88 
Analysis  of  Fouquieria  Splendens. 
f  Am,  Jour.  Pharm. 
t  Feb.,1885. 
vegetable  wax  in  adulterations  of  bees^  wax  is  positively  established  if 
the  density  of  the  sample  exceed  '970. 
By  the  method  followed  out  in  this  analysis,  petroleum  spirit 
extracted  from  the  powdered  bark  a  substance  of  constant  melting  point 
which  is  identified  as  a  wax.  It  resembles,  in  its  ethereal  solution  not 
clouding  on  addition  of  alcohol,  Bahia  wax ;  in  melting  point  and  specific 
gravity,  Carnaiiba  wax,  also  the  latter  wax  by  its  insolubility  in  water 
and  action  with  nitric  acid.  It  differs  from  Carnaiiba  wax  in  its 
greater  degree  of  solubility  in  absolute  alcohol,  ether  and  aqueous 
alkalies.  Linseed  oil  is  an  active  solvent  for  it,  but  does  not  dissolve 
Carnaiiba  wax.  The  color  reaction  of  the  petroleum  with  sulphuric 
acid  have  been  described  above.  It  is.  stated  that  sulphuric  acid  pro- 
duces no  effect  with  Carnaiiba  wax.^ 
The  wax  obtained  from  the  bark  of  Fonquieria splendens  differs  gener- 
ally in  its  properties  from  known  vegetable  waxes,  and  is  evidently  a 
new  wax,  peculiar  to  this  plant.  I  propose  that  it  be  called  Ocotilla  wax. 
In  the  ether,  absolute  alcohol,  and  water  extracts,  the  presence  of  an 
acid  resin,  a  white  crystalline  substance,  gum  resin,  glucose,  possibly 
glucosides,  gum,  and  a  red  coloring  matter  were  indicated. 
The  investigations  described  in  the  preceding  pages  were  conducted 
in  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy, 
August  and  September,  1884. 
Thalline  is  said  to  have  been  used  successfully  in  a  large  number  of 
cases  in  the  clinic  of  Professor  Nothnagel,  and  has  the  constitution  of  a 
secondary  ehinoline  base,  being  one  of  a  number  of  chinoline  derivatives 
prepared  by  Professor  Skraup,  and  is  represented  by  the  systematic  name 
"  tetrahydro-parachinanisol."  The  salts  of  this  base,  which  have  an  acid 
reaction,  are  all  freely  soluble  in  water,  and  have  the  property  of  forming 
green  compounds  when  treated  with  solution  of  ferric  chloride  and  oxidiz- 
ing agents.  On  account  of  this  peculiarity,  the  cumbrous  systematic  name 
has  been  dropped  in  favor  of  the  shorter  designation  "thalline"  (QahKo?). 
The  hydrochlorate,  sulphate  and  tartrate  of  thalline  and  the  hydrochlorate 
of  ethylthalliue  are  the  salts  that  have  been  used,  and  these  are  said  to 
show  great  antipyretic  activity  in  doses  of  quarter,  half  and  three  quarters 
of  a  gramme,  a  point  in  which  thalline  would  seem  to  compare  favorably 
with  some  of  its  competitors.  The  lowering  of  the  temperature  is  said  to 
take  place  gradually  and  to  last  a  considerable  time,  whilst  it  is  not  ac- 
companied by  any  secondary  disturbances.  Thalline  can  be  conveniently 
administered  in  wafers  containing  a  quarter  or  half  of  a  gramme  of  the 
sulphate. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans. ^  November  29,  1884  ;  Phar.  Post. 
1  A.  B.  Prescott.    Outlines  of  Proximate  Organic  Analysis. 
