132 PLANT AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 
sistency and crystalline in structure. It solidified at 12 0 C. 
From a definite volume of the petroleum spirit extract , the 
amount of total solids was determined. 
TOTAL SOLIDS. 
Petroleum spirit residue dried at ioo° C.1.1 per cent, of solids. 
“ “ “ iio°C.1.1 “ “ “ 
0.00 “ “ loss. 
The residue was identified as a fixed oil. It was soluble 
in warm absolute alcohol, incompletely soluble in weaker al¬ 
cohol; soluble in cold acetic ether, chloroform, benzole, amyl 
alcohol, ether, carbon di-sulphide, and glycerin. It was saponi¬ 
fied with aqueous soda and a white soap separated. No re¬ 
action was observed with picric acid and ammonium phos¬ 
phate, nor with nitric acid of 1.32 specific gravity and 1.18 
specific gravity. The fixed oil was soluble in potassio-mer- 
curic iodide solution; and colored dark brown by alcoholic 
ammonia. A mixture of ferric chloride solution and powdered 
rosaniline gave a fine violet-colored reaction with the fixed 
oil. 
An examination of the aqueous treatment of the petroleum 
spirit residues (3) and (4), for alkaloids, gave negative results. 
A portion of the original powder, from each of the four parts 
of the plant, was mixed with an aqueous solution of caustic 
soda, and the distillate examined for volatile alkaloids with 
negative results. 
SUMMARY I. PETROLEUM SPIRIT EXTRACTS 
Solids ex¬ 
tracted. 
Character 
of residue. 
Reaction 
•with 
litmus. 
Melting 
point. 
Solidifying 
point. 
1. Bark of the root- 
2. Wood of the root... 
3. Green leaf. 
r.24% 
0-55 % 
2.20 % 
x.io % 
fixed oil 
fixed oil 
( fixed oil 1 
(chlorophyll) 
fixed oil 
slightly acid 
neutral 
acid 
faintly acidj 
6 o° C. 
36 ° c. 
(semi-fluid at) 
< ordinary > 
(temperature) 
(solid at ordinary 
( temperature 
15 0 C. 
12° C. 
4. Yellow base of leaf 
The solids extracted by petroleum spirit from the four parts 
of the plant are identified as fixed oils; 1 associated with a vola- 
1 “Fixed Oils,” Science , September 11, 1885. 
