364 
Bay  curu. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\       July,  1884. 
with  chloroform.  The  crystals  obtained  in  both  cases  are  completely 
dissipated  on  ignition,  and  gave  a  red  color  with  sulphuric  acid,  which 
disappeared  on  heating,  and  left  a  tarry-colored  liquid  remaining. 
From  these  evidences  I  take  this  principle  to  be  an  alkaloid,  for  which 
I  propose  the  name  baycurine. 
The  portion  of  the  alcoholic  extract  insoluble  in  water,  was  found 
to  be  principally  resin.  A  separate  investigation  of  the  resinous  bodies 
was  conducted  as  follows :  An  aliquot  portion  of  an  alcoholic  fluid 
extract,  made  from  another  portion  of  the  drug,  was  poured  into  water 
and  allowed  to  stand  for  a  short  time,  when  two  resins  were  observed, 
one  lighter,  the  other  heavier  than  water.  Their  respective  weights 
were  in  the  proportion  of  '5  to  1*5,  and  together  yielded  an  amount 
equivalent  to  1*66  per  cent,  of  the  drug.  The  lighter  resin  was  partly 
soluble  in  ether  and  alcohol,  and  readily  soluble  in  cold  solution  of 
potassa.  The  heavier  resin  was  sparingly  soluble  in  alcohol,  soluble 
in  ether,  partly  soluble  in  cold  solution  of  potassa,  entirely  soluble  in 
hot  solution  of  the  same.  Both  resins  were  precipitated  by  normal 
and  by  subacetate  of  lead.  Their  solutions  were  amber-colored,  and 
in  each  the  color  was  immediately  discharged  on  the  addition  of  min- 
eral acids. 
Cold  Water  Extract. — The  remainder  of  drug  left  after  the  alcohol 
treatment  was  dried,  and  then  macerated  with  water.  The  filtrate  was 
wine-colored,  and  a  portion  yielded  an  extract  equivalent  to  3*66  per 
cent,  of  the  drug,  and  was  found  to  be  gum  principally,  and  to  be  pre- 
cipitated by  strong  alcohol.    No  albumen  was  present. 
Boiling  Water. — The  drug  left  from  the  previous  treatment  was 
boiled  with  water  for  eight  hours;  the  volume  of  water  was  kept 
unchanged.  The  decoction  was  dark  colored,  had  a  disagreeable  odor, 
and  yielded  an  extract  equivalent  to  9*39  Gm.  of  the  whole,  or  9*39 
pea  cent,  of  the  drug.  Fehling's  test  proved  the  presence  of  glucose. 
Gum  was  found.  Negative  results  were  obtained  for  starch  by  the 
usual  tests. 
Volatile  Principles. — 150  Gm.  of  the  powdered  drug  were  placed  in 
a  retort  and  macerated  for  some  days  with  water,  then  distilled.  The 
distillate  was  neutral,  dark  colored,  astringent,  and  possessed  a  very 
strong,  disagreeable  odor,  so  much  so  that  it  permeated  the  whole 
building  in  which  the  operation  was  conducted.  On  the  surface  of  the 
distillate  was  found  a  trace  of  volatile  oil,  but  not  in  sufficient  amount 
