ON  CIMICIFUGA  RACEMOSA. 
393 
taste,  and  the  peculiar  odor  of  the  root.  When  first  prepared  it 
was  perfectly  transparent,  but  became  turbid  on  standing  for 
half  an  hour. 
A  portion  of  this  infusion  when  agitated  with  a  solution  of 
corrosive  sublimate,  let  fall  a  copious  precipitate  ;  with  another 
portion,  a  strong  fresh  infusion  of  galls  produced  a  curdy  pre- 
cipitate, and  another  portion,  when  boiled  and  allowed  to  cool, 
deposited  a  flocculent  precipitate  ;  tests  indicating  the  presence 
of  albumen. 
To  another  portion  of  the  infusion,  a  solution  of  sulphate  of 
copper,  and  a  slight  excess  of  liquor  potassa  were  added.  This 
mixture  when  boiled  for  a  short  time,  let  fall  a  beautiful  pre- 
cipitate of  sub-oxide  of  copper  ;  this  test  indicating  the  presence 
of  uncrystallizable  sugar. 
Another  portion  of  the  infusion  gave  a  greenish  black  color, 
with  sesquichloride  of  iron  ;  a  white  curdy  precipitate  with  sul- 
phuric acid  ;  and  slight  precipitates  with  tartar-emetic  and 
gelatin ;  tests  indicating  the  presence  of  tannic  acid. 
Another  portion  of  the  infusion  was  digested  with  an  excess 
of  gelatin  for  24  hours.  It  was  then  filtered,  and  gave  no  pre- 
cipitate with  sulphuric  acid,  and  gave  with  sesquichloride  of  iron 
a  greenish  black  color,  which  was  entirely  dissipated  on  the 
application  of  heat ;  tests  indicating  the  presence  of  gallic 
acid. 
To  another  portion  an  excess  of  a  solution  of  gelatin  was 
added,  allowed  to  stand  for  24  hours,  and  filtered  to  separate 
the  tannic  acid.  It  was  then  boiled  and  filtered  to  separate  the 
albumen,  and  gave  with  a  solution  of  subacetate  of  lead,  a 
flocculent  precipitate,  indicating  the  presence  of  gum. 
By  the  evaporation  of  the  remainder  of  the  infusion,  about 
25  per  cent,  of  a  dark  brown  extract  was  obtained.  This,  when 
submitted  to  the  action  of  alcohol  and  ether,  successively,  left 
75  per  cent,  of  a  dark  brown,  slightly  bitter  extractive  matter. 
A  portion  of  the  root  which  had  been  treated  with  cold  water, 
was  boiled  for  15  minutes  with  about  four  times  its  weight  of 
water.  The  filtered  decoction  gave,  when  cold,  an  indigo^blue 
color  wich  tincture  of  iodine,  indicating  the  presence  of  starch. 
1750  grains  of  the  finely  powdered  root  were  exhausted  with 
alcohol  of  -835.     The  tincture  thus  obtained,  was  evaporated  by 
