338 
PTELEA  TRIFOLIATA. 
dried,  pulverized  and  completely  exhausted  with  alcohol.  The 
resulting  tincture  was  of  a  yellowish  brown  color.  The  alcohol 
was  then  distilled  off,  until  the  tincture  was  reduced  to  one- 
eighth  of  its  original  bulk.  Upon  standing  for  a  week  it  de- 
posited small  globules,  which  were  of  an  oily  nature.  It  was  then 
shaken  up  and  thrown  into  a  large  quantity  of  water,  when 
there  was  precipitated  a  resin  of  a  yellow  color,  which  after- 
wards changed  to  a  deep  brown.  When  placed  upon  paper  this 
resin  produced  a  greasy  stain.  It  was  readily  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  ether,  but  only  partly  so  in  liq.  potassse  and  liq.  sodse. 
Its  taste  was  oily,  acrid  and  bitter,  and  its  odor  reminded  one  of 
the  bark  from  which  it  was  prepared.  This  was  evidently  an 
oleo-resin.  The  exhausted  powder  which  remained  in  the  per- 
colator was  then  treated  with  a  small  quantity  of  tinct.  iodinii, 
which  immediately  produced  a  deep  blue  color,  indicating  the 
presence  of  starch. 
II.  Another  portion  of  the  pulverized  bark  of  the  root  was 
exhausted  by  percolation  with  cold  distilled  water,  until  it 
passed  through  colorless.  The  infusion  thus  obtained  was  heated 
to  the  boiling  point,  when  there  was  formed  on  the  surface  of  it 
a  coagulum,  which  proved  to  be  albumen.  The  albumen  was 
then  separated  and  the  infusion,  concentrated  by  evaporation, 
was  then  subjected  to  the  test  for  tannin,  by  means  of  a  solution 
of  gelatine,  which,  however,  produced  no  precipitate,  showing 
the  absence  of  tannin.  Another  infusion  was  then  prepared 
as  the  above,  and  to  it  was  added  liq.  plumbi  subacetatis,  which 
produced  a  yellowish  white  precipitate.  This  precipitate  was  col- 
lected on  a  filter  and  thoroughly  washed  with  distilled  water  and 
dried.  It  was  then  mixed  with  alcohol  and  decomposed  by  the 
addition  of  S03  which  was  added  until  it  no  longer  produced  a 
precipitate  of  sulphate  of  lead.  The  sulphate  of  lead  was  then 
removed  by  filtration,  and  the  filtered  liquid,  which  was  of  a 
bright  yellow  color,  was  allowed  to  stand  for  a  length  of  time,  when 
there  was  deposited  a  yellow  crystalline  substance,  which  was  odor- 
less, tasteless,  insoluble  in  ether  and  water,  but  readily  soluble  in 
liq.  potassae,  with  which  it  produced  a  brilliant  yellow  color, 
and  alcohol.  With  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  it  produced  a 
beautiful  purple  color.  This  was  then  the  yellow  coloring  matter 
.of  the  bark. 
