150 ‘UMBELLIFERA. 
C., but with continued evolution of hydrogen sulphide, so th ; 
we did not succeed in preparing it of constant composi 
the amount of sulphur varying from 20 to 25 per cent. 
‘We found it to have a sp. gr. of 0°951 at 25° C., an 
strong dextrogyrate power. Ifa drop of it is allowed to 
on water it assumes a fine violet hue on exposure to 
vapours of bromine. 
‘<The essential oil of Asafcetida submitted to fractional 
tillation yielded us, at 300°, a considerable proportion 
most beautifully bigévonloured oil, By very cautiously oxi 
ing the crude oil, we obtained a small amount of ext 
deliquescent bryatals of a sulphonic acid. Sodium or 
sium decomposes the oil with evolution of gas, forming 
sium sulphide ; the residual oil is found to have the odour 
cinnamon. 
“The resin of Asafcetida is not wholly soluble in ether ¢ 
chloroform, but dissolves with decomposition in warm con 
trated nitric acid. It contains a little Ferulaic actd, 
lizing in iridescent needles, soluble in boiling a 
homologous with eugetic acid. 
“ Fased with potash, feralaic acid yields oxalic and cz 
acids, several acids of the fatty series and protacatechui 
The purified resin treated in like manner yields reso 
and by dry distillation, oils of green, blue, violet, 
tint, besides about } per cent. of Umbelliferon, C9H°O%. 
(Pharmacographia, 2nd Ed., p. 318). E. Schmidt (Ar 
Pharm. (3) xxiv., 584, 535,) has extracted small qua 
of Vanillin from Asafcetida by the following process 
filtrate shaken up with concentrated hydrogen sodium § 
solution, and the liquid thus obtained supersaturated 
dilute sulphuric acid. After expelling sulphurous anbj : 
the extraction with ether and sub Ww 
and a third extraction made. After removing the ether * 
distillation, the resulting vanillin was dissolved in 1 ra 
the filtered solution allowed to evaporate over a 
“well formed crystals were thus obtained. 
