ON RADIX SUMBUL. 
121 
3. Extract with Alcohol of 0.9335 spec. grav. 
Bitter substance, soluble in water with vegetable 
gelatine and vegetable acid salts - 0.06 4 
A bitter yellow coloring substance, soluble in alco- 
hol - 0.040 
4. Extract with Water. 
Gum, soluble in cold water 0.082 
Starch and salts 0.284 
Gelatinous sediment ------ 0.072 
5. Extract ivith Solution of Potash. 
Starch (in combination with the fibre) - - - 0.100 
Insoluble fibre - 0.076 
991 
Loss 0.009 
The most interesting substance in this root is the balsam 
which ether extracts, which resembles in consistence and 
color copaiva balsam. It possesses a burning aromatic taste 
but only a faint musky odor, which, however, is strongly 
developed when the balsam has been placed for some time 
in contact with water ; it differs very decidedly in its pro- 
perties from most other vegetable substances : for instance, 
it dissolves in sulphuric acid with a splendid blue color. 
This reaction is best obtained when a concentrated alccholic 
solution of the balsam is dropped into sulphuric acid diluted 
with its equal weight of alcohol. 
When the balsam is heated alone in the retort, a clear 
yellow oil, having a taste of peppermint, distils over at the 
commencement, after which the residue in the retort is con- 
verted into an indigo-blue mass, and finally an emerald- 
green oil passes over. 
The balsam is easily soluble in solution of potash, and 
forms with it a crystalline mass ; when this is dissolved in 
water and decomposed with sulphuric acid, the balsam is 
re-obtained apparently unaltered; but if some water is 
