222  Helenium  Autumnale.  {^JXu™" 
Southern  and  Southwestern  States.  It  has  a  very  hitter  taste,  and. 
is  recommended  by  some  in  intermittent  fever. 
PROCESS  PURSUED  IN  THE  ANALYSIS  OF  THE  PLANT. 
Treatment  with  Ether. —  A  small  quantity  of  the  air  dry  plant  wa& 
pulverized  moderately  fine,  and  macerated  with  stronger  ether  for  four 
days ;  at  the  expiration  of  this  time  the  temperature  was  raised  to* 
+110°  F.  for  a  short  time,  and  then  the  substance  was  allowed  to  mace- 
rate for  two  days  longer  at  the  former  temperature.  The  whole  was 
then  transferred  to  a  percolator,  and,  after  the  liquid  portion  had  run 
through,  the  dregs  were  entirely  exhausted  with  stronger  ether.  The 
ethereal  solution,  which  was  of  a  dark-green  color,  with  a  blood-red 
hue  in  reflected  light,  had  an  acid  reaction  and  a  very  bitter  taste. 
It  was  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously,  lastly  assisted  by  a  gentle 
heat  over  a  water  bath.  A  small  quantity  of  distilled  water  wa& 
added,  and  the  heat  continued  until  the  whole  was  entirely  free  from 
ethereal  and  alcoholic  odor,  and  then  allowed  to  cool.  The  superna- 
tant liquid  was  poured  off,  and  the  undissolved  resinous  substance 
repeatedly  washed  with  small  quantities  of  distilled  water.  The  liquid 
and  washings  were  concentrated  to  about  one-third  their  bulk  and  set 
aside  to  clear. 
The  resinous  substance  undissolved  by  the  water  was  then  freed 
from  adhering  moisture  by  a  gentle  heat  over  a  water  bath.  It  had 
a  dark-green  color,  a  soft  consistence  and  a  bitter  taste.  (The  bitter 
taste  was  subsequently  found  to  be  due  to  the  insufficient  exhaustion 
of  the  ethereal  extract  with  water,  the  bitter  principle  being  entirely 
soluble  in  water.)  It  was  then  warmed  with  a  small  quantity  of  70 
per  cent,  alcohol,  and  allowed  to  digest ;  the  dissolved  portion  was 
then  poured  off,  the  residue  washed  repeatedly  with  70  per  cent,  alco- 
hol ;  the  washings  and  solution  evaporated  to  dryness  left  a  resinous 
substance,  of  a  light-brown  color  and  a  bitter  taste,  thereby  proving 
the  bitter  principle  to  be  soluble  also  in  alcohol.  The  following  sol- 
vents were  applied  to  the  resinous  substance  obtained  with  the  70  per 
cent,  alcohol :  H2S04  dissolved  it  entirely,  the  solution  being  light- 
brown ;  on  diluting  with  water  it  was  changed  to  a  beautiful  rose 
color,  and  on  further  dilution  the  color  disappeared  with  the  produc- 
tion of  a  gray  flocculent  precipitate.  Solution  of  KHO  dissolved  it, 
the  hot  solution  more  readily.  NH^HO  and  HN03  dissolved  it  par- 
tially. In  HC1  and  CS2  it  was  insoluble.  In  chloroform  and  benzin 
it  was  only  slightly  soluble. 
