POKE. 45 
after some days, a very light red precipitate. Mu- 
riate of lime no change. Muriate of tin a red se- 
diment inclining to lilac, leaving the fluid colour- 
less.. Nitrate of lead a precipitate of the colour 
of wine lees. Super oxided sulphate of iron, a 
dirty violet. 
Many of the above experiments I have repeat- 
ed, and added others. The yellow colour produe- 
ed by the alkalis borders on green. Pure stron 
tian produces the same change as potash and 
lime. Pure barytes wholly discharges the colour 
on standing a short time. Acetate of lead forms 
a searlet precipitate, leaving the liquid nearly col- 
ourless. 
The purple colour that tinges the cuticle of 
the stalks of the Phytolacea is stated in the above 
memoir, to be of the same nature as that in the 
berries, and to afford the same results. 
The taste of the berries is sweetish and nause- 
ous, leaving behind a very slight sense of acrimo- 
ny. M. Braconnot, found that at a moderate tem- 
perature, the juice underwent the vinous fermen- 
tation, and yielded alcohol by distillation. Dr. 
Shultz procured from half a bushel of the berries 
six pints of spirit sufficiently — to take fire 
and burn with readiness. 
