1076 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
extent and appears to depend principally on their geographical 
source. The minimum yield (1.18 per cent.) has been obtained 
from Jamaica ginger, the maximum yield (4.47 per cent.) from 
the Fijian rhizome. 16 
Fat and Wax. Little or no work has been done toward de¬ 
termining the composition of the fat or wax in ginger. The 
two substances, combined, are stated to constitute 0.70 to 1.225 
per cent, of the rhizome. 17 . 
Ash. The qualitative examination of the ash of ginger has 
been undertaken by Thresh, 18 who reports the presence of the 
basic elements: K, Ca, Mg, Mn, 19 and Fe combined with H 2 C0 3 
and H 3 P0 4 . The ash of African ginger is stated to contain the 
largest amount of manganese. 
The ash content 20 of the whole rhizome appears to be in¬ 
fluenced but little by the locality from which obtained, 3.0 to5.5 
per cent, being conservative limits for the usual commercial var¬ 
ieties. Peeling 21 appears to decrease the amount of ash while 
bleaching 22 (liming) increases it. 
Constituents of Therapeutic Importance. 
The physiological action of the oleoresin of ginger was at one 
time thought to be due to the resin content, but the work of 
Thresh 1 has shown the pungency to be the property of the 
phenolic constituents known collectively as gingered. The car- 
18 Thresh reports the total resin content of ginger as follows: Jamaica 1.18 
per cent, Cochin 1.815 per cent., African 3.775 per cent., Fharm. Journ. 
(1879), 39, p. 173. 
Gane noted the presence of the following percentages: Jamaica ginger 1.76 
per cent., Cochin 1.815 per cent, African 3.775 per cent., Fijian 4.475 per 
cent. Pharm. Journ. (1892), 51, p. 802. 
17 The combined fat and wax present in ginger is stated by Thresh to be 
as follows: Jamaica 0.70 per cent., Cochin 1.205 per cent, African 1.225 per 
cent. 1. c. 
Gane found the following amounts: Jamaica ginger 0.92 per cent., Cochin 
1.20 per cent., African 1.225 per cent., Bengal 0.86 per cent, L. C. 
18 Pharm. Journ. (1879). 29 pp. 174 and 193. 
19 See also Flueckiger, Ibid. (1872), 32, p. 208. 
20 C. Richardson. Bull. 13, Dept Agr. Washington, 1887; Gane, Pharm. 
Journ. (1892), 51, p. 802; Diverseege, Vierteljahresschr. Nahrungs-u. Genussm. 
(1896), 11, p. 353; Glass, Pharm. Journ. (1897), 58, p. 245; Bennet, Ibid. 
(1901, 66, p. 522. 
21 Winton, Ogden and Mitchell obtained 3.66 to 4.06 per cent, of ash for un¬ 
peeled and unbleached Cochin ginger, 3.36 per cent, for the same when peeled 
and bleached. Rep. Conn. Agr. Exp. Sta. (1898), p. 202; (1899), p. 102. 
22 Davis reports 5.20 per cent, of ash for unbleached Jamaica ginger. 6. 55 
per cent, for the bleached. Pharm. Journ. (1895), 54, p. 472. 
1 Year-Book of Pharm. (1884), 21, p. 516. 
