260 A CHEMICAL STUDY OF 



These fixed oils differed in their physical chai-actei's and chemical reactions. 

 This diffeience may he due to the presence of fi-ee fatty acids and glyceiides in vary- 

 ing proportions in the four parts of the plant. It is of interest to note that in the sub- 

 terranean part of the Yticca, the oil extracted from the bark was solid at the ordinary 

 temperature ; from the wood it was of a less solid consistency; while the yellow base 

 of the leaf contained an oil quite soft, and in the green leaf the oil was almost fluid. 



Extract (2) contained an oil of low melting point. It melted at 36° C. An 

 alcoholic solution was fractionally precipitated with magnesium acetate, and three 

 members of the fatty acid series were isolated. The quantities obtained were small, 

 and it was impossible to do more than to take the melting point of two of the jiurified 

 crystalline residues. They melted at 85° C, and at 60° C. respectively. It is a well- 

 known fact that a mixture of fat acids in certain proportions has a lower melting point 

 than those of its constituents. 



Alkaloids and volatile-alkaloids were not detected in the petroleum sjnrit extracts. 



ETHER EXTRACTS. 



Extract (1), Earl- of the Boot. 



The residual powder from the petroleum spirit extraction was dried until 

 thoi'oughl3' freed from petroleum spirit. It was then macerated with Squibbs' stronger 

 ether in the apparatus already described. The ethereal extract was filtered from the 

 powder. It was a clear crimson-colored liquid, tinted by some red coloring matter 

 dissolved ; and acid in reaction. The extract was slowly evaporated at the ordinary 

 temperature ; white needle-shaped crystals Avere seen as the liquid concentrated. The 

 ethereal residue was of a resinous character. It was ruby-colored, transparent, and of 

 a softer consistency than ordinarj^ resin. Microscopically, the residue was identified 

 as a resin by its color reaction with Ilanstein's aniline violet solution.* The ethereal 

 residue was treated Avith petroleum spirit to remove any traces of fat that may have 

 been extracted with it. It was heated in a small tube, at 50° C. it experienced a 

 slight change, and melted at 70° C. For a determination of the total solids, a defi- 

 nite volume of the etlicreal extract was evaporated, dried, and weighed. 



TOTAL SOLIDS. 



Ethereal residue dried at 100° C 3.16 per cent of solids. 



" HOC; 3.1G 



0.00 " " loss. 



The resin was incompletely soluble in 95 per cent, alcohol, absolute alcohol, and 



♦Botanical Mici-o-Cliemistiy. PoulscuTrcIcase. Boston, 1881, p. E9. 



