1916] FomMEs OFFICINALIS (Vill.) 193 
Resins: 
1. Resin, red 
2. Resin, Agaricin, 18-20% 
3. Resin, white (a) 50-70% 
4. Resin, white (0d) 
5. A greenish yellow, soft wax 
Albumens soluble in water (9.7%) and in alkali 
Ash, 0.6-1.1% 
An analysis of the ash made by Smieder in material in which the ash 
formed 1.08% of the dry weight, yielded: 
Rorassianoxide:(ISoO) 2 fei Sys ON ee Sat tes Vedas 29.88% 
Saciumromde GNA) 54s ed de eee eitoaky bee 3.79% 
Saletommoxtde (CaO) wend eit os dood hs ve eA). 3.32% 
Becrous:oxde (leis) oso lief abe A Br le 2.41% 
Miapaesium oxide (MeO) 3 6 yoo heen sen: 16.15% 
Snipuie trioxide (SOs) ce. d PAs os eal. 2.10% 
Bimconvaraxtde (SIO ieee Mees a eiig he ie peta vis 2.33% 
Phosphoric pentoxide (P25) ef fon usek sae 16.11% 
(CG ST AEN AEA Soe ASST, mi aOR ED ay i Ree EEE 4.33% 
REE MNGOMIG ey tok silat. et) Sern war, Glen egy ER 18.22% 
In this same material Schmieder found that the resin constituted 67% 
of the dry weight—a proportion of resin that is not equalled by any 
other organism. ‘‘Ein so hoher Harzgehalt steht ganz vereinzelt in 
der Natur da’’. The active principle, so far as its pharmacodynamic 
action is concerned, resides in these resins. Indeed, of these, agaricin 
is regarded as the most important, and so far is the only one that has 
been obtained chemically pure and thoroughly investigated. The 
technique employed and the properties of these various substances are 
given by Zellner and need not be repeated here. 
Harz"! made the interesting observation that resin formation in the 
fruiting body continues in all parts from year to year, resulting in the 
oldest strata in an enormous accumulation. As one example out of 
several the following analyses of a 19-year old fruiting body may be 
cited, the resin content being expressed as a percentage of the dry 
weight. It may be pointed out that these results can only be regarded 
as approximate; the resins obtained were not purified. 
Basal portion (contains context).................. 68 . 80% 
Et or Gidest layer of pores...) 0.9% eh 79.00% 
Buasonmenbaldestlavens ss.) shea) Gee 78.10% 
Sper mext eldestilayen.s. 090 gece ssc Oe Bos 76.30% 
ath ane: 5th nextoldest layer. ....0. 02 as. 71.30% 
Gawor next oldest, layer 2.06 ¢6)/s i bas oh Pe Oe 69.70% 
