340  Leaves  of  Tussilago  Far  jar  a.       {Am-  jS^jISf™1- 
the  residue  on  the  filter  with  water  until  it  is  practically  freed  from 
ammonium  iodide  and  unite  the  resulting  filtrates.  Boil  this  solution 
in  an  open  dish  until  it  shows  signs  of  discoloration  and  add  to  it  20 
minims  of  sulphurous  acid,  mixed  with  40  minims  of  ammonia  water, 
Now  continue  the  evaporation  at  a  boiling  temperature  until  a  crys- 
talline magma  has  resulted.  Then  remove  it  to  a  water-bath  and  pro- 
ceed with  the  condensation  until  a  perfectly  dry  white  salt  is  obtained. 
Should  the  salt  have  acquired  free  iodine  afresh  repeat  the  treatment 
with  sulphurous  acid  and  ammonia. 
ANALYSIS  OF  THE  LEAVES  OF  TUSSILAGO 
FAKFARA,  Lin. 
By  Charles  S.  Bondurant,  Ph.  G. 
(From  an  Inaugural  Essay). 
The  leaves  were  carefully  freed  from  the  long  petioles  and  other  ex- 
traneous matter.  On  account  of  their  tomentose  character  considera- 
ble trouble  was  experienced  in  reducing  them  to  No.  80  powder. 
Moisture  determined  in  a  portion  of  the  air-dried  drug  amounted  to 
7*8  per  cent.  This  may  include  a  small  percentage  of  volatile  oil 
which  was  also  present. 
Fifty  grams  (50  gm.)  were  taken  for  analysis.  Complete  exhaustion 
with  petroleum  spirit  yielded  2*18  per  cent  solid  matter  at  100°  C. 
On  increasing  the  temperature  to  110°  C.  an  acrid  volatile  oil  was 
driven  off  in  small  quantity.  The  residue  after  driving  ofT  volatile 
oil,  yielded  nothing  to  distilled  water.  Boiled  with  absolute  alcohol, 
the  solution,  on  cooling,  deposited  a  small  amount  of  waxy  matter  of 
low  melting  point.  Caustic  potash  was  added  to  the  alcoholic  solu- 
tion and  after  boiling,  diluting  and  acidifying,  a  small  portion  separa- 
ted insoluble  in  water,  showing  presence  of  a  small  amount  of  resinous 
matter.  That  portion  of  the  petroleum  extract,  insoluble  in  absolute 
alcohol,  was  caoutchouc,  soluble  in  chloroform,  bisulphide  carbon  and 
ether,  not  saponified  with  strong  solution  of  potassa. 
The  residue  of  the  original  50  gm.  was  next  macerated  with  stronger 
ether  until  exhausted  with  that  solvent,  which  extracted  2*63  per  cent, 
solid  matter  sparingly  soluble  in  distilled  water,  to  which  it  imparted 
an  intense  bitter  taste.  This  aqueous  solution  contained  no  tannin, 
and  gave  no  reaction  for  alkaloids,  but  was  found  to  readily  reduce 
Fehling's  solution  after  boiling  with  dilute  hydrochloric  acid  and  neu- 
