142 



OH CALAGtTALA ROOt* 



corroborated 

 by farther ex- 

 periments. 



Digested in 



alcohol. 



Precipitated 

 by water. 



Distilled. 



Residuum. 



Resin. 



Probably de- 



strcya the 

 tape-worm. 



of oxalate of ammonia, a little calcareous salt* The nitrate 

 of barytes proves, that it contains no sulphuric suit : the 

 galls, that it ha9 no animalised substance : the solution of 

 isinglass, that no tannin is present. The infusion of litmus- 

 shows the presence of some acid. 



The following experiments, to which I was led by the 

 foregoing, will demonstrate by their results the existence of 

 most of the principles indicated above. 



Exp. 2. Thirty grammes of the same root were digested 

 forty eight hours in about 200 grammes of alcohol. This 

 liquid assumed a deeper colour than the water employed in 

 the first experiment. Its taste was at first saccharine, but 

 it left behind a very strong sensation of bitterness. 



On the addition of water it became slightly milky, which 

 confirms the existence of the resin mentioned above. 



This tincture subjected to distillation till it was reduced 

 to six or seven grammes, afforded a certain quantity of oil 

 of a deep red colour, which was precipitated to the bottom 

 of the liquid. The supernatant fluid had then not so deep 

 a colour, and a less bitter, but more saccharine, taste. These 

 effects were owing to the separation of the resin by the eva- 

 poration of the alcohol; and to the fluid remaining as less 

 volatile holdiug in solution the saccharine matter. 



As a little alcohol still remained in the fluid, which re* 

 tained some of the re^in in solution, I evaporated almost to 

 dryness with a gentle heat. I then washed the residuum 

 with a little distilled water, which enabled me to separate 

 the saccharine matter pretty accurately from the resin. The 

 alcohol that had come oyer had not carried with it any sen- 

 sible portion of oil, for it was not rendered turbid by the 

 addition of water ; but thus mixed it had a peculiar smell, 

 and an acrid taste. 



The r< sin separated from the saccharine matter in the 

 manner above mentioned had a brownish red colour, a very 

 strong acrid and bitter taste, and was soluble in alkalis, to 

 which it imparted a brown colour and considerable bitter- 

 ness. Acids decompossed this alkaline solution, and sepa- 

 rated the resin just as it was before. 



Is not this resinous substance, which ought equally to 

 be found in the other species of ferns, the principle that 



destroys 



