274 A CHEMICAL STUDY OF 



A coloring matter* contained in tlie bark was extracted, and imparted to the 

 alcoholic extract a bi-illiant red color. It was precipitated by sub-acetate of lead, and 

 tlie lead precipitate suspended in water and decomposed by sulphuretted hydrogen. 

 The lead sulphide filtrate was evaporated over a water bath until the odor of sul- 

 l)huretted hydrogen was expelled, and the concentrated liquid was placed over sul- 

 phuric acid to evaporate slowly. A crystalline residue was obtained. On addition of 

 alkalies to the colorless lead sulphide filtrate the red color of the original solution was 

 developed. Acid discharged the color. Acetic ether took up the red colored sub- 

 stance. The acetic ether residue was a red uniform solid, and soluble in water. It 

 was precipitated from the aqueous solution by sub-acetate of lead, potassium bichro- 

 mate, ferric chloride, ferrous sulphate, and it was clouded by alum, and stannous 

 chloride solutions. 



Tannin, gallic acid, and alkaloids were absent. 



Amyl alcohol separated from the acidified aqueous extract white needle-shaped 

 crystals. It was not determined if these crystals were the same as those of the color- 

 ing matter. 



Extracts (2) ,'(3), r/juZ (4). 



Extracts (2) and (3) when warm were clear, and on cooling a creamy-white solid 

 separated. Extract (4), if warmed, was turbid, and as the liquid cooled, a creamy-white 

 substance remained at the bottom of the flask, and the supernatant fluid became clear. 

 This creamy-white substance was identified in each of the extracts as saponiu.f 



The results following an aqueous treatment of alcoholic residues (2) and (3), were 

 noticeable. The residues were dissolved, and by shaking the mixtures, emulsified. 

 This emulsion was permanent, as no resinous matter separated on standing several 

 days. The emulsion was agitated with acetic ether, and by this means, most of the resin 

 and saponin were separated from the aqueous portion. The saponin was removed 

 mechanically with the resin, as it is almost insoluble in acetic ether. The resin-sapo- 

 nin mass was insohible in ether, soluble in water. The solution frotlied on shaking 

 and emulsified, but the emulsion was not so permanent as in the first case, for a resi- 

 nous sediment settled after a time. Chloroform separated saponin from an acidified 

 acjueous solution, and also from an alkaline aqueous solution of the residues; and the 

 red-violet saponin reaction with concentrated sulphuric acid was obtained. 



The solubility in water of the alcoholic residues (2), (3), and (4), and the result- 

 ing emulsion were unusual, and explicable by the facts collected from a series of ex- 



* A reil crystiillino coloring matter. Sfieiioc, Sci)tember li, 1885. 



•f Saponin iu the wood of Uie root ami leaves. Science, September 11, 1885. 



