED, WITH ADDITIONS._ NEW YORK: D. VAN NOSTRAND, PUBLISHER, 23 MURRAY STREET AND 27 WARREN STREET. 1884. COPYRIGHT. D. VAN NOSTRAND. 1876. Transcriber's Note: Text originally marked up as bold is surrounded by *, text in italics by _. Obvious printer errors have been corrected. A list of all other changes can be found at the end of the document. In the Appendix of the book, only the most obvious errors of punctuation were remedied. PREFACE. The importance of exact chemical analysis in a great variety of cases which come before the courts is now fully recognized, and the translation of this excellent little book on Legal Chemistry, by one of the most distinguished French Chemists, will be appreciated by a large class of American readers who are not able to consult the original. While it is to be regretted that the author has not presented a much more complete work, there is an advantage in the compact form of this treatise which compensates, in some degree, for its brevity. The translator has greatly increased the value of the book by a few additions and his copious index, and especially by the lists of works and memoirs which he has appended; and while he could have further increased its value by additions from other authors, we recognize the weight of the considerations which induced him to present it in the form given to it by the author. Some chapters will have very little value in this country at this day, but the translator could not, with propriety, omit anything contained in the original. C. F. CHANDLER. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. The principal change to note in this edition of the LEGAL CHEMISTRY is the addition of a chapter on Tea and its Adulteration. The general interest at present evinced concerning this species of sophistication appeared to call for a simple and concise method of examination which would include the requisite tests without entering upon an exhaustive treatment of the subject. The translator's practical experience in the testing of tea at the United States Laboratory of this city has enabled him to make a few suggestions in this regard which, he trusts, may be of use to those interested in food-analysis. Numerous additions have also been made to the bibliographical appendix. J. P. B. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION 5 METHODS OF DESTRUCTION OF THE ORGANIC SUBSTANCES By means of Nitric Acid 8