Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
Sept.,  1885.  J 
The  Fruit  of  Illicium  Anisatum. 
427 
color;  with  gelatin  no  precipitate;  with  lead  acetate  a  grayish  precipi- 
tate; and  with  amnionic  hydrate  a  green  color,  immediately  changing 
to  reddish-brown.  From  these  reactions  it  may  be  inferred  that  the 
aqueons  solution  probably  contained  gallic  acid.  The  portion  soluble 
in  absolute  alcohol  was  found  to  be  a  resinous  substance,  partially 
soluble  in  aqueous  solution  of  caustic  potassa. 
Portion  soluble  in  absolute  alcohol. — The  residue  from  the  ether 
extract,  dried,  was  exhausted  with  absolute  alcohol,  and  from  the 
tincture  the  alcohol  was  distilled  off,  until  200  Ccm.  remained.  This 
was  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously  and  left  a  residue  amounting 
to  3*75  per  cent.  This  residue  was  completely  soluble  in  distilled 
water.  The  aqueous  solution  of  this  residue  was  then  made  acid  in 
reaction,  and  successively  shaken  up  with  petroleum,  benzol,  ether  and 
chloroform,  but  gave  no  noteworthy  results. 
After  having  removed  from  this  aqueous  solution  all  traces  of  the 
other  solvents,  it  was  made  alkaline.  Upon  shaking  this  solution 
with  petroleum,  decanting  the  petroleum,  and  evaporating  spontane- 
ously, there  remained  a  crystalline  principle  of  very  strong  musk  odor, 
but  which  corresponded  neither  to  the  reactions  of  an  alkaloid,  nor 
those  of  a  glucoside.  Subsequent  shakings  with  benzol,  ether  and 
chloroform,  showed  nothing  of  value. 
Portion  soluble  in  distilled  water. — The  residue  from  the  alcohol 
extraction  dried,  was  exhausted  with  distilled  water  by  maceration  and 
on  evaporation,  and  drying  a  portion  of  this  liquid  in  a  water-bath, 
the  residue  amounted  to  0*94  per  cent.  A  portion  of  the  aqueous 
extract  was  acidified  and  successively  agitated  with  petroleum,  benzol, 
ether  and  chloroform ;  but  on  evaporatiug  these  several  shakings  no 
crystalline  residue  was  observed.  This  same  portion  was  then  care- 
fully heated  to  expel  all  traces  of  the  other  solvents,  and  was  then 
made  alkaline.  Here  likewise,  no  results  were  obtained  by  agitating 
with  the  same  solvents. 
To  20  Ccm  of  the  aqueous  extract,  35  Ccm.  of  alcohol  (95  per  cent.) 
were  added,  and  allowed  to  stand  in  a  cool  place  for  twenty-four  hours. 
It  was  found  that  all  the  gum  had  been  precipitated,  which  precipitate 
was  then  removed  to  a  filter,  and  washed  with  alcohol  of  66  per  cent, 
carefully  dried  to  a  constant  weight,  the  gum  was  found  to  amount  to 
two  per  cent,  of  the  whole.  It  was  completely  soluble  in  water,  and 
formed  a  mucilage  therewith. 
The  acrid  taste  of  the  aqueous  extract,  and  its  frothing,  when  shaken 
