162 
Pincknei/a  Pahens. 
Am.  Jour,  Pliarni. 
April,  1885. 
water  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid ;  but  the  acid  infusion  failed 
to  give  any  reaction  for  alkaloids  when  tested  with  Mayer's  test,  picric 
acid,  or  phospho-molybdic  acid.  On  concentrating  a  portion  of  this 
solution  numerous  crystals  separated  ;  they  were  boiled  with  a  solution 
of  sodium  carbonate  and  filtered,  the  filtrate  neutralized  gave  a  pre- 
cipitate with  calcium  chloride  indicating  oxalic  acid.  The  insoluble 
residue  was  dissolved  in  acetic  acid  and  tested  with  ammonium  oxalate 
with  which  it  gave  a  precipitate  indicating  that  the  crystals  were 
calcium  oxalate. 
Seventy-five  grams  of  the  bark  in  very  fine  powder  were  submitted 
to  the  action  of  petroleum  benzin  (which  had  previously  been  re- 
distilled) until  it  was  thoroughly  exhausted.  On  distilling  off  the 
benzin  a  greenish,  wax-like  substance  remained  ;  this  was  treated  with 
acidulated  water  (HCI),  to  which  it  yielded  nothing,  giving  no  reactions 
when  tested  for  alkaloids.  It  was  next  treated  with  eighty  per  cent, 
alcohol,  which  extracted  a  small  quantity  of  a  yellow  resinous  body, 
soluble  in  ether.  The  residue  consisted  of  a  waxy  substance  associated 
with  a  small  amount  of  chlorophyll.  Fixed  and  volatile  oils  were 
found  to  be  absent. 
Alcoholic  Extract. — The  powdered  bark  from  the  benzin  operation 
was  kept  at  a  temperature  of  100°  C.  until  all  traces  of  benzin  had 
disappeared,  was  then  thoroughly  exhausted  with  eighty  per  cent, 
alcohol  and  the  tincture  distilled;  the  concentrated  liquid  was  precipi- 
tated by  an  alcoholic  solution  of  normal  lead  acetate,  and  the  filtrate 
freed  from  lead  by  hydrogen  sulphide  concentrated  and  allowed  to 
stand,  nothing  separating  out ;  on  dilution  with  water  a  slight  precipi- 
tate was  formed,  which  on  agitating  with  ether  was  dissolved,  and  on 
evaporation  yielded  a  dark  brown  resinous  body  of  a  slight  taste,  and 
soluble  in  chloroform  and  bisulphide  of  carbon. 
The  aqueous  extract  failed  to  give  any  reaction  for  alkaloids  when 
tested  with  picric  acid,  phospho-molybdic  acid  and  Mayer's  test.  The 
remaining  aqueous  liquid  was  precipitated  by  triplumbic  acetate,  the 
filtrate  was  again  freed  from  lead  by  hydrogen  sulphide  and  concen- 
trated; on  allowing  it  to  stand  a  light  brown,  distinctly  crystalline 
substance  was  deposited,  weighing  about  0*15  grm.,  having  a  very 
bitter  taste  similar  to  that  of  the  bark  very  much  concentrated.  It 
failed  to  reduce  Fehling's  solution  until  boiled  with  dilute  sulphuric 
acid,  and  it  was  entirely  dissipated  by  heat.  The  substance  is  a  gluco- 
side,  I  think,  and  I  propose  for  it  the  name  Pinckneyin.    The  precipi- 
