410 
Illicium  ReUgiosum,  Condltuents. 
f  Am.  Jour  Pharm. 
t      Aug.,  1881. 
the  free  nor  combined  fiit  acids,  as  was  thought  by  Geerts.  The  toxic 
property  of  tlie  oil  examined  by  Geerts  must  therefore  be  referred 
probably  to  the  admixture  of  a  small  quantity  of  the  active  poison 
contained  in  the  seed  powder,  which  in  the  warm  pressing  passed  into 
the  oil  ;  the  large  quantity  of  fat  acids  may  probably  have  contributed 
to  this. 
Exhausting  8  grams  of  the  seeds  deprived  of  oil  with  75  per  cent, 
alcohol  containino;  a  little  acetic  acid,  left  about  5  o;raras  of  residue 
which  produced  not  the  slightest  symptoms  of  poisoning,  while  one- 
fourth  of  the  percolate  had  strong  toxic  effects.  Lead  acetate  precip- 
itates a  tannin  yielding  a  dark  green-blue  precipitate  with  ferric  chlo- 
ride, but  does  not  precipitate  the  poisonous  principle. 
About  2*5  kilos  of  "sliikimi"  seeds,  deprived  from  fat  by  petro- 
leum spirit,  were  exhausted  with  75  per  cent,  alcohol  containing^ 
acetic  acid.  Tlie  ])erco]ate  was  evaporated;  the  residual  extract  was- 
warmed  with  some  glacial  acetic  acid,  and  to  the  mixture  chloroform 
was  added  gradually  until  it  caused  no  further  separation.  The 
chloroform  solution,  which  was  only  faintly  colored  yellow,  was  fil- 
tered oflP,  and  the  operation  was  repeated  several  times  upon  the  resi- 
due. From  the  united  licpiid  the  chloroform  was  distilled  off  and 
the  acetic  acid  evaporated;  there  remained  an  amorplious  yellow 
residue,  which  physiological  experiuients  showed  to  contain  the  poi- 
sonous principle.  Suspended'  in  warm  water,  it  swam  in  it  like 
clear  }'ellow  oil  drops.  Upon  cooling,  it  became  solid  and  gum-like 
and  dissolved  witli  difficulty  in  water.  The  aqueous  extract  showed  a 
strong  acid  reaction,  and  gave  a  white  turbidity  with  iodide  of  mer- 
cury and  i)otassium.  Heated  with  hydrochloric  acid,  a  blue-violet 
to  greenish  color  resulted,  with  the  development  of  a  characteristic 
odor.  As  after  some  time  it  showed  no  crystallization,  a  further 
purification  was  attempted. 
As  in  the  physiological  experiment,  the  poisonous  principle  proved 
to  be  soluble  in  water,  the  amorphous  residue  was  extracted  with  a 
little  water,  which  left  a  considerable  quantity  undissolved.  After  fil- 
tration, it  was  shaken  once  with  petroleum  spirit,  the  separated 
watery  liquid  treated  with  potassium  carbonate,  and  then  shaken  witli 
chloroform.  The  chloroform,  separated  from  the  watery  liquid,  left 
upon  evaporation  a  small  yellow  amorphous  residue.  Two  small 
samples  of  this  substance  treated  with  dilute  mineral  acids,  and  left 
