ON  CIMICIFUGA  RACEMOSA. 
395 
8500  grains  of  the  root  when  submitted  respectively  to  the 
action  of  cold  and  boiling  water,  alcohol,  ether,  dilute  acids,  and 
alkaline  solutions,  left  540  grains  of  a  dark  brown  lignin,  which 
was  converted  by  sulphuric  acid  into  a  pasty  mass,  which  was 
soluble  in  water. 
Inorganic  Constituents, 
Fourteen  hundred  and  forty  grains  of  the  root,  when  inciner- 
ated, yielded  120  grains  of  a  light  colored  ash.  A  portion  was 
lixiviated  with  boiling  water  ;  the  solution  evaporated  to  dryness, 
the  product  thus  obtained  redissolved  in  boiling  water  and  filtered. 
When  a  portion  of  the  solution  was  added  to  a  solution  of  tartaric 
acid,  carbonic  acid  was  given  off,  and  a  white  precipitate  of  bi- 
tartrate  of  potassa  was  obtained.  Another  portion,  when  neu- 
tralized with  nitric  acid  and  evaporated,  yielded  a  salt  having 
the  appearance  of  nitrate  of  potassa,  of  a  siline  cooling  taste, 
and  which  deflagrated  when  thrown  on  burning  coals.  Another 
portion  of  the  solution  gave  with  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
barium,  a  white  precipitate  which  was  but  partially  soluble  in 
nitric  acid.  With  another  portion  of  the  solution,  nitrate  of 
silver  produced  a  curdy  precipitate  which  blackened  on  exposure 
to  the  light,  and  which  was  entirely  soluble  in  aq.  ammonia.  The 
foregoing  tests  proving  the  presence  of  carbonate  and  sulphate 
potassa,  and  chloride  of  potassium. 
The  insoluble  portion  of  the  ash  was  treated  with  dilute  nitric 
acid,  with  the  evolution  of  carbonic  acid,  proving  the  presence 
of  a  carbonate  insoluble  in  water. 
A  portion  of  this  acid  solution,  when  neutralized  with  carbonate 
of  ammonia,  gave  with  a  solution  of  phosphate  of  soda  a  white 
precipitate  of  the  double  phosphate  of  magnesia  and  ammonia. 
With  the  remainder  of  the  solution,  a  solution  of  oxalic  acid 
produced  a  white  precipitate  of  oxalate  of  lime. 
The  portion  of  the  ash  which  remained  after  heating  it  with 
the  dilute  acid,  was  subjected  to  the  action  of  the  strong 
acid. 
This  solution  gave  with  a  solution  of  ferrocyanide  of  potassium, 
a  blue  color,  indicating  the  presence  of  a  salt  of  iron. 
The  insoluble  portion  of  the  ash  was  well  washed  with  water, 
and  then  with  a  boiling  solution  of  potassa.    With  this  solution, 
