Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
Sept.,  1884.  J 
Sanicula  Marilandica. 
463 
blue,  and  gave  rise  to  white  fumes  when  a  rod  moistened  with  hydro- 
chloric acid  was  passed  partly  into  and  over  the  top  of  the  tube.  The 
substance  fuses  at  a  moderate  heat,  and  is  entirely  dissipated  at  a  red 
heat.  A  precipitate  was  obtained  when  a  solution  of  the  substance  in 
alcohol  was  treated  with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  chloride  of  gold  and 
sodium,  also  when  an  acid  solution  was  treated  with  an  aqueous  solu- 
tion of  chloride  of  gold  and  sodium.  An  acid  solution  when  treated 
with  phosphomolybidic  acid  gave  a  precipitate.  An  acid  solution  (the 
acid  solutions  all  made  with  dilute  sulphuric  acid)  gave  with  solution 
of  iodo-hydrargyrate  of  potassium  a  precipitate.  A  precipitate  was 
gotten  from  an  alcoholic  solution  by  adding  an  aqueous  solution  of 
tannin,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  add  sufficient  to  get  a  precipitate 
with  water  in  the  test  solution.  From  the  above  tests  and  the  examina- 
tion with  the  microscope  which  I  have  made  of  this  substance,  isolated 
from  cimicifuga  racemosa,  I  judge  it  to  be  an  alkaloid. 
SANICULA  MARILANDICA,  LINNE. 
By  Calvin  Jerome  Houck,  Ph.G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
This  species,  which  is  known  in  the  neighborhood  of  Lebanon,  Pa., 
by  the  name  of  Black  Sanicle  Root,  or  Pool  Root,  is  a  perennial  plant 
growing  to  the  height  of  about  two  feet.  The  stem  is  slender,  finely 
grooved,  and  dichotomously  branched  above.  The  stem-leaves  are 
5-7  parted,  the  divisions  ranging  in  shape  from  obovate  to  lanceolate, 
and  being  doubly  serrate.  The  flowers  (some  of  which  are  sterile)  are 
arranged  in  nearly  simple  umbels.  The  fertile  flowers  are  sessile,  and 
produce  a  round  orthospermous  cremocarp  which  is  covered  with 
prickles.  The  plant  grows  in  abundance  in  the  interior  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, in  shady  and  rocky  woods,  and  flowers  in  June  or  July.  The 
root  which  is  the  part  employed,  is  short  and  thick,  with  many  root- 
lets, has  a  slight  odor  when  fresh,  which  becomes  more  persistent  by 
long  keeping,  and  is  light  brown  in  color,  but  becomes  black  after 
drying.  It  is  collected  during  the  month  of  August,  and  loses  one- 
fourth  (?)  of  its  weight  by  drying.  When  boiled  the  bark  is  detached 
exposing  the  thin  white  inner  root.    The  root  when  chewed  is  strongly 
