238 
Geranium  Maculatum. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
May,  1889. 
It  is  possible  to  alter  this  process  so  as  to  include  precipitation,  by 
dissolving  the  subnitrate  in  nitric  acid,  diluting  largely  with  water, 
adding  the  potassium  iodide  in  dilute  solution,  adding  now  sufficient 
solution  of  soda  so  as  to  leave  only  a  slight  acid  reaction,  and  then 
boiling  for  one  half  hour;  the  boiling  is  essential,  as  moderate  warm- 
ing will  not  complete  the  reaction.  The  advantages  of  this  more 
complicated  process  are,  however,  not  sufficient  to  discard  the  simpler 
process. 
GERANIUM  MACULATUM. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College 
of  Pharmacy. — No.  51. 
By  Henry  J.  Mayers,  Ph.  G. 
The  object  in  investigating  this  drug  was  to  ascertain  the  proximate 
constituents  and  determine  if  it,  as  has  been  stated,  contains  so  much 
as  17  per  cent,  tannin. 
Dr.  Edward  Staples  (A.  J.  P.,  1829,  p.  171)  found  tannic  and 
gallic  acids,  red  coloring,  resin,  mucilage  and  a  crystallizable  vegetable 
principle. 
H.  K.  Bowman  (A.  J.  P.,  1869,  p.  193)  obtained  from  two  samples 
13*41  and  17*25  per  cent,  of  tannin  respectively. 
For  the  quantitative  analysis  the  drug  was  procured  from  a  reliable 
source  in  fine  powder,  and  50  grams  taken  for  the  first  extractions. 
I.  Treatment  with  Petroleum  Ether. — This  solvent  ex- 
tracted 0*228  per  cent. ;  wax  and  fat,  0*210  per  cent. ;  volatile  oil,  a 
trace. 
The  wax  and  fatty  matter  were  of  a  yellow  color,  solid  at  ordinary 
temperatures,  melted  at  60°  C.  Soluble  in  stronger  ether,. chloroform 
and  hot  95  per  cent,  alcohol;  the  last  solvent  deposited  the  wax  on 
cooling,  which  was  of  a  white  color  and  not  crystallizable. 
II.  Treatment  with  Stronger  Ether. — The  drug  freed  from 
the  previous  solvent  was  exhausted  with  successive  portions  of  stronger 
ether. 
Total  amount  dissolved,  0*46  per  cent. ;  resin  soluble  in  alcohol, 
0*25  per  cent. ;  gallic  acid,  0*21  per  cent. 
The  resin  was  of  a  flark  brown  color  and  a  bitter  taste. 
The  ethereal  extract  was  evaporated  and  treated  with  water,  the 
resin  separated  by  filtration  and  the  aqueous  filtrate  agitated  with  ether. 
On  separating  the  ethereal  layer  and  setting  aside  for  24  hours,  crys- 
