8  Methysticin  from  Piper  Methysticum.    |Am.  jour.Pharm. 
Jan.,  1889. 
oil  in  the  ether  was  filtering  the  rapid  evaporation  of  the  ether  caused 
crystals  to  form  on  the  edge  of  the  filter,  but  they  soon  volatilized  and 
no  examination  was  made  of  them. 
In  order  to  determine  the  nature  of  the  crystals  formed  by  the  use 
of  chloroform  from  the  aqueous  solution  of  the  alcoholic  extract,  one 
pound  of  the  original  drug  was  packed  in  a  percolator  and  exhausted 
with  wood  alcohol ;  the  alcohol  was  recovered  by  distillation  and  dis- 
tilled water  added  to  the  residue ;  the  solution  was  filtered  and  agi- 
tated with  chloroform,  but  crystals  were  not  obtained.  These  extracts 
had  a  bitter  taste,  imparted  fluorescence  to  the  chloroform  solution  and 
after  boiling  with  acid,  reduced  Fehling's  solution.  The  principle 
seems  to  differ  from  the  magnolin  of  Mr.  Procter. 
Note  by  the  Editor. — It  does  not  appear  to  be  generally  known 
that  the  fresh  leaves  of  Magnolia  glauca  may  be  used  in  the  place 
of  indelible  ink  for  the  marking  of  linen  and  other  fabrics,  by  placing 
upon  the  latter  the  lower  surface  of  a  leaf,  and  tracing  upon  the  upper 
surface  with  a  blunt  peg,  using  some  pressure,  the  desired  characters. 
The  writing  appears  upon  the  fabric  at  first  of  a  grayish  green  color, 
which  gradually  becomes  darker,  and  does  not  disappear  on  washing. 
METHYSTICIN  FROM  PIPER  METHYSTICUM. 
By  Robert  Glenk. 
On  evaporating  an  alcoholic  tincture  of  the  root  to  a  small  bulk,  a 
crystalline  precipitate  forms,  which  is  obtained  snow-white  on  dissolv- 
ing in  boiling  water  (to  separate  resin)  and  allowing  to  cool.  This 
principle  is  the  methysticin  first  observed  by  Morton,  in  1844,  and 
further  examined,  in  1860,  by  Cuzent,  Gobley  and  O'Rorke.  Crys- 
tallized from  alcohol,  it  forms  fine  needles,  which  are  odorless  and 
tasteless,  and  freely  soluble  in  ether,  benzol  and  benzin  ;  very  soluble 
in  boiling  alcohol,  slightly  soluble  in  the  cold  ;  soluble  in  about  60 
parts  of  boiling  water,  but  sparingly  soluble  in  the  cold,  separating  as 
a  crystalline  feathery  precipitate.  Its  solution  in  hot  water  is  of  a 
neutral  reaction,  and  is  not  precipitated  by  alkaloidal  reagents. 
When  placed  in  a  test  tube  kept  in  mercury,  the  principle  melts  at 
133°C;  by  heating  on  platinum  foil  it  burns  with  a  smoky  flame,  and 
is  finally  consumed  without  residue.  It  does  not  reduce  an  alkaline 
solution  of  copper. 
Concentrated  sulphuric  acid  forms  immediately  an  intense  carmine 
