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lA a a er ae 
Dr. F. Mahla on Berberin in Hydrastis Canadensis. 43 
everywhere produce volcanic phenomena, for these probabl 
require the concurrence of conditions which are not often found. 
The aqueous vapor will ordinarily ascend to colder portions of 
the earth’s crust and there yielding its heat to the walls of the 
fissures will flow back in the liquid state to the source of heat to 
_— the same process, while on the other hand currents of 
cold water will absorb the heat thus conveyed to the rocks and 
bring it to the surface by thermal springs. 
The general permeability of rocks is so well admitted by most 
geologists that I have not thought it necessary to seek for proof 
of it in the discussions of the present question; the brilliant con- 
ception of the metamorphism of rocks by the humid way, which 
has been so well maintained by the ablest chemists, is only pos- 
sible on this condition, The permeability of rocks also explains 
in a satisfactory manner the formation of agates, and of zeolites, 
arragonite and other minerals in the midst of the most compact 
and of geodes of quartz in the Norwegian granites. We 
may also recall the artificial colors which are given to agates. 
- Damour has even shown by a series of curious experiments 
that the water which is ordinarily considered as chemically com- 
ined in certain hydrated silicates, such as zeolites, may be in 
part extracted from them, and again restored without any ap- 
parent alteration in these minerals. 
Art. V.—Berberin in Hydrastis Canadensis; by F. MAHLA, Ph.D., 
Chicago. 
Hyprasris canadensis L., commmonly termed Orange-root, or 
Consin and southward. It is a low perenniel herb, which be- 
longs to the natural family of the Ranunculaceze. The root of 
this plant contains a large quantity of a yellow coloring mat- 
Th re 
- until the so-called eclectic and botanic or rrr began to em- 
Ploy it largely in their prescriptions. late even our regular 
Hydrastis, however, contains an alkaloid and there are several 
methods mentioned by which it may be most conveniently ex- 
