ON CIMICIFUGA RACEMOSA. 
5 
paper; it gave a semi-transparent appearance, but when ex- 
posed to the action of heat the oil was volatilized, and the 
paper left unstained. The water of distillation was highly 
impregnated with the odor and taste of the oil. 
Experiment 6th. — Four hundred and eighty grains of 
the dried root were incinerated, and twenty grains of gray- 
ish white ashes were obtained, which were lixivated with 
boiling water; the filtered liquor had an alkaline taste, and 
restored the color of litmus previously reddened by an acid. 
It was neutralized with nitric acid, and spontaneously evap- 
orated it yielded a mass of crystals possessing all the pro- 
perties of nitrate of potassa. 
Experiment 1th. — To the residue of experiment No. 6, 
dilute nitric acid was added and filtered with this solution. 
Ferrocyanate of potassa gave a dense blue precipitate; oxy- 
late of ammonia produced a white precipitate. 
Experiment Sth. — A portion of the fresh root was bruis- 
ed into a pulp with water, the liquid was pressed out and 
the pulp boiled in alcohol. The solution was mixed with 
water and the spirit driven off by heat, but nothing was ob- 
served floating on the surface of the remaining liquid. 
From the foregoing experiments the following are be- 
lieved to be the constituents : Lignin, gum, starch, tannin, 
resin, gallic acid, fatty matter, fixed oil, wax, black coloring 
matter, volatile oil, salts of magnesia, potassa, iron and 
lime. 
1'* 
