322 
THE KOSSO, OR BRAYERA ANTHELMINTIC A. 
The surest way is to employ only the flowers, and powder 
them when so wanted. 
Kosso has been examined by Wittstein and by Martin : — 
Wittstein's Analysis. Martin's Analysis. 
Fatty oil, ) 
1.44 
Starch, 
Chlorophyle, j 
Saccharine matter, 
Wax, 
I - - 2.02 
Vegetable extractive, 
Bitter, acrid resin, 
6.25 
Green odorous resin, 
Tasteless resin, 
- 0.77 
Crystalline substance. 
Sugar, - 
- - 1.08 
called kwoscine. 
Gum, 
- 7.22 
Tannin, striking a 
, green co- 
lor with iron, 
8.94 
Tannin, striking a blue color 
with iron, - 
15.46 
Vegetable fibre, 
- 40.97 
Ashes, - 
15.71 
The ashes consist of potash, magnesia, lime, oxide of iron, 
sulphuric and phosphoric acids, chlorine and silica. 
With regard to the two kinds of tannin, Wiltstein observes, 
that as far as he knows, this is the first instance recorded of 
a plant containing simultaneously two kinds of tannin, strik- 
ing the one a blue and the other a green, colour with the 
salts of iron. 
Although it is not improbable that the anthelmintic property 
of kosso may in part depend on tannin (since the pomgranate 
bark which contains this principle in abundance, is, like kosso, 
also an anthelmintic,) yet what maybe termed the peculiar 
property of kosso, probably resides chiefly in the bitter acrid 
resin. This is soluble in alcohol and in ether, and appears to 
be a neutral body, manifesting neither distinct alkaline nor 
acid properties. 
The crystalline principle of Martin is white in silky crystals, 
has a styptic taste and is soluble in ether and alcohol. Tt 
reddens litmus and dissolves without decomposition in sul- 
phuric, muriatic and nitric acids. 
The dried plant evolves a fragrant odour when boiled in 
