N. O. MALVACEAC. 
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 glucosiae, named 
(jonsypetin, CioH)sO s . 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-acctate gave a deep red precipitate 
in the cold, passing into dull brown at the boiling point, and 
alcoholic ferric chloride a dull, .olivegreeu 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 protocatechuic 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 solntion, a crystalline product is obtained 
which can be further purified by crystallisation from a mixture of alcohol 
and dilnte 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 0 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, 
sinfilar to that observed with impure cotton-oils. Alkalis give a yellow 
