Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
July,  1891.  J 
Cicnta  Maculata. 
331 
solution  gave  with  ferric  chloride  a  brownish  green  color,  with  lead 
acetate  no  precipitate  ;  with  KOH  a  decided  coniine-like  odor ;  and 
after  acidulation  with  HQ,  a  precipitate  with  potassio-mercuric 
iodide.  After  the  preparation  of  the  volatile  oil  from  the  drug,  the 
residue  in  the  retort  was-  mixed  with  milk  of  lime  and  distilled. 
The  distillate  had  a  strong  coniine-like  odor.  On  agitation  with  petro- 
leum ether  and  evaporating  the  solvent,  a  syrupy  strong  smelling 
liquid  was  left,  which  turned  darker  on  standing  in  a  beaker  for  24 
hours.  The  alkaloid  forms  heavy  white  fumes  on  bringing  a  rod 
moistened  with  HC1  in  contact  with  the  vapor.  On  the  addition 
of  cone.  H2S04  a  reddish  color  is  produced. 
The  aqueous  solution  reduces  mercuric  chloride  and  silver  nitrate. 
Neutral  acetate  of  lead  produces  a  white  precipitate ;  ammoniacal 
copper  sulphate  bluish  white;  platinic  chloride  yellowish  red; 
potassio-mercuric  iodide  grayish  white ;  gold  chloride  yellowish 
white ;  tannin  or  picric  acid  give  no  precipitates  with  the  aqueous 
solution,  and  ferric  chloride  is  merely  darkened  in  color.  Whether 
this  alkaloid  is  identical  with  coniine  could  not  be  fully  determined, 
owing  to  scarcity  of  material.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  present  in 
the  root. 
The  results  on  treating  the  fruit  with  other  solvents,  are  given  in 
the  tabular  statement  below. 
On  drying  at  no°  C.  the  loss  of  the  fruit  was  10  per  cent ;  the 
ash  amounting  to  6  per  cent,  contained  : 
PerCent. 
CaO,  14-9 
A1203,  200 
MgO,  29-3 
H2S04  15-2 
CI,  14-5 
Smaller  quantities  of  K,Na,  Si02,  Fe2Os  and  C02 ;  phosphoric  acid 
could  not  be  detected. 
RECAPITULATION. 
Per  Cent. 
Moisture,  10  "oo 
Ash,   6*oo 
r  Volatile  oil,  '   5"  10 
Petroleum  Ether  Extract :  {         j   21      j ■    i_i       1    n  c 
\  Fixed  oil  and  chlorophyll,    ....  i6'io 
Resin  sol.  in  alcohol,   '98 
Resin  sol.  in  ether,  chlorophyll,   1*14 
r  Resin,   -68 
(.Extractive,    etc.,    sol.    in  water, 
alkaloid,   1*32 
Ether  Extract 
Absolute  Alcohol  Extract 
