238  Volatile  Oil  of  Cicuta  Maculata.  {^i^iST"; 
chloroform  (i  :  20)  gave  a  brownish  color  ;  a  strong  alcoholic  solution  of  hydro- 
chloric acid  colored  a  reddish- violet  ;  sulphuric  acid  (6  drops  to  1  drop  of  oil) 
became  immediately  dark  brown  ;  fuming  nitric  acid  on  a  solution  of  the  oil 
in  carbon  disulphide  gave  a  brownish  tint  ;  solid  iodine  added  to  the  oil  dis- 
solves slowly  ;  picric  acid  on  warming  dissolves  with  an  orange  color. ' ' 
So  much  can  be  said  for  existing  literature  on  the  subject.  The 
drug  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  oil  employed  in  the  following 
experiments  consisted  of  about  2-5  kilogrammes  of  material,  left  in 
the  care  of  Professor  Trimble  in  1 891,  by  Robert  Glenk,  who  had 
made  an  exhaustive  study  or  the  proximate  principles  of  the  drug. 
Upon  assorting  the  material,  about  1-5  kilogrammes  of  clean  fruit 
were  obtained,  the  remainder  consisting  of  stems,  umbels,  partly 
developed  fruit,  and  adhering  dirt.  The  refuse  was  first  macerated 
with  water  over  night,  and  then  distilled,  yielding  by  its  distillation 
a  small  quantity  of  a  light  amber-colored  oil.  The  water  which 
came  over  with  the  oil  was  poured  upon  some  of  the  clean  fruit,  more 
water  added  and  the  whole  allowed  to  macerate  over  night.  It 
was  then  distilled,  the  water  that  came  over  with  the  oil  being 
from  time  to  time  returned  to  the  still.  The  oil  was  carefully 
separated  from  the  water  and  dried  by  agitation  with  anhydrous 
calcium  chloride.  The  product  was  of  a  light  amber  color  and 
equalled  3-82  per  cent,  of  the  drug  used.  Mr.  Glenk's  larger  yield 
was  probably  due  to  the  fact  that  the  fruit  he  used  was  fresh,  and 
therefore  had  not  deteriorated  through  exposure  to  the  air.  The 
specific  gravity  of  the  freshly  obtained  oil  was  found  to  be  -8839. 
The  oil  was  now  rectified.  The  bulk  of  the  distillate  came  over  be- 
tween 1770  and  1840  C,  the  last  portion  coming  over  at  2250  C. 
The  first  portions  came  over  colorless  and  limpid,  the  last  portions 
slightly  yellow  and  generally  accompanied  by  some  whitish-appear- 
ing particles,  which  disappeared  when  the  oil  stood  undisturbed  for 
a  short  time.  The  same  behaviors  were  noticed  in  several  subse- 
quent rectifications,  but  the  cause  was  not  ascertained.  The  distil- 
late was  again  agitated  with  calcium  chloride  and  several  times  redis- 
tilled. Its  specific  gravity  was  again  taken  and  found  to  be  -8766, 
showing  a  decrease  as  compared  with  the  gravity  of  the  original 
oil.  Traces  of  moisture  were  still  noticed,  and  it  was  found  neces- 
sary to  alternately  agitate  it  with  dried  calcium  chloride,  and 
redistil  three  or  four  times  before  the  last  trace  of  moisture  disap- 
peared.   The  specific  gravity  was  then  found  to  be  -8728.  Mr. 
