Gillenia trifoliata. 
29 
nauseous taste. This was treated with water, filtered and 
digested with half a drachm of carbonate of magnesia, (the 
colour of the solution was rendered considerably deeper by 
this process,) and was then evaporated to dryness. The ex- 
tract obtained, having a reddish brown colour and an intense- 
ly bitter taste. 
6. Digested 240 grains of the powdered root in f. §iv of 
boiling water, acidulated with thirty drops of sulphuric acid ; 
decanted, and treated the residue with a fresh portion of aci- 
dulated water, filtered and mixed the liquors : then added so- 
lution of subacetate of lead as long as any precipitate was 
afforded; filtered, and passed hydrosulphuric acid through 
the solution to get rid of the excess of acetate of lead, then 
filtered again to separate the sulphuret of lead ; and the clear 
solution evaporated to dryness, the resulting extract was of 
a reddish brown colour, soluble in alcohol, insoluble in water 
and ether. 
7. The tincture is of a beautiful red wine colour, and has 
a bitter, somewhat nauseous taste ; it is rendered turbid by 
the addition of water, indicating the presence of resin. 
8. Four ounces of the recently powdered root were sub- 
mitted to the process recommended by M. Tilloy of Dijon, 
for obtaining the sulphate of quina. The substance thus 
obtained was of a light gray colour, and bitter, nauseous 
taste. It was soluble, except a small residue, in water aci- 
dulated with sulphuric acid ; the solution, when evaporated 
yielded an extract of a somewhat granular appearance, and 
having more bitterness than before its solution. The quan- 
tity obtained was so small as to deprive me of the opportu- 
nity of examining further into its properties. 
9. As a final experiment, I submitted a portion of the root 
to distillation with water ; the product was slightly coloured, 
and had a peculiar and very disagreeable odor, with little or 
no taste. The root evidently contains a volatile colouring 
principle ; this was perceptible on the sides of the beak and 
upper parts of the retort. 
From the foregoing experiments it is probable the follow- 
ing are the principal constituents of Gillenia, viz. 
