414, LEGUMINOSL. 
but the powder still possessed the aromatic odour of the drug. 
The ash amounted to 7:41 per cent. ; it contained a trace of 
manganese. Qn distilling the powdered seeds with water, a 
colourless oil was obtained, lighter than water, and which 
possessed in a very marked degree the odour of the seeds. 
The powdered seeds digested with light petroleum ether yielded 
13°26 per cent. of a dark amber-coloured, thick non-crystalline 
extractive, which had a strong odour of the drug. By the 
action of cold 96 per cent. alcohol the extract was separated 
into a portion soluble in alcohol and an insoluble residue. The 
insoluble residue consisted of yellow oily matter which could 
be easily saponified with alcoholic potash. The portion 
soluble in alcohol was of a dark, reddish colour, and the 
alcoholic solution had a marked acid reaction. After driving 
off the alcohol the soft extract was treated with caustic soda 
and agitated with ether. The ethereal solution left on evapora- 
tion an oily reddish non-crystalline residue, with a somewhat 
sweet taste. The aqueous alkaline solution was treated with 
hydrochloric acid in slight excess, which threw down a yellow 
precipitate, and the solution agitated with light petroleum ether. 
With the exception of a few brown flocks, the precipitate produced 
by the acid was wholly dissolved by the petroleum ether. On 
_ spontaneous evaporation of the ether a bright yellow oily residue 
was left ; taste somewhat bitter like that of the seeds. This 
oily residue was soluble in alcohol; on spontaneous evaporation 
small needle-shaped crystals separated. Ferric chloride added 3 
to an alcoholic solution produced a dark brown coloration. — 
After the action of light petroleum ether, ether extracted 71 
per cent. of a reddish-yellow hard varnish-like extract with 
a very faint odour of the seeds ; easily soluble in alcohol with - 
neutral reaction, insoluble in water, or in dilute hydrochloric | 
acid ; partly soluble in aqueous ammonia, but easily soluble in 
dilute caustic soda, forming a dark, reddish solution. ‘The 
addition of acids caused the precipitation of yellow flocks; 4m 
alcoholic solution was coloured ‘dark brown by ferric chloride. 
After exhaustion of the powdered seeds with ether, absolute _ 
4 alcohol yielded 6°12 per cent. of extractive, partly soluble a 
