^"A^iirfssi™'}         Recognition  of  Quebracho  Bark.  159 
the  extract  and  yielded  then,  with  the  alkaloidal  reagents,  Hght 
precipitates.  Tests  for  ghicosides  were  also  applied  with  no  indication 
of  their  presence.  The  extract  was  almost  entirely  dissolved  by  alcohol. 
The  drng  exhausted  by  benzol  was  dried  and  exhausted  by  80  per 
cent,  alcohol.  On  evaporation  to  a  small  bulk  a  few  crystals  separated; 
the  solution  was  acidulated,  diluted  and  precipitated  with  plumbic  ace- 
tate. After  removing  excess  of  lead  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  the 
filtrate  gave  again  indications  of  the  presence  of  an  alkaloid  ))y  the 
above  tests.  The  drug  treated  with  benzol  and  alcohol  was  exhausted 
wdth  water;  the  extract  obtained  contained  sugar  and  gum. 
Five  hundred  grams  of  the  powdered  root  were  boiled  repeatedly 
with  acidulated  water,  the  mixed  decoctions  evaporated  to  a  small  vol- 
ume, the  gum  removed  by  an  equal  volume  of  alcohol,  and,  after  recov- 
ering the  alcohol,  the  tannin  precipitated  by  subacetate  of  lead,  which 
precipitates  also  coloring  matter.  After  removing  excess  of  lead  reactions 
were  again  obtained  pointing  to  the  presence  of  an  alkaloid;  however, 
judging  by  the  quantity  of  drug  operated  upon,  this  alkaloid,  if  such 
it  is,  must  be  present  in  minute  quantities.  The  presence  of  an  alkaloid 
would,  indeed,  be  interesting  as  being  the  first  one  discovered  in  any 
plant  of  the  natural  order  saxifragacese. 
The  constituents  of  hydrangea  root,  determined  by  these  experiments, 
are  resin  soluble  in  ether,  resin  insoluble  in  ether,  proba]:>ly  an  alkaloid 
and  a  crystalline  compound,  the  nature  of  which  was  not  determined ; 
also  tannin,  gum,  sugar,  coloring  matter,  and  4*33  per  cent,  of  ash. 
Recognition  of  ftuebracho  Bark.— G.  Fraude  recommends  the 
following  process:  5  grams  of  the  bruised  bark  are  boiled  for  about 
•5  minutes  with  25  cc.  of  very  light  coal-  benzin ;  the  slightly  colored 
liquid  is  filtered  while  hot  and  agitated  with  10  cc.  of  dilute  sulphuric 
acid;  the  aqueous  solution  is  mixed  with  excess  of  ammonia,  shaken 
with  10  cc.  of  ether,  the  etherial  liquid  evaporated  in  a  test  tube  and 
the  residue  boiled  with  solution  of  perchloric  acid.  In  place  of  the 
latter  a  little  water  and  3  or  4  drops  of  concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
are  added  to  the  residue,  and  afterwards  a  very  minute  quantity  of 
potassium  chlorate.  In  either  case,  after  boiling  for  some  time,  a 
beautiful  intense  fuchsin-like  color  is  obtained,  due  to  the  presence  of 
aspidospermina. — Ber,  Deutsch.  Chem.  Ges.,  1881,  p.  319. 
