MANNITE  FROM  THE  LEPTANDRA  VIRGINICA.  557 
peppery  at  first,  followed  by  a  bitter  taste.  A  portion  of  the 
crystals  were  placed  under  the  microscope,  and  proved  to  consist 
chiefly  of  fragments  of  quadrilateral  prisms,  some  nearly  perfect. 
Their  odor,  as  has  been  observed,  was  like  the  tonka  bean,  taste 
biting  and  pungent.  They  are  but  slightly  soluble  in  cold 
water,  more  so  in  hot  water,  very  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether,  and 
chloroform.  Sulphuric  acid  is  discolored  by  contact  with  them. 
Heated  on  foil  they  first  melt  and  then  sublime,  apparently 
uncharged,  and  the  vapors  are  very  irritating.  These  are  char- 
acters which,  at  least,  ally  it  to  coumarin,  but  to  decide  with 
more  of  certainty,  it  was  subjected  to  the  well  determined  test 
for  coumarin,  based  on  the  action  of  caustic  potassa.  Coumarin 
has  the  formula  C18  H14  O4.  When  this  is  boiled  in  potassa  lye, 
hydrogen  is  discharged  and  coumerate  of  potassa  is  formed, 
KO,  C18  H14  05-fHO.  But  when  the  coumarin  is  added  to  fused 
hydrate  of  potassa,  abundant  effervescence  occurs,  hydrogen  and 
carbonic  acid  are  eliminated,  and  salicylic  acid  is  formed,  which 
remains  united  with  the  potash.  If  now  the  result  be  dissolved 
in  water,  and  the  excess  of  potassa  be  carefully  saturated  with 
muriatic  acid,  the  addition  of  sesquichloride  of  iron  gives  the  Well 
defined  purple  coloration  of  the  alkaline  salicylates.  Tried  by 
this  test  the  crystals  from  liatris  reacted  satisfactorily  as  cou- 
marin— and  this  plant  may  be  added  to  the  several  already 
known  as  yielding  this  principle. 
Mr.  Lippitt  suggests  that  this  plant  is  used  for  preserving 
woollens.  If  it  possesses  this  property,  like  camphor,  its  very 
agreeable  odor  will  render  it  an  object  to  employ  it  for  that 
use. 
MANNITE  FROM  THE  ROOT  OF  THE  LEPTANDRA  VIRGINICA. 
By  E.  S.  Wayne. 
Some  time  since,  Messrs.  W.  S.  Merrill  &  Co.,  of  this  city, 
gave  me  a  specimen  of  a  crystallizing  substance  of  a  dirty  white 
color,  which  they  informed  me  they  had  obtained  as  an  acci- 
dental product  in  operating  upon  the  residuary  solution  left  after 
the  precipitation  of  the  resin  of  the  Leptandra,  from  the  alco- 
holic tincture  of  the  root.  The  substance  had  a  sweet  taste,  and 
was  perfectly  soluble  in  water.    Cold  alcohol  exerted  no  solvent 
