18 



water, press, exhaust tlie remnant with alcohol, digest the tincture 

 with oxyd of lead, remove the dissolved lead fi-oux the tincture by- 

 means of sulphuret of hydrogen, distil off the alcohol, bring the 

 remnant to dryness and extract the A. by ether. The ethereous 

 solution, when mixed and agitated with a solution of caustic potash, 

 delivers up resin, fat and dyeing matter. Separate from the ley, 

 treat with animal charcoal and eva])orate to dryness. Dissolve the 

 remnant in weak alcohol and evaporate the filti-ate or pi-ecipitate 

 with water. From the flowers : Exhaust with ether, distil off the 

 solvent, extract from the remnant the A. by alcohol of 0'850, and 

 purify the solution by animal charcoal. Gold-coloured amorphous 

 mass of bitter taste ; dissolves little in water, readily in alcohol, 

 ether and alkalies ; yields no sugar on treating with diluted acids. 



Ariiotta Re(l=ANNATTo Red. 



Artliaiiitiu=CYCLAMiN, 



Asafüetida, Gum-resinous exudation of Ferula Asafoetida. 

 Conglutinated grains of white colour, turned rose-red, violet 

 and brown by the atmosphere ; friable in the cold ; of nauseous 

 garlic odour and of acrid, bitter taste. Contains about 50% resin, 

 20 gum and 4|- volatile oil. The resin is partly soluble in alcohol 

 and ether, and partly insoluble in the latter. 



Asaralbacca Camphor = Asaron. 



AsarOU = C40 Hos Oio. In the root of Asarum Europaeum,* 

 seems to be identical with Asarit. Distil the dried root with eight 

 parts water until three parts have distilled over. The A. will be 

 found partly in the neck of the retort and at the bottom of the 

 distillate in little white grains, partly crystallising in the distillate 

 when left to stand cold. Pellucid, quadrangular, tabular crystals 

 of pearly lustre and of 0-95 density, without smell or taste; fuse 

 at 40°, sublimate in small quantities mostly undecomposed in 

 fumes of strong odour that provoke coughing, dissolve little in 

 hot water, readily in alcohol, ether and volatile oils, begin to boil 

 at 280°, but become decomposed while the temjierature rises to 

 300°, without distilling in the least. 



Asclepiartill. Emetic substance of the root of Vincetoxicum 

 officinale, obtained by extracting with strong alcohol. Pale 

 yellow, bitter, amorphous, hygroscopic matter, non-nitrogenised, 

 readily soluble in water, alcohol and ether-alcohol; Avithout alka- 

 line properties. 



Asclepioil = C40 H34 Oß . In the milky juice of Asclepias 

 Syriaca. Warm the juice, treat the coagulated mass with ether, 

 evaporate the extract and purify by recrystallising in absolute 

 ether. White, cauliflowerlike mass or tufts of needles when 



* And doubtless in other species. — F. v. M. 



