ON  A  SPURIOUS  EXTRACT  OF  JALAP. 
115 
Its  taste  is  slightly  bitter,  with  little  or  no  acrimony,  and  with 
but  little  odor.  When  heated  it  intumesces  without  fusing. 
In  Caustic  Alkalies  it  is  soluble,  and  is  precipitated  by  an 
acid  added  to  excess. 
In  Carbonated  Alkalies  it  dissolves  to  a  considerable  extent 
in  the  cold;  a  moderate  heat  promotes  its  solution. 
In  Ammonia  the  resin  is  soluble  to  a  considerable  extent. 
Chloroform  does  not  dissolve  nor  soften  the  resin. 
Pure  Benzole  has  no  action  on  the  resin. 
Nitric  Acid,  35Q  B.  cold,  dissolves  the  resin,  forming  a  deep 
red  colored  solution. 
In  Acetic  Acid,  No.  8,  the  resin  is  nearly  insoluble. 
Warm  glacial  acetic  acid  dissolves  it  freely. 
The  Ethereal  Resin. 
Umber  color,  furnishing  an  ochrey  yellow  powder. 
This  resin  possesses  the  peculiar  odor  of  the  root,  is  slightly 
bitter  and  acrid.    It  fuses  at  about  240°  F. 
In  Caustic  Alkalies  it  is  soluble,  but  less  freely  than  the 
other  resin  ;  the  solution  is  precipitated  by  acids  in  excess. 
In  Carbonated  Alkalies  soluble  to  a  considerable  extent ; 
heat  promotes  the  solution. 
In  Chloroform  very  sparingly  soluble. 
In  Pure  Benzole  insoluble. 
Nitric  Acid,  35°  B.  cold,  forms  an  imperfect  solution  of  a 
red  color. 
Sulphuric  Acid,  concentrated,  dissolves  the  resin,  forming 
a  deep  red  solution,  yellow  on  the  sides  of  the  glass. 
Acetic  Acid,  glacial,  dissolves  this  resin,  but  not  so  freely  as 
the  alcoholic  resin. 
RESIN  OF  SCAMMONY. 
By  the  action  of  caustic  alkalies,  resin  of  scammony  is  con- 
verted into  scammonic  acid.  This  acid  being  soluble  in  water, 
the  alkaline  solution  of  the  resin  is  not  disturbed  by  addition  of 
an  acid  to  slight  excess. 
The  resin  of  scammony  of  Messrs.  McAndrew  affords  a  pre- 
cipitate  when  its  alkaline  solution  is  neutralized  by  a  mineral 
acid.    This  reaction  would  indicate  the  presence  of  some  resin 
