486  Chemical  Notes.  {Amo2t%??arm" 
The  ash  consisted  of  sulphates,  phosphates  and  carbonates  of 
potassium  (predominating),  sodium  (trace),  magnesium,  calcium  and 
iron,  with  some  silica. 
The  soft  ether  extract  had  a  persistently  bitter  taste  ;  its  filtered 
aqueous  solution  did  not  respond  to  the  group-reagents  for  alka- 
loids, but  with  Fehling's  solution  gave  a  red-brown  precipitate  indi- 
cating the  probable  presence  of  a  glucoside. 
The  alcohol  extract  was  likewise  bitter,  but  less  so  than  the  ether 
extract ;  the  aqueous  solution  contained  tannin,  and  gave  a  slight 
indication  of  the  presence  of  a  glucoside,  but  not  of  alkaloid. 
By  precipitating  the  aqueous  infusion  with  tannin,  treating  the 
precipitate  with  oxide  of  lead,  drying,  exhausting  with  alcohol, 
decolorizing  with  animal  charcoal,  evaporating,  and  purifying  with 
ether,  a  semi-transparent  mass  was  obtained,  having  a  bitter  taste, 
being  soluble  in  alcohol  or  ether,  but  almost  insoluble  in  chloro- 
form. Experiments  to  ascertain  its  probable  glucosidal  nature  were 
not  made. 
CHEMICAL  NOTES. 
By  Henry  C.  C.  Maisch,  Ph.G.,  Ph.D. 
Luffa  echinata,  Roxburgh. — Dymock  and  C.  H.  J.  Warden 
(Pharm.  Journ.  and  Trans.  1890,  xx,  997)  by  extracting  the  fruit, 
freed  of  the  seeds,  with  alcohol,  obtained  a  body  which  is  probably 
identical  with  colocynthitin,  and  also  a  new  compound  luffe'in.  The 
latter  has  such  gelatinizing  properties,  that  o-i  gm.  added  to  100  cc. 
water  forms  a  gelatinous  mass.  Luffein  differs  from  pectin,  gum, 
etc.,  in  that  it  is  soluble  in  alcohol. 
Estimation  of  Caffeine  in  Tea. — F  .Vite  (Mittheil.  a.  d.  pharm.  Inst. 
Erlangen  No.  3,  p.  1 1 3-143)  simplified  the  method  of  Hilger  [Archiv 
d.  Pharmacie  xxiii,  1885,  827)  as  follows:  5  gms.  of  tea  powder 
(sieve :  mesh  width  2  mm.)  are  extracted  three  times  with  300  cc. 
water  for  one  hour.  The  infusion  is  evaporated  to  one-fourth  its 
volume  and  mixed  with  freshly  precipitated  hydroxide  of  lead  and 
coarse  sand.  This  mixture  is  then  evaporated  to  dryness  on  a 
waterbath  and  the  residue  transferred  to  an  extraction  apparatus, 
where  it  is  treated  with  chloroform  for  three  hours.  The  extract 
remaining  after  driving  off  the  chloroform  is  dissolved  in  hot  water, 
filtered  into  a  tared  crystallizing  dish,  evaporated  and  the  residue 
dried  at  100°  C. 
