96 
ON THE ETHERIAL OIL OF ERGOT. 
It had no action upon litmus. Subjected to heat, it gave off, 
while boiling, a thick white smoke and a fatty odor, and was 
gradually dissipated, leaving behind a slight carbonaceous re- 
sidue. Allowed to repose for twenty-four hours, at a common 
temperature, a notable propprtion of stearine (or rather mar- 
garine, a name assigned by Lecanu to the solid principle 
analogous to stearine, derived from vegetable substances,) was 
deposited ,and the oil assumed a darker hue. 
Its color was mainly owing to the resin, and some of the 
coloring matter dissolved by the ether; for upon washing it 
with alcohol, it was in a great measure deprived of color and 
spissitude. 
It is very soluble in ether, sparingly soluble in alcohol of 
35°, completely dissolves in a large proportion of boiling alco- 
hol, but, upon cooling, some of the oil separates and subsides. 
Water added to the solution of the oil in alcohol, renders it 
very milky, and separates some white fatty matter which floats 
upon the surface. 
With concentrated solutions of potash, soda, and ammonia 
it saponifies readily. In addition to the medicinal qualities 
assigned to ergot in substance, this oil possesses the property 
of a styptic, having, as it is said, the quality of arresting 
haemorrhage in an eminent degree. 
After exhausting the ergot of its ethereal tincture, by means 
of water thrown upon the filter, there passed a transparent li- 
quid of an intensely dark red color, without smell or taste, 
beyond that of the ether with which it had been contaminated. 
It possessed the following characters: It combined with wa- 
ter in every proportion, was not miscible with ether, and al- 
cohol threw down a precipitate. It was discolored by chlo- 
rine, and likewise by dilute sulphuric acid; while caustic pot- 
ash had the effect of deepening its color. Sub. acet. plumbi 
threw down a copious precipitate. Sulph. Ferri changed it to 
a turbid purple. 
From these experiments, we may judge this latter substance 
to have been simply red coloring matter combined with gum. 
