178 
PIPER ANGUSTIFOLIUM, OR MATICO 
gar, thus formed, had some of the taste of the plant; and when 
evaporated to an extract, was treated with sulphuric acid, 
but no change in colour was perceptible. 
7th, A portion of the leaves was incinerated in a crucible 
and treated with distilled water; after standing over night, 
and then boiled, the solution browned the turmeric paper 
very deeply, thus showing a strongly alkaline state. A por- 
tion of this solution was filtered into a glass vessel, and to it 
was added a solution of oxalate of ammonia, which caused 
a white cloud, and after a time a slight precipitate, thus show- 
ing the presence of lime. 
8th. A quantity of the leaves previously broken up was 
put into a sand crucible, heated to redness, and when com- 
pletely incinerated, the ashes were boiled in water acidulat- 
ed with nitric acid. When cool, the liquid was filtered into 
a glass, and a few drops of the solution of ferrocyanuret of 
potassium were added, which gave the characteristic colour 
of Prussian blue — showing the presence of iron. 
9th. Some of the ashes thus obtained were treated with 
distilled water and filtered, the solution was then concen- 
trated by boiling, and to the liquor a saturated solution of 
tartaric acid was added, which after a time produced a crys- 
talline deposit, showing the presence of potassa, and thus 
confirming the result of Dr. Hodges. 
The results of the analysis of Dr. Hodges were as follows: 
Chlorophylle soft, dark green resin, brown colouring mat- 
ter, yellow ditto, gum, nitrate of potassa, bitter principle, 
rnaticin, aromatic volatile oil and salts. 
The oil is composed of two, one heavier and one lighter 
than water, and the salts are those of iron, lime and potassa. 
It thus appears that there is no principle in matico ana- 
logous to piperin, as the crystals mentioned by the author 
above quoted were left undissolved by the alcohol with 
which they were treated, and when dissolved in water their 
base was proven to be potassa, as the chloride of platinum 
threw down a yellow precipitate. 
