ON  CHIMAPHILA  UMBELLATA. 
2-55 
boiled  there  is  a  whitish  precipitate  deposited,  which  being  heat- 
ed with  potassa,  gives  no  indication  of  the  presence  of  nitrogen 
in  the  precipitate.  I  should  infer  from  the  above  that  albumen 
is  not  a  constituent  of  the  plant. 
Tannic  Acid. — The  infusion  is  rendered  greenish-black  by  the 
sesqui-salts  of  iron,  which  color  is  not  dissipated  by  boiling.  It 
is  also  precipitated  by  quinia  and  gelatin. 
Starch. — The  decoction  yielded  upon  the  addition  of  tincture 
of  iodine  the  characteristic  blue  precipitate  of  iodide  of  starch. 
Gum.—The  infusion,  deprived  of  its  tannic  acid  by  means  of 
gelatin,  filtered,  and  solution  of  subacetate  of  lead  added,  gave  a 
white  curdy  precipitate.  By  first  exhausting  the  leaves  with  al- 
cohol, and  then  treating  with  water,  a  precipitate  was  produced, 
in  the  aqueous  solution,  by  subacetate  of  lead. 
Sugar. — An  alcoholic  extract,  about  the  consistence  of  honey, 
was  diluted  with  water  and  filtered.  To  a  portion  of  the  filtrate, 
in  a  test  tube,  was  added  a  solution  of  sulphate  of  copper,  and 
then  caustic  potassa  in  excess.  It  was  carefully  heated  to  ebul- 
lition and  allowed  to  boil  for  a  few  minutes,  when  a  reddish  pre- 
cipitate (Cu2  0.)  was  deposited. 
A  test  tube  was  filled  with  another  portion  of  the  solution, 
having  been  previously  mixed  with  a  few  drops  of  yeast,  and 
then  inverted  into  a  small  evaporating  dish,  a  little  liquid  being 
poured  into  the  dish  to  prevent  any  escape  from  the  test  glass. 
It  was  then  placed  in  a  warm  situation,  where  the  temperature 
was  about  85°  F.  The  fermentation  began  almost  immediately, 
and  continued  until  the  liquid  was  entirely  displaced  from  the 
tube,  showing  the  sugar  to  be  in  considerable  quantity.  The 
displaced  liquid  was  found  to  possess  a  faint  vinous  odor,  due  to 
the  alcohol  formed. 
The  remaining  liquid  was  evaporated  with  a  view  of  obtaining 
crystals,  but  after  evaporating  until  sufficiently  concentrated,  it 
solidified  without  showing  any  crystalline  form.  Repeated  ex- 
periments were  made  to  obtain  the  sugar  in  crystals,  all  of 
which,  however,  failed,  the  result  being  in  all  cases  a  semi-solid 
translucent,  amorphous  mass.  I  therefore,  think  that  it  is  un- 
ary stallizable. 
Extractive.— -A  hot  infusion,  evaporated  to  the  consistence  of 
a  soft  extract,  with  the  addition  of  water,  when  filtered,  left  upon 
