AMERICAN  AND  EUROPEAN  ACONITE  ROOT. 
7 
of  hydration  and  assumed  a  soft  consistence,  staining  paper. 
The  liquor  from  this  precipitate,  with  its  washings,  was  tested 
for  aconitia,  and  4*065  grs.  more  of  the  alkaloid  indicated,  mak- 
ing the  whole  according  to  Mayer's  test  46*56  grs.* 
European  Aconite  Root. 
A  parallel  experiment  was  now  tried  with  European  aconite 
root  of  German  origin ;  5000  grains  of  this  root,  in  moderately 
fine  powder,  were  treated  in  a  similar  manner  with  alcohol  sp.  gr. 
•835.  The  liquor  concentrated  to  three  fluidounces  mixed  wich 
a  quantity  of  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  equal  to  that  employed  in 
the  first  experiment,  and  then  washed  with  ether  until  the  < 
latter  ceased  to  be  colored.  The  aconitic  liquid  separated  from 
the  ether  was  mixed  with  an  excess  of  ammonia  and  again  treated 
with  ether  till  exhausted.  The  ethereal  liquids  left,  on  evapora- 
tion in  a  capsule,  30  grains  of  soft  brown  residue  strongly  alka- 
line to  test  paper.  This,  when  treated  with  a  fluidounce  of  water, 
and  sufficient  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  all  dissolved  but  a  trace, 
showing  that  the  more  thorough  preliminary  washing  in  this  in- 
stance had  removed  all  the  oleoresin.  The  impure  solution  of 
sulphate  of  aconitia  weighed  686  grains.  Five  grains  of  this  re- 
quired 30  grs.  of  test  liquor  to  saturate  it.  686  -t5  =  137 
X  0-1602  =  21-94  grains. 
The  residual  aconite  liquor  was  treated  with  chloroform,  am- 
monia and  ether,  as  in  the  other  experiment.  A  few  grains  of 
soft  extract  only  were  obtained,  exhibiting, when  properly  treated, 
but  a  faint  cloudiness  with  the  test  solution  for  aconitia. 
The  ethereal  washing  liquids  containing  fixed  oil  and  resin  were 
separately  evaporated.  The  product  from  the  American  root, 
amounted  to  114  grains ;  whilst  that  from  the  European  root 
equalled  180  grains. 
The  two  solutions  of  sulphate  of  aconitia  were  now  treated  to 
isolate  the  alkaloid.  That  from  the  European  root  was  carefully 
precipitated  by  ammonia,  the  precipitate  collected  on  a  filter, 
washed  and  dried.    It  weighed  ten  grains. 
*  The  reader  will  observe  that  Prof.  Mayer's  test  indicates  twice  as 
much  aconitia  as  was  obtained  by  experiment.  I  am  unable  to  account 
for  this,  unless  by  inferring  an  error  in  Prof,  Mayer's  numbers. — W.  P.,  Jr. 
