390 
A  sp  idium  Rigidmn . 
J  Am,  Jour.  Pha-raa.* 
I      Aug.,  1881. 
Believing  an  analysis  of  the  rhizome  of  this  fern  desirable,  in  order 
to  establish  the  relation  of  its  medicinal  constituents  to  those  existing 
in  Filix  mas,  I  have  made  some  investigations,  of  which  the  follow- 
ing is  an  account:  From  a  quantity  of  the  rhizome,  carefully  dried,, 
the  stipes  and  all  the  outer  brownish  portions  were  removed,  and  the 
])Owdered  rhizome  exhausted  with  ether,  sp.  gr.  'IbO.  The  ethereal 
solution  was  of  a  reddish-brown  color  with  a  greenish  tinge.  The 
greater  part  of  the  ether  having  been  distilled  off,  and  the  residue- 
exposed  in  a  capsule  until  the  remainder  of  the  ether  had  evaporated,, 
an  oleoresin  of  thick  oily  consistence  was  obtained,  having  a  greenish- 
brown  color,  an  aromatic  odor  and  the  bitter,  nauseous  and  somewhat 
acrid  taste  of  the  drug.  On  standing,  it  soon  deposited  a  resin,  which, 
was  separated  and  treated  with  alcohol.  After  evaporation  of  the 
alcohol  the  resin  was  of  a  reddish-brown  color,  but  darkened  on  long 
exposure  to  air,  and  became  hard  and  brittle ;  it  possessed  an  aro- 
matic odor  and  disagreeable  bitter  taste,  was  readily  soluble  in  ether,, 
alcohol,  turpentine,  ammonia,  potassa  and  carbonate  of  potassium,  and 
was  heavier  than  water.  The  alcoholic  solution  gave  an  acid  reaction,, 
and  the  resin  was  evidently  similar  to  that  obtained  by  Luck  from 
Aspidium  filix  mas. 
The  ethereal  extract  of  the  rhizome,  after  standing  a  few  days, 
deposited  yellow  crystals  on  the  sides  of  the  containing  vessel.  A  por- 
tion of  the  extract  ^vith  the  contained  yellow  crusts  was  diluted  with 
ether-alcohol,  then  with  two  measures  of  water  at  about  40°C.,  and 
amm(mia  water  added  until  the  liquid  smelled  of  ammonia;  the  whole 
was  then  shaken.  After  allowing  it  to  stand,  the  lower  brown  layer 
was  separated  from  the  supernatant  oil,  filtered  and  precipitated  with 
hydrochloric  acid,  the  precipitate  quickly  balling  together  to  a  soft,. 
])laster-like  mass.  This  was  kneaded  with  warm  water,  and  crystal- 
lized from  boiling  stronger  alcohol,  the  crystals  washed  with  alcohol 
of  80  per  cent.,  and  purified  by  dissolving  them  in  ammonia  water,, 
precipitating  with  hydrochloric  acid,  washing  with  alcohol  of  80  per 
cent.,  and  finally  recrystallizing  from  boiling  stronger  alcohol.  The- 
result  was  a  light  bright  yellow  crystalline  powder,  having  a  slight 
nauseous  taste  and  in  ethereal  solution  an  acid  reaction.  When  heated 
it  yielded  an  oily  distillate,  smelling  of  butyric  acid.  It  burned  with 
a  luminous  flame  when  heated  on  platinum  foil,  and  left  a  shining 
charcoal.    Heated  with  ammonia  water  it  quickly  assumed  a  dark 
