254 
Flowers  of  SoUdago  Bicolor. 
f  Am.  Joub.  Phabm. 
t    June  1, 1873. 
of  September.  After  being  carefully  dried  in  the  shade  they  pos- 
sessed an  agreeable  aromatic  odor,  and  a  slight  bitterish  taste. 
An  infusion  made  with  boiling  water  was  destitute  of  any  bitter- 
ness, and  upon  examination  of  the  flowers  so  extracted,  they  were 
found  to  be  still  bitter.  A  small  portion  was  next  treated  with  di- 
luted alcohol,  which  proved  to  extract  all  its  sensible  properties. 
Three  tinctures  were  next  made  ;  one  with  ether,  one  with  alcohol 
■and  one  with  diluted  alcohol.  On  evaporating  the  diluted  alcohol 
tincture  to  the  consistency  of  a  solid  extract,  it  was  found  to  weigh 
17  per  cent,  of  the  weight  of  flowers.  The  alcoholic  and  ethereal 
tinctures  yielded  decidedly  less  extract,  whereupon  the  flowers  ex- 
tracted with  these  menstrua  were  subjected  to  percolation  with  cold 
water,  which,  upon  evaporation  to  the  consistency  of  a  solid  extract, 
yielded  from  flowers  previously  extracted  with  ether  13*8  per  cent, 
of  their  original  weight,  while  those  previously  extracted  with  alco- 
hol yielded  12  per  cent.  These  aqueous  extracts  were  very  tena- 
cious, of  a  honey-like  odor  and  peculiar  malt-like  taste.  Solutions 
of  the  aqueous  extracts  gave  precipitates  with  gelatin,  basic  and  neu- 
tral acetate  of  lead,  a  black  coloration  with  ferric  salts,  and  reduced 
the  cupric  oxide  in  Trommer's  test,  indicating  the  presence  of  glucose 
and  tannin. 
I  endeavored  to  purify  the  grape  sugar  as  much  as  possible  by  re- 
peatedly dissolving  in  alcohol  and  precipitating  with  ether,  and  after 
this  boiling  with  animal  charcoal ;  it,  however,  retained  a  light  brown 
color. 
The  extract  obtained  from  the  diluted  alcohol  tincture  had  a  bitter 
and  somewhat  acrid  taste.  It  was  treated  with  hot  water  acidulated 
with  muriatic  acid  and  filtered,  leaving  a  resinous  residue.  The  fil- 
trate was  supersaturated  with  magnesia,  boiled  and  set  aside  for  twenty- 
four  hours.  It  was  then  filtered,  the  undissolved  residue  washed  with 
cold  water  and  dried.  The  dry  residue,  digested  in  hot  alcohol, 
brought  on  a  filter  and  washed  with  the  same  menstruum,  yielded  a 
clear  filtrate  having  no  marked  taste.  After  standing  several  days 
no  change  occurred.  It  was  now  evaporated  to  a  small  bulk,  when 
it  assumed  a  yellowish  tint,  and  upon  standing  became  turbid.  Lastly, 
it  was  carefully  evaporated  to  dryness  on  a  water-bath,  leaving  a 
resin-like  film  on  the  bottom  of  the  beaker.  Cold  water  partially 
dissolved  this,  while  acidulated  water  had  but  little  effect  upon  the 
residue. 
