E 



POLYGON ACE^. 151 



proper preparation of the drug would be one made without the 

 ^ application of heat. They prepared the polygonic acid of 

 Dr, iiademaker, and conclude from their experiments that it is 

 only a mixture of impure tannic and gallic acids. 



The following summary shows the amount of the most impor- 



tant constituents : 



Per cent. 



Water 10'25 



Wax 2-70 



From petroleum spirit 



solution. 



Resin and chlorophyll 1*54 From ether solution. 



Resin, tannin, and chlorophyll. 5' 14 From alcoholic solution. 

 Sugar .,..., 1'44 



Gum 



55 > From aqueous solution 



Tannin and extractive 5'23 



Albuminoids »...•• 1*00 



^ r From alkaline solution 



Phlohaphene, &c. 5'95 



Salts and a small amount of 1 n.r^r. f From dilute acid solu 



extractive 



«• 



tion. 



Cellulose 57-45 



97-25 



ly determined : tannin 



{Year-Booh ofPharm., 1885, p. 160.) 



Dr. C. J. Rademaker {Amer, Journ. Pharm., June 1886) 

 re-asserted the existence in this plant of the active crystalline 

 principle, descrihed by him as polygonic acid, and supplied 

 further details respecting its extraction and properties, together 

 with a wood-cut illustration of its crystals. He says: — '^ Poly- 

 gonic acid may he prepared by treating the plant with water, 

 to which some bicarbonate of sodium has been added, and 

 f allowing it to macerate for 24 hours; or by precipitating 



