124  Hydrangea  Arborescens. 
without  color.  It  was  desired  to  make  an  ultimate  analysis  of  hydrangin, 
but  owing  to  lack  of  time  it  will  be  reserved  for  future  investigation. 
In  exhausting  the  drug  with  the  usual  solvents,  there  was  found  in 
the  petroleum  spirit  extract,  a  fixed  oil,  turning  dark  reddish- 
brown  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  saponifiable  with  potassa; 
and  a  volatile  oil  possessing  the  characteristic  odor  of  the  drug  and 
evolving  an  alliaceous  odor  when  treated  with  caustic  potash  and  sul- 
phuric acid.  The  presence  of  sulphur  was  indicated  by  the  blacken- 
ing of  paper  moistened  with  solution  of  lead  acetate. 
The  ethereal  extract  contained  in  addition  to  the  glucoside,  a  resin 
insoluble  in  water,  sparingly  soluble  in  chloroform,  completely  solu- 
ble in  absolute  alcohol  and  alkaline  solutions. 
Absolute  alcohol  extracted  the  glucoside,  a  resin  insoluble  in  ether, 
and  a  reddish  coloring  matter  soluble  in  chloroform. 
Water  extracted  vegetable  mucilage,  saponin  and  sugar. 
The  dilute  soda  solution  contained  mucilaginous  substances  and 
albuminoids. 
Dilute  hydrochloric  acid  extracted  calcium  oxalate  in  small  quantities. 
The  residue  boiled  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  for  some  hours 
extracted  starch  by  conversion  into  glucose. 
Lignin  was  extracted  by  chlorine  water  with  agitation. 
The  ash  was  found  to  be  composed  of  sulphates,  chlorides,  carbon- 
ates, phosphates  and  silicates  combined  with  calcium,  iron,  aluminium, 
magnesium  and  potassium. 
Summary : 
Petroleum  spirit  (fixed  and  vol.  oil)  2.28  per  cent. 
Stronger  ether  (glucoside  and  resin)  1.57  " 
Absolute  alcohol  (glucoside  and  two  resins)  2.31  " 
Distilled  water  (mucilage,  saponin  and  sugar)  9.52  " 
Dilute  soda  (mucilage  and  albuminoids)  8.37  " 
Dilute  hydrochloric  acid  (calcium  oxalate)  1.40  " 
Starch,  7.28 
Lignin,  4.83  " 
Ash,  3.41  " 
Cellulose  moisture, etc., undetermined,  59.03  " 
Total,  100.00 
No  tannin  was  found  to  be  present  in  the  drug  contradictory  to 
statement  made  by  Mr.  Baur.  The  work  above  was  done  in  the 
laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  under  direction 
of  Prof.  Henry  Trimble. 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(      March,  1887. 
