n. o. malvacej:. 191 



unpleasant taste. The patients take it well, and it does not pro- 

 duce any disturbances of digestion. The action on the breast 

 becomes evident after the patient has taken the powder for three 

 or four days and has swallowed from 25 to 30 grams. The 

 effect on the breasts is that they become fuller, that the baby is 

 able to suck for a longer period, and that at the end of the meal 

 the mother does not complain of pain in the breasts. The action 

 does not appear to be lost if one discontinues the lactagol for 

 one day, but if one leaves it off for two or three days the secretion 

 becomes less. If one uses it in women, who have already been 

 suckling for some time, one finds it necessary to give nearly 

 double the amount before the action is obtained. — B. M. J. Epi- 

 tome, August. 6, 1904. 



The flowers contain a coloring matter, a glucoside, named 

 gcssypetin, C 16 H 1S 8 . It forms glistening, yellow needles, 

 closely resembling quercetin in appearance, and is readily 

 soluble in alcohol, but only very sparingly in water. Concentrated 

 alkaline solutions dissolve it, forming orange-red solutions, 

 which, on agitation and dilution with water, become green, and 

 finally assume a dull brown tint. Ammonia behaves very 

 similarly. Alcoholic lead-acetate gave a deep red precipitate 

 in the cold, passing into dull brown at the boiling point, and 

 alcoholic ferric chloride a dull, olivegreen liquid. Sulphuric 

 acid dissolves it, forming an orange-red solution. 



Fusion with alkali.— When gossypetin is fused with caustic 

 potash at 200-220,° two crystalline decomposition products 

 are obtained, melting at 210° and at 194-196° respectively ; these 

 consisted of phloroghucinol and protoeatechuic acid. J. Ch. S. 

 1899 T, p. 825. 



When the phenolic constituents of cotton-seed oil are purified by repeat- 

 ed fractionation from acetic acid solution, a crystalline product is obtained 

 which can be further purified by crystallisation from a mixture of alcohol 

 and dilute acetic acid ; this substance, to which the name of gossypol is given, 

 has a composition corresponding fairly well with that required for the for- 

 mula C 13 H 14 4 . 



Gossypol crystallises in glistening, golden scales, melts at 188°, dissolves 

 readily in alcohol benzene, chloroform, ether, acetone, or acetic acid, but not 

 in water. Sulphuric acid dissolves it with a beautiful, cherry-red coloration, 

 similar to that observed with impure cotton-oils. Alkalis give a yellow 



