198 
ON  SYRUP  OF  IODIDE  OF   IRON  AND  MANGANESE. 
with,  alcohol,  and  the  alcoholic  tincture  evaporated  to  an  extract, 
and  then  treated  with  ether  to  remove  the  tannic  and  gallic  acids, 
and  any  oily  matter  that  might  be  present.  The  extract  was 
then  dissolved  in  water,  and  solution  of  ammonia  added  gradu- 
ally, until  the  malic  acid  present  was  accurately  saturated,  which 
had  the  effect  of  changing  the  red  color  to  blue  ;  when  the  alkali 
was  added  in  excess  it  became  green,  and  when  allowed  to  stand 
in  contact  with  an  excess  of  the  alkali,  the  coloring  matter  was 
decomposed,  changing  to  a  reddish  brown.  The  true  coloring 
matter  of  sumach  berries  is  therefore  blue,  which  is  changed  to 
red  by  the  action  of  the  free  malic  acid  present. 
Extractive  Matter, — A  strong  infusion  was  made  with  boiling 
water,  and  the  bimalate  of  lime  crystallized  out  by  spontaneous 
evaporation  ;  the  concentrated  infusion  was  then  filtered  and 
shaken  up  with  ether,  to  remove  the  tannic  and  gallic  acids,  the 
ether  was  separated,  and  the  aqueous  solution  evaporated  to  an 
extract,  and  treated  with  alcohol  to  remove  the  coloring  matter 
and  malic  acid,  and  a  dark  brown  residue  was  left  of  extractive 
matter,  having  a  slightly  bitter  taste. 
Gum  Albumen  and  Starch. — The  presence  of  neither  of  the 
foregoing  principles  could  be  detected  when  the  usual  tests  were 
applied. 
Volatile  Oil. — Half  a  pound  of  the  bruised  berries  were  treat- 
ed by  distillation  with  water  till  a  pint  of  distillate  was  obtained, 
which  was  returned  to  the  still  with  another  similar  portion  of 
berries,  and  a  little  more  water,  and  again  a  pint  distilled. 
The  distillate  was  somewhat  milky,  and  strongly  charged  with 
a  peculiar,  unpleasant  odor,  probably  due  to  volatile  oil. 
From  the  foregoing  experiment  with  sumach  berries  they 
contain  tannic  acid,  gallic  acid,  fixed  oil,  free  malic  acid,  bimalate 
of  lime,  red  coloring  matter,  extractive  matter,  and  probably 
volatile  oil. 
Philadelphia,  January  29th,  1853. 
ON  SYRUP  OF  IODIDE  OF  IRON  AND  MANGANESE. 
Br  William  Procter,  Jr. 
The  attention  of  the  medical  profession  has  recently  been 
awakened  to  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  the  use  of  the 
