ON  CAPSICUM  ANNUUM. 
163 
were  packed  in  a  glass  percolator,  and  Ojss.  of  stronger  ether 
passed  through  it.  This  was  evaporated,  and  yielded  778  grains 
of  oleo-resin.  Of  this,  200  grains  were  dissolved  in  f^iii.  of  al- 
cohol, sp.  gr.  -835,  and  treated  in  the  manner  above  mentioned 
by  Taylor.  After  going  through  the  precipitating  process,  &c, 
the  solution  was  set  aside  for  spontaneous  evaporation,  and,  as 
the  alcohol  evaporated,  a  separation  took  place,  resulting  in  two 
liquids.  One  light-colored  and  viscid,  while  the  other  was  a  dark 
reddish-brown  oil,  with  alow  sp.  gr.,  and  floated  on  the  surface  of 
the  other  in  small  globules.  When  the  viscid  liquid  was  reduced  by 
evaporation,  it  was  placed  in  a  freezing  mixture,  when  it  imme- 
diately assumed  the  crystalline  form, — resembling  in  every  re- 
spect the  description  of  those  obtained  by  Mr.  Taylor,  possessing 
much  acrimony,  accompanied  with  a  peculiar  astringent,  leady 
taste.  They  were  treated  for  lead  by  iodide  of  potassium,  with 
the  result  of  a  copious  amount  of  iodide  of  lead. 
It  was  impossible  to  free  the  crystals  of  the  pungency  of  cap- 
sicum ;  and,  to  satisfy  myself  that  crystallization  was  due  to  the 
lead  salt,  the  experiment  was  repeated,  taking  care,  in  this  case, 
to  entirely  free  it  from  lead,  by  the  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
(which  I  knew  by  testing  from  time  to  time  in  the  process.)  The 
result  was  the  reddish-colored  oil  of  Prof.  Procter — and  no 
crystals. 
2d.  This  oil  was  dissolved  in  alcohol,  sp.  gr.  *835,  and  passed 
through  animal  charcoal,  which  freed  the  solution  entirely  of 
color.  The  alcohol  was  evaporated  at  a  temperature  of  about 
140°,  and  left  an  oily  liquid,  almost  colorless  at  first,  but  which 
gradually  acquired  color  by  age,  until  of  a  dark  red  tint.  It  is 
neutral  to  test-paper ;  has  an  exceedingly  acrid,  burning  taste, 
which  remains  for  a  long  time.  Concentrated  sulphuric  acid 
chars  it,  and  destroys  its  pungency  entirely. 
Nitric  acid  has  a  peculiar  action  upon  the  oil,  depriving  it  of 
acrimony,  without  producing  any  marked  effect  on  the  oil  itself, 
which  I  think  proves  that  the  pungency  is  not  due  to  the  fixed 
oil,  but  to  a  principle  dissolved  in  it,  the  nature  of  which  is  yet 
undetermined.  The  yield  of  this  oil  from  capsicum  is  so  small, 
that  I  had  not  enough  to  make  the  investigations  to  decide 
whether  this  principle  could  be  separated  from  it,  and  to  demon- 
