158 



Expressed 

 juice. 



Peculiar Priu. 

 ciple. 



Method cf ob. 

 taining this 

 separate. 



Gummy ex. 



tract. 



Resin. 



ANALYSIS OF VALERIAN ROOT* 



turns it yellow. Nitric acid does not inflame it, but con* 

 verts it into a very odoriferous resin, of an orange yellow, 

 and a bitter yellow substance. If a larger quantity of nitric 

 acid be employed, crystallized oxalic acid is obtained. 



The expressed juice of the fresh root is turbid, very odo- 

 riferous, and lets fall a little fecula. Caloric separates from 

 it a little albumen. The filtered juice contains neither gal- 

 lic acid, nor tannin, nor common extractive matter, but a 

 peculiar principle, soluble in water. This principle is inso- 

 luble in ether, and in rectified spirit: it forms precipitates 

 with the soluble salts of lead, silver, mercury, and antimony; 

 but it does not precipitate sulphate of iron, or solution of 

 alum. 



To obtain this principle separate, the filtered juice is to be 

 precipitated by acetate of lead. The precipitate being first 

 well washed, is to be diffused in distilled water, and sulphu- 

 retted hidrogen gas passed through it. till the whole of the 

 metal is separated. The liquor is then to be filtered, and 

 the hidrogen gas volatilized by ebullition. The solution is 

 then to be evaporated to dryness, on a water bath. 



The expressed juice contains likewise a quantity of gummy 

 extract. 



When the roots, after expression of ihe juice, have been 

 exhausted by boiling water, the residuum, treated with 

 highly rectified alcohol, yields a black resin, that has the 

 smell of leather, and an acrid taste. This resin is very fu- 

 sible, and readily takes fire. It dissolves in alcohol and 

 ether, and likewise in oil, both volatile and fixed. The dried 

 root contains about a sixteenth of it. 



According to Mr. Trommsdovff 's analysis, a pound of the 

 dried root contains • 



Fecula 144 grains. 



Peculiar extractive matter 1 152 



Gummy extract 8^4 



Black resin 576 



Volatile oil q6 



Woody substance 6384 



9216 



SCIENTIFIC 



