134 
Phytolacca  Decandra. 
(  Am  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     March,  1897. 
barks,  Frangula  and  Rhamnus  Purshiana  is  suggested.  To  the  de- 
scription of  Frangula  add  :  Medullary  rays  not  converging  at  the 
outer  ends  (distinction  from  Rhamnus  Purshiana).  Stone  cells  absent 
(distinction  from  Rhamnus  Purshiana  and  Rhamnus  Californica). 
To  the  description  of  Rhamnus  Purshiana  add :  Medullary  rays  in 
groups  converging  at  their  outer  ends  (distinction  from  Rhamnus 
Californica).  Stone  cells  present  (distinction  from  Rhamnus  Fran- 
gula). 
Drawings. — The  description  accompanying  each  one  of  the  draw- 
ings presented  will  aid  somewhat  in  pointing  out  the  structural 
characteristics  above  referred  to.  Figures  were  drawn,  using  a  I 
inch  ocular  and  I  objective. 
A  CHEMICAL  STUDY  OF  PHYTOLACCA  DECANDRA.1 
By  G.  B.  Frankfurter. 
PART  FIRST. 
The  important  medical  properties  of  the  root  of  the  common 
poke  weed,  Phytolacca  decandra,  have  made  it  the  subject  for  a 
number  of  investigations.  While  many  important  facts  have  been 
learned,  yet  nothing  of  a  definite  character  in  connection  with  the 
chemical  side  of  it  has  been  discovered.  Crystalline  substances 
have  been  obtained,  but  none  of  them  seem  to  have  been  carefully 
studied.  It  has  been  with  the  hope  of  adding  more  to  the  present 
knowledge  of  this  interesting  plant  that  the  following  experiments 
have  been  conducted. 
The  root,  which  has  been  the  principal  part  of  the  plant  under 
investigation,  was  personally  obtained,  dried  and  prepared  for  exami- 
nation. It  has  been  stated  that  the  root  undergoes  a  change,  so 
that  after  a  year  it  virtually  loses  its  medicinal  properties.  The 
writer  has  been  unable  to  corroborate  this  statement.  Samples 
were  examined  shortly  after  the  roots  were  gathered,  and  again 
after  two  years.  There  was  no  apparent  change.  The  writer  there- 
fore believes  that  if  the  root  is  carefully  dried  immediately  after 
gathering,  it  will  retain  its  properties  for  a  long  time. 
1  Read  before  the  American  Chemical  Society,  August,  1896,  aud  communi- 
cated by  the  author. 
