WESTERN SNEEZEWEED AS A POISONOUS PLANT. 19 
Ten grams were extracted with various solvents in succession : 
Grams. Per cent. 
Petroleum ether extracted ., . . . 0. 5065 5. 06 
Ether extracted . 0. 4800 4. 80 
Chloroform extracted 0. 1611 1. 61 
Alcohol extracted 1. 5834 15. 83 
Total 27. 30 
The ash contained a large proportion of calcium carbonate. The 
petroleum-ether fraction contained a phytosterol. The ether extract 
contained fats and a trace of tannin; the chloroform extract con- 
sisted of resins, tannin, and dugaldin; the alcohol extract contained 
resin, sugar, dugaldin, tannin, and coloring matter. 
2. Juice. — Total solids, 9.80 grams per 100 ml.; specific gravity, 
1.042 to 1.052 at 25°; tannin precipitates, 0.335 to 0.364 per cent. 
3. Alkaloids. — The various samples of juice and of aqueous and 
alcoholic extracts of the plant, after acidification, yield precipitates 
with Mayer's solution. They were, therefore, investigated for the 
presence of an alkaloid, but no substance of this class could be isolated 
from any part of the plant. 
4. Hydrocyanic acid. — Samples of green and of air-dried leaves were 
tested for cyanides as a routine procedure without yielding any evi- 
dence of their presence. 
5. Toxic saponins. — Extractions of green and of air-dried leaves 
were made to isolate toxic saponins and several other extractions, 
as well as the juice from the leaves . were tested for saponins without 
revealing their presence. Extracts of the plant strike a green color 
with aqueous ferric chlorid, but this is due to the presence of a tannin 
which is precipitated by gelatin solution. 
6. Volatile toxins. — Eight hundred and fifty grams of air-dried 
H. Jiqopesii radical leaves were placed in a still and 3 gallons of water 
added. The mixture was heated to boiling. The distillate had the 
characteristic odor of H. hoopesii, due to the presence of a minute 
quantity of essential oil. It reduced potassium permanganate; 
gave no color with ferric chlorid; and was neutral in reaction. The 
total volume of the distillate was 6 liters. This was fed to Sheep 
429, in divided doses, without producing any effect. 
7. Search jor helenic acid. — (a.) A chloroform extract from 1 kilo- 
gram of dried radical leaves was freed from chloroform. Following 
Reeb's procedure, the extract was heated with successive portions of 
water on the steam bath and filtered. After cooling, the aqueous 
solution was greenish-yellow in color and had a very small amount 
of oiiy matter floating on the surface. It was evaporated to conven- 
ient bulk and extracted with several portions of chloroform. The 
chloroform dissolved out 4 grams of green solid, which was not bitter 
and was nontoxic. 
