312 
Ceph  a  lanthm  Occiden  ta  lis . 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     July  1, 1874. 
The  crystals  when  dissolved  in  dilute  HN03  gave  a  solution  of 
yellow  color,  and  when  supersaturated  with  hydrate  of  potassium  it 
became  light  red. 
These  reactions  and  the  solubility  as  noticed,  are  the  same  as  those 
of  aesculin.  Although  agreeing  in  so  many  respects  with  sesculin,  it 
was  found  not  to  be  a  glucoside. 
The  resinous  deposit  from  No.  1  was  next  examined.  It  was 
soluble  in  alcohol,  but  insoluble  in  ether,  and  was  split  into  glucose 
and  another  principle  similar  in  appearance  to  the  resin,  but  of 
lighter  color,  by  boiling  with  dilute  H2S04. 
The  filtrate  from  the  decoction,  after  being  treated  with  the  lead 
salts,  was  acted  upon  by  H2S,  heated,  filtered  and  concentrated ;  it 
was  very  bitter.  This  solution  was  digested  with  charcoal,  and,  after 
"being  washed  with  water  and  dried,  it  was  boiled  in  alcohol  until 
nothing  more  was  taken  up  by  that  menstruum. 
The  alcoholic  solution  was  concentrated  and  set  aside  ;  no  crystals 
fcut  an  extremely  bitter  extract  was  obtained,  which  was  translucent ; 
freely  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  very  sparingly  soluble  in  chloro- 
form and  ether,  and  completely  insoluble  in  benzin.  It  gave  an  acid 
reaction  to  test  paper,  which  may  perhaps  be  due  to  the  fluorescent 
principle  with  which  it  was  found  to  be  contaminated,  and  which  was 
not  completely  removed  by  ether.  Several  ways  were  tried  for  crys- 
tallizing this  substance,  but  without  succes. 
The  above  filtrate  from  the  charcoal  was  evaporated  to  a  syrupy 
consistency  and  tested  for  sugar.  Trommer's  test  showed  its  presence 
in  cuprous  oxide  being  formed  gradually  at  the  ordinary  temperature  ; 
the  syrup  was  uncrystallizable. 
Twenty-four  troy  ounces  of  the  drug  were  next  exhausted  with 
alcohol  and  gave  a  light-colored  tincture,  which  was  fluorescent.  It 
was  evaporated  to  an  extract  of  an  astringent  bitter  taste.  Water 
was  added  to  the  dregs  after  exhaustion  with  alcohol,  until  it  passed 
through  the  percolator  almost  colorless  ;  it  gave  a  solution  considerably 
darker  in  color  than  the  tincture,  with  fluorescence  and  astringent 
and  bitter  taste.  This  was  also  evaporated  to  an  extract,  in  which 
the  bitterness  was  not  near  so  predominant  as  in  the  alcoholic  extract, 
and  was  deprived  of  it  on  being  treated  with  alcohol. 
The  alcoholic  extract  was  exhausted  with  a  limited  quantity  of 
water  and  filtered.  The  filtrate  was  perfectly  clear,  but  on  addition 
of  more  water,  a  cloudiness  was  produced,  and  on  standing,  a  portion 
