OF THE MORINDA CITRIFOLIA. 441 



the mordants, after boiling for a minute or two with soap, were found to be un- 

 changed. Even with the root itself, alum mordant only acquu-ed a slight reddish- 

 grey shade, and iron became scarcely appreciably darker in colour. The case 

 was different, however, when cloth mordanted for Turkey-red was employed. I 

 obtained from Glasgow pieces of calico prepared for Turkey-red both by the old 

 and new processes, and I found that both acquired, with morindine, in the course 

 of a couple of hours, or even less, a dark brownish-red colour, devoid of beauty, 

 but perfectly fixed. These observations agree with the account given by Mr 

 Hunter of the method of dyeing with the M. citrifoUa employed by the Hindoos. 

 The cloth is first soaked in an imperfect soap made by mixing the oil of the Sesa- 

 mum orientale with soda ley. After rinsing and drying, it is treated with an in- 

 fusion of myrobalans (the astringent fruit of the Terminalia chebula), and exposed 

 for four or five days in the sun. It is then steeped in solution of alum, squeezed, 

 and again exposed for four or five days. On the other hand, the powdered roots 

 of the morinda are well rubbed with oil of sesamum, and mixed with the flowers 

 of the Lytkrum fruticosum (Roxburgh), or a corresponding quantity of purwds 

 (the nut-gaU of a species of mimosa). The whole is introduced along with the 

 cotton into a large quantity of water, and kept over a gentle fire for three hours, 

 when the temperature is brought to the boiling point. The red colour so obtained 

 is, according to Mr Hunter, more prized for its durability than its beauty. This 

 is simply a rude process of Turkey-red dyeing. He also mentions that, by means 

 of iron mordant, a lasting purple or chocolate is obtained, but in this case the colour 

 is probably affected by the tannin of the astringent matters employed in the 

 process. 



Morindone. 



It has been already mentioned that morindine, when heated, is entirely altered, 

 a quantity of carbonaceous matter being left, and a crystallizable principle sub- 

 limed, differing in its properties from the original substance. To it 1 give the 

 name of Morindone. 



Morindone is obtained by sublimation in the form of long needles, which, un- 

 der the microscope, are found to be four-sided prisms, terminated by a single 

 oblique face, and of an exceedingly rich and beautiful red colour. They are to- 

 tally insoluble in water both hot and cold, but dissolve readily in alcohol and 

 ether, and the solutions by slow evaporation deposit crystals. The alkalies dis- 

 solve it with a magnificent violet colour. In strong sulphuric acid it is also so- 

 luble, with the same intense violet colour, and it is precipitated on diluting the 

 acid. Its ammoniacal solution gives a fine red lake when added to solution of 

 alum, and a cobalt-blue precipitate with baryta water. The quantity of morin- 

 done which I was able to obtain for analysis was too small to admit of accu- 

 rate results, or of all the precautions for its purification which would have been 



