6 
Asclfpias  Tnhcrosd. 
/  Am'.  Jour.  Pliarm.. 
I       Jan.,  1882. 
Tlie  drug  wa.s  next  treated  witli  alcoliol,  the  percolate  evaporated  to 
an  extract  which  was  treated  repeatedly  with  water,  a  portion  of  the 
aqueous  solution  was  precipitated  with  tannin,  the  precipitate  was 
collected,  washed,  mixed  with  oxide  of  lead  and  dried,  then  treated 
with  hot  alcohol ;  on  evaporating  the  alcoholic  solution,  a  residue  wa» 
left  which  yielded  a  yellowish-brown  powder  having  a  bitter  taste^ 
soluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  chloroform;  upon  the  addition  of  sulphu- 
ric acid  it  acquires  a  brown  color;  with  nitric  acid,  a  pur})le  color, 
which  soon  fades ;  Avith  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids,  a  pink  color,  which 
changes  to  purple,  then  to  blue. 
Anotlier  portion  of  the  aqueous  solution  was  precipitated  with  sub- 
acetate  of  lead  ;  the  })recipitate  was  collected  and  washed,  then  sus- 
pended in  diluted  alcohol  and  freed  from  lead  by  means  of  sulphuret- 
ted hydrogen,  filtered  and  evaporated  ;  a  dark  brown  mass,  of  an  acid 
reaction,  was  obtained,  acquiring  with  neutral  solution  of  chloride  of 
iron  an  olive-green  color,  but  not  precipitated  by  solution  of  gelatin. 
From  reactions  made  it  was  supposed  to  be  coloring  matter. 
By  treating  the  alcoholic  extract  with  benzin,  a  small  quantity  of 
saponifiable  fixed  oil  was  obtained,  and  after  treating  the  extract  with 
water  there  remained  a  resinous  portion  soluble  in  ether  and  alcohol. 
The  drug  was  next  treated  with  water,  the  infusion  concentrated, 
precipitated  by  tannin,  the  precipitate  collected,  mixed  with  oxide  of 
lead  and  dried  ;  this  was  treated  with  hot  alcohol  and  the  alcoholic 
solution  evaporated  ;  a  yellowish  substance,  having  a  slight  odor  and 
a  pungent  taste,  Avas  obtained,  giving  with  sulpluu'ic  acid  a  brown 
color,  Avitli  nitric  and  sulphuric  acids  a  reddish-brown  color. 
A  cold  infusion,  prepared  from  a  quantity  of  the  drug  that  had  not 
yet  been  treated  Avith  any  solvents,  Avas  found  to  contain  albumen,  but 
to  be  free  from  tannin  and  gallic  acid  ;  it  Avas  precipitated  Avith  tannin, 
the  precipitate  dri^d  Avith  oxide  of  lead  and  exhausted  with  hot  alco- 
hol ;  upon  evaporating  the  alcoholic  solution,  there  Avas  obtained  a 
yellowish-Avhite  poAvder  possessing  the  taste  of  the  drug  and  soluble  in 
alcohol,  ether  and  chloroform ;  upon  the  addition  of  nitric  acid  it 
acquires  a  pink  color,  changing  to  purple;  Avitli  sulphuric  acid,  a 
brown  color  Avliich  acquires  an  olive-green  color  upon  adding  hydro- 
chloric acid.    Starch  and  gummy  matter  Avere  found  in  the  decoction. 
Five  grams  of  the  drug  were  incinerated  and  yielded  '27  graui  of 
ash,  equal  to  five  and  four-tenths  per  cent.,  of  Avhich  '058  gram,  equal 
to  21 J  per  cent.  Avas  soluble  in  Avater. 
