206 
VEKATRUM  VIRIDE. 
after  boiling  to  expel  the  superfluous  hydrosulphuric  acid,  it  was 
evaporated  to  one-half,  magnesia  added  in  excess,  and  the  whole 
boiled  up  several  times.  The  liquid  was  then  filtered  off,  the 
precipitate  boiled  with  absolute  alcohol,  and  the  solution  evapo- 
rated to  dryness,  leaving  a  dark  brown  resinous  looking  matter ; 
this  was  then  redissolved  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  when  pre- 
cipitated by  the  addition  of  ammonia  was  in  very  minute  quanti- 
ty, and  of  a  reddish  color.  It  had  a  bitter  acrid  taste,  was 
colored  red  by  sulphuric  acid  and  yellow  by  nitric  acid. 
Experiment  2d, — Eight  ounces  of  the  bruised  root  were  mace- 
rated for  two  days  in  a  dilute  solution  of  acetic  acid  ;  the  mass 
placed  in  a  percolator  and  water  poured  on  until  it  no  longer  be- 
came acid  ;  the  solution  was  evaporated  to  about  four  fluidounces, 
precipitated  by  ammonia  in  excess,  and  the  liquid  filtered  off ; 
the  precipitate,  which  was  of  a  dark  brown  color,  weighed  after 
drying  ten  and  a  half  grains. 
Experiment  3d. — The  aqueous  solution  of  the  extract  from 
eight  ounces  of  the  root  was  evaporated  to  about  twenty-four 
fluidounces,  filtered,  and  precipitated  by  ammonia  in  excess ;  the 
liquid  still  containing  the  precipitate  suspended  in  it  was  shaken 
with  about  four  ounces  of  chloroform  ;  after  allowing  this  mixture 
to  stand  a  sufficient  length  of  time  for  the  two  fluids  to  separate, 
the  superior  layer  was  decanted,  and  the  chloroformic  solution 
washed  until  colorless ;  it  was  then  evaporated  to  dryness  in  a 
water  bath,  the  residue  dissolved  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  pre- 
cipitated by  ammonia  and  re-dissolved  by  chloroform.  By  evapo- 
ration, this  fluid  gave  about  two  grains  of  a  whitish  powder,  which 
was  colored  red  by  sulphuric  acid,  and  acted  powerfully  as  a 
sternutatory. 
Experiment  4th. — The  solution  obtained  as  before  from  eight 
ounces  of  the  root  was  filtered  and  precipitated  by  ammonia ; 
about  eight  fluidounces  of  benzole  were  then  added,  and  the  liquids 
thoroughly  mixed  by  agitation  ;  they  were  then  allowed  to  re- 
main at  rest  until  two  separate  layers  were  formed,  when  the 
inferior  one  was  removed  by  a  syphon.  The  solution  in  benzole 
was  repeatedly  washed  until  it  became  colorless,  and  upon  evapo- 
ration in  a  water  bath  gave  a  mass  which  dissolved  readily  in 
sulphuric  acid,  and  was  precipitated  by  an  alkali  of  a  pure  white 
color. 
