AMAagUi;iP874RM'}  Helianthemum  Gorymhosum,  Michaux,  357 
HE  L I A  N  THE  M  UM  CORYMBOSUM,  MICHAUX. 
By  Frederick  J.  Kruell,  G.  P. 
Condensed  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
This  plant  is  said  to  possess  the  same  medicinal  properties  as  the 
officinal  Helianthemum  canadense.  For  the  following  analysis  the 
herb  was  collected  in  the  latter  part  of  June,  in  New  Jersey,  and 
after  carefully  drying  it  in  the  shade,  it  was  found  to  have  lost  52  5 
per  cent. 
An  infusion,  made  with  boiling  water,  was  of  a  reddish  brown  color, 
and  a  slightly  bitter  but  very  astringent  taste,  and  possessed  a  grass- 
like odor. 
The  infusion  was  free  from  starch  ;  alcohol  produced  a  precipitate, 
consisting  mainly  of  gum,  and  iron  salts  indicated  the  presence  of 
much  tannin.  The  latter  was  removed  by  gelatin  and  the  filtrate 
treated  with  subacetate  of  lead.  The  filtrate  from  this  precipitate, 
after  the  removal  of  the  excess  of  lead  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen, 
contained  but  a  minute  quantity  of  coloring  matter,  which  was  found 
to  be  insoluble  in  alcohol  and  ether. 
Three  tinctures  were  next  prepared  with  ether,  alcohol  and  with 
diluted  alcohol.  Evaporated  to  the  consistency  of  a  solid  extract, 
the  diluted  alcohol  tincture  yielded  28  per  cent.  ;  the  alcoholic,  16  4 
per  cent.,  and  the  etherial  4-6  per  cent,  of  the  original  weight  of  the 
herb  employed ;  the  portions  of  the  herb  extracted  with  alcohol  and 
ether  were  dried,  and  exhausted  with  cold  water,  which,  upon  evapo- 
ration, yielded  extracts  weighing  respectively  19'6  and  22  per  cent* 
of  the  original  weight,  and  containing  glucose  as  indicated  by  Trom- 
mer's  test. 
The  extract  obtained  with  diluted  alcohol  was  of  a  dark-brown  color,, 
and  a  bitter  and  astringent  taste ;  it  was  exhausted  with  diluted  mu- 
riatic acid,  the  tannin  removed,  and  then  treated  with  carbonate  of 
sodium,  which  darkened  the  color  without  producing  a  precipitate7 
evaporated  to  an  extract  and  treated  with  alcohol,  which  dissolved  a 
little  coloring  matter  but  no  alkaloid. 
The  residue  left  by  the  dilute  acid  was  digested  in  hot  alcohol,  and 
the  solution  filtered ;  this  was  of  a  dark-brown  color  and  a  slightly 
bitter  taste  ;  when  added  to  water,  it  produced  a  milky  solution,  and?, 
on  further  examination,  was  found  to  be  resin  and  coloring  matter. 
The  alcoholic  tincture  yielded  an  extract  which  was  of  a  dark-greeik 
