Am.  Jour.  I'hakm.  \ 
Aug.  1,  1873. 
Analysis  of  Osha  RihA. 
347 
ANALYSIS  OF  OSHA  ROOT. 
By  Herman   Haupt,  Jr. 
Abstract  from  the  author's  Inaugural  Essay. 
This  New-Mexican  umbelliferous  root,  the  botanical  origin  of  which 
is  still  unknown,  has  been  noticed  in  the  American  Journal  of  Phar- 
macy, 1867,  p.  202,  and  18(38,  p.  106.  The  material  for  the  follow- 
ing experiments  had  been  received  from  Mr.  Jacob  Krummeck,  of 
Santa  Fe,  through  Prof.  Maisch. 
On  leaving  a  canton  flannel  strainer  in  contact  with  a  hot  decoc- 
tion of  the  root,  the  woollen  fibres  of  the  strainer  were  observed  to 
be  dyed  a  reddish  brown  color,  while  the  cotton  fibres  remained  white. 
Dilute  sulphuric  acid  changed  the  color  to  yellowish-brown  (snuff 
color),  alum  solution  (1  to  8)  the  same  ;  solution  of  soda  and  of  ferrous 
sulphate  deepened  the  color  considerably. 
Sixteen  ounces  of  the  root  in  coarse  powder  were  distilled  with 
water  ;  the  distillate,  at  first  clear,  became  turbid  when  quite  cool, 
and  separated  volatile  oil.  The  aqueous  decoction,  after  the  volatile 
compounds  had  been  removed  by  distillation,  was  carefully  evapor- 
ated to  a  syrupy  consistence  and  trea  ted  with  alcohol ;  the  brown  pre- 
cipitate dissolved  readily  in  water,  the  solution  yielding  with  alcohol 
a  white  precipitate  of  gum,  which,  on  exposure  to  the  air,  again  as- 
sumed a  brownish  color. 
A  concentrated  solution  of  this  precipitate  formed  stiff  jellies  with 
solutions  of  ferric  chloride  and  of  borax  ;  acetate  of  lead  precipitated 
it  white,  the  filtrate  therefrom,  after  the  removal  of  the  lead  by  sul- 
phuretted hydrogen,  yielded,  on  evaporation,  nearly  white  deliques- 
cent crystals. 
The  alcoholic  filtrate  obtained  as  above  from  the  decoction,  re- 
duced cupric  oxide  in  alkaline  solution  at  the  boiling  temperature, 
but  not  in  the  cold  after  standing  for  several  hours  ;  the  reduction 
was  probably  due  to  some  organic  body  aside  from  sugar. 
The  root  exhausted  by  hot  water  was  dried,  when  it  weighed  six 
and  a  half  ounces  ;  it  was  exhausted  with  strong  alcohol,  the  tincture 
distilled  and  evaporated,  and  the  residue  successively  treated  with 
petroleum  benzin,  bisulphide  of  carbon  and  chloroform.  On  evapor- 
ating the  last  two  solutions  slowly,  resinous  masses  were  left  behind 
without  any  sign  of  crystallization.  Equal  quantities  of  these  resins 
dissolved  in  a  like  quantity  of  alcohol,  gave  solutions  of  a  similar 
