AmMS',T8S9?'in'}      Leaves  of  Liairis  Odoratissima.  133 
It  is  evident,  from  the  wide  range  of  melting-points,  that  the 
insoluble  substances  from  these  different  samples  varies  widely. 
They  are  at  present  under  examination. 
The  soluble  parts,  both  from  melting  point  and  from  analyses, 
were  found  to  be  identical  with  Wright  cevadine.  The  following 
is  a  comparison  of  melting-points  and  analyses : 
Calculated  for  Merck.  Tromsdorff.       Powers  &  Mahlenkrodt. 
CgsH^NOo,  No.  i.  No.  2.  Weightman. 
C  =  64*96  64.6  64*5  6472  6474  64-82 
H=  8-29  8-4  8-6        *    8-36  8-19  8-41 
Melting-point       1480  1470  1480  1480 
The  above  samples  were  of  recent  preparation.  Two  samples 
which  had  been  prepared  some  years  ago,  were  on  examination 
found  to  resemble  the  "  veratria  "  of  Caventou,  and  were,  as  hitherto 
found,  a  mixture  of  several  substances. 
From  the  above  analyses,  it  is  evident  that  the  principal  part  of 
veratrine  in  the  market  at  the  present  time  is  identical  with  the 
substance  formerly  known  as  cevadine.  In  fact,  the  physical  and 
chemical  properties  correspond  exactly  with  those  given  by  Wright 
for  cevadine.  While  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  cevadine  of  Wright 
is  identical  with  the  so-called  <(  Merck  veratrine  "  and  the  veratrine 
of  the  other  firms  above  mentioned,  some  of  the  true  cevadine  has 
been  obtained  and  is  now  in  comparison  with  the  common  veratrine. 
PROXIMATE  ANALYSIS  OF  THE  LEAVES  OF  LIATRIS 
ODORATISSIMA. 
By  Charles  Faekenhainer. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.    No.  181. 
Liatris  odoratissima,  Michx.  is  a  plant  which  grows  in  southern 
United  States.  It  is  commonly  called  deer's  tongue,  southern  vanilla 
and  vanilla  plant.  These  names  were  probably  suggested  by  certain 
characters  of  the  leaves  of  the  plant.  The  radical  leaves  are  obovate- 
spatulate,  obtuse,  about  seven-veined,  narrowed  below ;  the  stem 
leaves  are  oval  or  oblong  and  clasping  at  the  base.  All  the  leaves 
are  rather  fleshy,  pale  green,  and  smooth,  and  after  drying  have  a 
very  agreeable  odor,  which  is  likened  to  that  of  the  vanilla  bean. 
This  odor  is  due  to  coumarin  as  was  pointed  out  by  Prof.  William 
Procter,  Jr.,  in  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,  1859,  page  557. 
