310 
OBSERVATIONS ON SASSY BARK. 
moaning, dilatation of the pupils, and total indisposition for food. 
Another series of experiments are now in course, the results of 
•which will be tested physiologically ; but as they cannot be con- 
cluded *in time for this essay, they will, if successful, form the 
subject of a future communication. 
The organic substances detected are tannin, an insoluble apo- 
theme analogous to those in Krameria, and a combination of 
these, which constitutes the red coloring matter of the bark, 
gallic acid, gum, resin in small quantity, fatty matter, and a pe- 
culiar matter precipitable by tannin, and soluble in alcohol and 
chloroform, but which is not the active principle. 
Inorganic constituents of Sassy hark. — 2000 grains of the bark 
in small fragments, was charred and partially incinerated in an 
earthen crucible, and the incineration afterwards completed in a 
platina crucible, using a green glass rod to stir the contents occa- 
sionally. Sixty grains, or three per cent, of a light colored grey 
ashes resulted. 
The ashes were treated w T ith boiling distilled water in suc- 
cessive portions till exhausted ; the filtered lixivium, which was 
alkaline to test paper, yielded by evaporation 3.6 grains 
of a white amorphous residue. This was dissolved in water, 
neutralized with nitric acid, which caused effervescence, and 
filtered. 
The clear solution afforded no precipitate with ammonia, potas- 
sa, or their carbonates, oxalate of ammonia, ferrocyanuret of 
potassium, hydrosulphuret of ammonia, or with phosphate of soda 
and ammonia. 
When a portion of the solution was evaporated, it yielded crys- 
tals of nitrate of potassa. A solution of tartaric acid caused the 
gradual production of a white crystalline precipitate of bitartrate of 
potassa, and bichloride of platinum a yellow one in octohedrons. 
Nitrate of silver threw down a white precipitate, soluble in 
ammonia, and nitrate of baryta a white dense one insoluble in 
nitric acid. 
The soluble portion of the ashes therefore contains, carbonate 
and sulphate of potassa, and chloride of potassium, without lime, 
magnesia or iron associated. 
The portion of the ashes insoluble in water, was treated with 
diluted muriatic acid, which dissolved nearly all withviolent effer- 
