96 
ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
Experiment 5. — An ethereal tincture was made by ma- 
cerating an ounce of the bruised root in four ounces of 
sulphuric ether for ninety-six hours, and filtering. This was 
of a lightish-red or yellowish color, and less acrid and burning 
than the alcoholic tincture. On the addition of water to a 
portion of this tincture, its transparency was affected, and 
after standing a short time, a yellowish oily matter arose to 
its surface. This substance gave to paper a permanent 
greasy stain, and on the application of flame it burnt, giving 
off much sooty vapor. The remainder of the ethereal tincture 
was evaporated to the consistence of an extract, which was of 
a blackish-brown color, less acrid than the alcoholic extract. 
Experiment 6. — A portion of the root, well bruised, was 
macerated in water, at a temperature of about 80° Far., for 
forty-eight hours. This was then strained and filtered, 
affording a liquor of a pale reddish color, possessing in a 
diluted state the acrid properties of the root. It was treated 
with a solution of subacetate of lead, until it ceased to pro- 
duce a precipitate, and then filtered. Hydrosulphuric acid 
gas was transmitted through the filtered liquid until it ceased 
to throw down sulphuret of lead. After again filtering, the 
liquid was heated to deprive it of the excess of the gas. It 
was then evaporated to one-half, boiled with magnesia in 
excess, and thrown on a filter to collect the precipitate. This 
precipitate was treated with boiling alcohol, and the liquor 
boiled with animal charcoal to free it from coloring matter. On 
evaporating to dryness, a light colored powder was obtained 
which presented the following characters, viz.: nearly in- 
soluble in water, more soluble in ether, and entirely soluble 
in absolute alcohol. When exposed to flame it first melts, 
then swells up, and burns without residue. It produces a 
burning acrid sensation in the mouth, which lasts for several 
hours. It acts powerfully as a sternutatory, producing violent 
sneezing, which lasts for a half an hour after it has been 
applied to the nose, — and, in fact, presents all the physical 
and sensible characters of veratria. In its chemical relations 
