566 
Laboratory  Notes. 
Am.  Joar.  Pharni. 
Dec,  1878. 
(Husemann,  "  Pflanzenstoffe,"  p.  25).  This  alcoholic  solution,  upon 
evaporation,  left  a  brownish,  waxy  and  bitter  residue,  which  was  read- 
ily soluble  in  chloroform  and  ether.  A  small  portion  dissolved  in 
water  acidulated  with  oxalic  acid  quickly  liberated  iodine  from  iodic 
acid.  A  test  for  nitrogen  and  precipitates  with  the  alkaloid  reagents 
were  obtained,  as  before  purification. 
Another  portion  of  the  root  was  treated  with  ether  for  the  resin, 
The  ether,  after  decantation,  was  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously ,> 
and  the  residue  treated  with  acidulated  water.  The  water  solution  was 
bitter,  and  after  standing  two  or  three  days  deposited  a  purple-brown 
powder.  The  resin  was  soft,  waxy,  insoluble  in  alkalies,  benzin, 
petroleum  naphtha,  turpentine,  carbon  disulphide  and  hydrochloric  acid. 
It  was  soluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and  alcohol,  in  sulphuric  acid  with 
a  brown  color,  and  in  nitric  acid  with  a  bright  yellow  color. 
At  this  point  the  work  was  interrupted  by  lack  of  material.1 
In  the  "Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,"  1877^ 
page  274,  some  mention  is  made  of  this  plant  ;  nothing,  however,  that 
has  not  already  been  mentioned  above. 
Some  physiological  experiments  were  made  upon  himself  by  Mr.  W , 
R.  Birdsall.  He  used  the  dried  ground  root.  After  taking  twenty- 
grain  doses  at  intervals  during  several  days  and  experiencing  no  effect,, 
four  forty-grain  doses  were  taken  within  an  hour  and  a  half.  Five 
hours  after  taking  the  last  dose  slight  colicky  pains  were  experienced^ 
and  a  slight  smarting  of  the  eyelids  was  noticed,  but  no  other  marked 
effects.  An  ounce  and  a  half  of  fluid  extract  was  given  to  a  kitten  two 
months  old.  No  effect  was  observed  except  that  it  appeared  to  dislike 
the  taste. 
From  these  experiments  it  would  seem  that  the  dried  ground  root 
possesses  no  poisonous  properties. 
IV.  An  Analysis  of  the  Cranberry  ^Vaccinium  macrocarpum). 
As  immense  quantities  of  these  berries  are  often  rendered  useless  by 
being  frozen,  the  inquiry  has  arisen  as  to  how  these  could  be  utilized. 
Mr.  L.  W.  Moody  made  an  analysis  of  the  berry,  obtaining  the  fol- 
lowing : 
1  The  work  was  resumed  at  a  later  period,  but  only  a  short  time  before  Miss. 
Watson's  death. 
