348 
Analysis  of  Osha  Boot. 
S  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1    Aug.  1, 1873. 
brown  shade,  but  much  paler  in  the  case  of  the  bisulphide  of  carbon 
resin. 
The  solution  in  petroleum  benzin  separated,  on  standing,  at  first  a 
brown  resin,  in  appearance  and  behavior  identical  with  that  taken  up 
by  the  chloroform,  and  after  several  days  particles  of  fat.  The  ben- 
zin was  evaporated,  and  the  resulting  oil  cooled  to  8°  F.,  when  ife 
thickened  slightly,  but  did  not  congeal.  The  oil  was  saponified,  the 
soap  converted  into  soda  soap,  and  the  fatty  acids  liberated  by  sul- 
phuric acid;  a  brownish  gelatinous  mass  was  obtained,  which  dis- 
solved in  alcohol,  leaving  a  small  portion  of  oil  .behind  which  was 
readily  taken  up  by  bisulphide  of  carbon.  The  alcoholic  solution 
yielded  a  precipitate  with  acetate  of  lead,  which  was  soluble  in  ether,, 
and  on  the  evaporation  of  the  solvent  the  oleate  was  obtained  again 
as  a  yellowish  semi-fluid  mass. 
The  mother-liquor  from  the  soap  was  evaporated,  and  yielded  a 
dark  colored  liquid  containing  potassium  and  sodium  salts.  This 
liquid  being  difficult  to  purify,  some  fat  was  obtained  from  the  root 
by  treating  it  with  hot  benzin,  then  saponified  with  oxide  of  lead,  and 
the  mother-liquor  purified  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen  and  alcohol ;  the 
liquid  finally  obtained,  although  not  quite  colorless,  had  the  proper- 
ties of  glycerin. 
The  volatile  oil  separated  from  the  aqueous  distillate  mentioned 
above,  was  heavier  than  water,  of  a  light  yellow  color  and  the  sharp 
burning  and  aromatic  taste  of  the  root.  Sodium  acted  upon  the  an- 
hydrous oil  with  considerable  violence,  slender  white  needle-shaped 
crystals  being  separated  on  standing.  Caustic  potassa  did  not  unite 
with  this  oil. 
A  portion  of  the  aqueous  distillate,  from  which  the  volatile  oil  had 
been  separated,  still  retained  considerable  odor ;  it  was  repeatedly 
distilled  from  chloride  of  sodium  and  thus  concentrated,  the  distillate 
was  mixed  with  a  concentrated  solution  of  bisulphite  of  sodium  and 
the  mixture  cooled  by  ice.  No  crystals  being  obtained,  the  absence 
of  an  aldehyde  in  the  distillate  was  established. 
The  aqueous  distillate  being  of  an  acid  reaction,  was  neutralized 
with  carbonate  of  sodium  and  concentrated  by  evaporation,  when  the 
color  became  quite  dark.  After  purification  by  animal  charcoal  and 
alcohol  and  recrystallization,  deliquescent  crystals  were  obtained. 
The  salt  distilled  with  an  excess  of  diluted  sulphuric  acid,  yielded  a 
colorless  distillate  of  a  pleasant  aromatic  odor,  reminding  of  the  oil 
