94 NEW NATIVE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF QUEENSLAND. 



saponin, nor any alkaloid or glucosoid, but to be full of a sticky 

 acrid yellow resin to the amount of thirty per cent, of the whole 

 weight of the dry root. 



This resin dissolves in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzol and 

 petroleum ether with a yellow coloration having a greenish tint, 

 It has no smell, but an acrid taste. On an opal plate the yellow 

 •colour is seen best. On addition of ferric chloride it changes to 

 a bluish grey. Caustic potash throws the iron out of the com- 

 bination with the resin and changes the colour of this into a 

 golden yellow. Nitric acid stains the alcoholic yellow solution 

 into a golden yellow which on addition of ferric chloride turns 

 into bluish grey again. Bleaching powder acts in the same 

 way. Sulphuric acid dissolves the Galactia resin with yellow 

 colouration. Saliva dissolves it likewise. It has an acrid taste. 



An infusion of Galactia root gets turbid on cooling and 

 deposits an amorphous sediment which consists of nothing else 

 but the resin. The Galactia resin is chemically related to the 

 Guaiacum resin, and therapeutically it comes near the same. 

 Galactia resin might be recommended in rheumatism, skin 

 •diseases, scrofulosis and syphilis, and in rheumatism and skin 

 diseases it might surpass guaiacum in quickness and certainty of 

 •effect. 



