Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
.  Nov.,  1881.  j 
Examination  of  Ericaceous  Plants. 
551 
Part  first  was  treated  with  a  solution  of  gelatin,  which  produced  a 
precipitate  denoting  the  presence  of  tannin ;  the  precipitate  was  se]:)a- 
rated  by  a  filter  and  the  filtrate  treated  with  a  neutral  solution  of  fer- 
ric salts,  which  produced  a  bluish-black  precipitate  which  disappeared 
on  heating  the  solution,  thus  indicating  the  probable  presence  of  gal- 
lic acid. 
Part  second,  treated  with  a  solution  of  calcium  chloride  and  lime 
water,  produced  no  precij^itate,  thus  denoting  the  absence  of  tartaric 
acid  ;  but,  on  heating  the  solution  to  the  boiling  point,  a  j)recipitate  of 
•calcium  citrate  was  thrown  down  from  the  solution  obtained  from 
Chimaphila  maculata,  but  no  precipitate  was  produced  with  the  solu- 
tions obtained  from  the  plants  of  the  genus  Pyrola. 
The  solutions  ^vere  then  concentrated  and  treated  with  strong  alco- 
hol, which  produced  a  precipitate  of  calcium  malate  in  the  solutions 
■obtained  from  the  plants  of  the  genus  Pyrola,  but  none  in  the  solution 
which  was  separated  from  the  citrate  of  calcium  precipitate. 
The  organic  acids  as  obtained  by  these  investigations,  therefore,  are : 
In  the  plauts  of  the  genus  Pyrola,  tannic,  gallic  and  malic  acids,  and 
in  Chimaphila  maculata,  tannic,  gallic  and  citric  acids. 
2.  The  precipitate  obtained  by  treating  the  concentrated  infusion 
with  strong  alcohol  was  then  treated  with  water  in  which  it  mostly 
•dissolved;  the  solution  Avas  filtered  and  found  to  contain  glucose  by 
Trommer's  test. 
The  filtrate  was  then  concentrated  and  again  precipitated  with  strong 
alcohol ;  the  precipitate  was  completely  soluble  in  water  and  found  to 
•consist  of  gum  and  coloring  matter. 
3.  The  precipitate  obtained  on  adding  a  solution  of  acetate  of  lead 
to  a  decoction  of  the  leaves,  and  separating  by  a  filter,  was  well 
washed,  then  suspended  in  water  and  decomposed  with  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  the  sulphide  of  lead  separated  by  a  filter  and  the  excess  of 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  expelled  by  heating  the  filtrate.  The  filtrate 
gave  a  precipitate  with  gelatin;  a  dark  green  color  with  ferric  salts; 
a  reddish  color  with  caustic  alkalies,  and  a  precipitate  by  Trommer's 
test. 
4.  The  sulphide  of  lead  obtained  on  removing  the  excess  of  lead 
from  the  aqueous  decoction  of  the  leaves  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen 
was  first  treated  with  hot  water  and  then  with  hot  alcohol,  the  solu- 
tions filtered  and  concentrated  in  a  water-bath  and,  while  hot,  set 
aside.    The  aqueous  solution,  on  standing,  deposited  a  small  amount 
