Amfu°iy?iS7arm-}  Root  of  Kalmia  Latifolia.  341 
"analysis  of  the  root  of  kalmia  latifolia. 
By  Harry  Matusow,  Ph.G. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.    No.  168. 
This  plant  is  a  well-known  evergreen  of  the  natural  order  Eri- 
caceae, and  is  known  under  the  various  synonyms  of  laurel,  mountain 
laurel,  broad-leaved  laurel,  calico  bush  and  spoonwood.  It  inhabits 
all  sections  of  the  United  States,  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  the 
Mississippi  River,  being  especially  abundant  on  the  sides  of  hills 
and  mountains.  It  is  a  shrub,  from  three  to  ten  feet  in  height,  and 
bears  beautiful  flowers. 
The  leaves  of  the  plant  are  said  to  possess  poisonous  properties, 
due  to  andromedotoxin,  which  is  found  in  a  number  of  plants  belong- 
ing to  the  Ericaceae.  As  far  as  was  learned,  the  root  has  not  been 
previously  examined  ;  so  in  order  to  ascertain  its  constituents,  a 
quantity  of  the  root  was  collected  by  the  writer  at  Lawnside,  New 
Jersey,  in  July,  1896.  The  root  was  well  cleaned,  allowed  to  become 
air-dry  and  afterwards  reduced  to  fine  powder  for  proximate  analysis. 
The  results  may  be  outlined  in  the  order  of  their  succession  as 
follows : 
Petroleum  Ether  Extract. — This  amounted  to  -34  per  cent,  of  the 
weight  of  the  root.  It  consisted  of  caoutchouc,  wax  and  a  resin- 
like substance.  The  last  had  a  dark  brown  color,  and  was  insoluble 
in  hot  aqueous  solution  of  potassium  hydrate.  Alcoholic  solution 
of  potassium  hydrate  dissolved  it.  From  the  solution  so  obtained 
diluted  sulphuric  acid  precipitated  a  white  substance  which  was 
soluble  in  alcohol,  and  gave  precipitates  with  alcoholic  solutions  of 
ferric  chloride  and  lead  acetate. 
Ether  Extract. — Ether  dissolved  -89  per  cent,  of  the  root.  Only 
a  small  quantity  of  the  extract  was  soluble  in  water.  The  water 
solution  was  neutral  in  reaction.  Treatment  with  Fehling's  solution 
and  acid  showed  the  absence  of  glucosides.  The  common  alkaloidal 
reagents  failed  to  indicate  the  presence  of  alkaloids.  That  part  of 
the  extract  which  was  insoluble  in  water  was  completely  soluble  in 
alcohol.  The  solution  was  acid  in  reaction.  Water  precipitated  it, 
as  did  also  alcoholic  solutions  of  ferric  chloride  and  lead  acetate. 
The  solution  contained  resin  and  phlobaphene.  A  portion  of  the 
alcoholic  solution  was  evaporated  to  dryness,  and  the  residue  treated 
with  potassium  hydrate  solution  at  the  water-bath  temperature.  The 
