316  Arbutin  in  Ericaceous  Plants.  {^jujytSBT*' 
obtained  by  any  process,  nor  could  its  presence  be  detected  by  Jung- 
m  ami's  phospho-molybdic  acid  test;  but  the  liquid  from  which  color- 
ing matter  had  been  removed  by  acetate  of  lead  and  sulphuretted  hy- 
drogen, and  which  still  contained  calcium,  had  a  bitter  taste.  The 
preparation  of  kinic  acid  was  not  attempted.*  The  leaves  of  our 
American  Vacciniece  deserve  further  investigation  in  the  direction  in- 
dicated above,  since  some  at  least  yield  hydrokinone  on  the  dry  dis- 
tillation of  their  extract,  as  I  have  satisfied  myself  of  the  leaves  of 
Vacc.  stamineum,  Lin. 
While  it  seems  probable,  from  the  foregoing,  that  plants  of  the  subor- 
der Vacciniece  contain  kinic  acid,  instead  of  arbutin,  the  latter  principle 
appears  to  be  widely  distributed  among  the  plants  belonging  to  the 
suborders  Ericinece  and  Pyrolece.  Besides  those  mentioned  above,  it 
has  been  obtained  by  Mr.  Jefferson  Oxley  from  Epigcea  repens,  Lin. 
and  Gaultheria  procumbens,  Lin.,f  and  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Flint  in  Arctos- 
taphylos  glauca,  Lindley.  To  these  must  now  be  added  Chimaphila 
maculata,  Pursh.  from  which  Mr.  Bartholomew  BantlyJ  obtained  it  in 
handsome  crystals. 
Most  of  these  plants  have  been  employed  in  medicine  in  diseases 
of  the  urinary  organs,  diuretic  properties  being  ascribed  to  them. 
Prof.  C.  D.  Schroff§  observed  no  diuretic  effects  from  half  a  gram  of 
pure  arbutin,  while  E.  C.  Hughes||  found  his  ursin,  which  J.  Jung- 
mann^f  has  since  proven  to  be  arbutin  contaminated  with  gallic  acid 
to  possess  diuretic  properties.  Is  it  not  possible  that  tannin  or  gallic 
acid  is  necessary  to  induce  the  diuretic  action  of  arbutin  ? 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  similar  investigations  will  be  performed  with 
the  leaves  of  other  plants  belonging  to  the  natural  order  Ericacece. 
*  H.  Oppermann  found,  in  the  leaves  of  Gaylassacia  resinosa,  a  bitter  prin- 
ciple (kinic  acid?),  resin,  sugar,  tannin,  malic  acid,  chlorophyll,  coloring 
matter,  some  fat  and  wax  ;  and  in  the  ashes  potassium,  sodium,  calcium,  mag- 
nesium, aluminium  and  iron. 
f  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1872,  p.  250. 
%  Thesis  presented  to  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy,  1874.  Mr. 
Bantly  also  found  tannin,  resin,  glucose,  gum,  some  starch  and  fat. 
|  Pharmacologic,  1862,  p.  142. 
||  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  xix,  p.  89. 
%  Ibid.,  1871,  p.  204. 
