alcohol. This alcoholic solution gave the characteristic 

 reactions for fisetin with stannous chloride, with potassiuir. 

 hydroxide, with ferric chlride and with Fehling solution. 



Filtrate Uo. 1 obtained by heating the poisonous tar 

 with acetic acid and hot water as described above was in- 

 vestigated as follows: A portion of it gave a reddish color- 

 ed precipitate with sodium carboaatc as in the case when the 

 tar was hydrolyzed with sulphuric acid. The remainder was 

 nearly neutralized with sodium carbonate and lead acetate was 

 added in excess to remove gallic acid. The excess of lead 

 was removed by sulphuric acid, and the sulphuric acid by 

 barium carbonate. The solution on evaporation reduced 

 Fehling solution to some extent but a white precipitate was 

 also formed. 



In this experiment, gallic acid and fisetin and probably 

 sugar were foimed by decomposition of the poisonous gum with 

 acetic acid, the acid found in the plant by Pfaff. The 

 presence of free gallic acid, fisetin and rhamnose in the plant 

 can be explained by the natural hydrolysis of a complex gum 

 or tar or a constituent thereof. 



The poisonous property is lost in the general rearrange- 

 ment which takes place during hydrolysis. 



The poisonous tar was not hydrolyzed by boiling with a 

 dilute solution of sodium carbonate. 



It was found, as has been stated elsewhere, that the lead 

 compound of the poison could not be precipitated in 95/o alcohol. 



-48- 



