64 
ON THE CONSTITUENTS OF LACTUCARIUM. 
of lime was supersaturated with dilute sulphuric acid ; the 
expressed liquid was purified with animal charcoal and 
evaporated to a syrupy consistence. On cooling, it con- 
gealed to an amorphous gelatinous mass, of an astringent, 
slightly acid taste. It was extracted with water, precipi- 
tated with acetate of lead, and the precipitate decomposed 
with sulphuretted hydrogen. On evaporating the liquid, 
white prisms, which behaved precisely like oxalic acid, 
crystalUzed from it. The mother-ley contained, along with 
sulphuric acid, a third organic acid, which has not been 
further examined, but which strongly reduced solution of 
silver. Lactucarium, extracted with spirit containing sul- 
phuric acid, gives up to hot alcohol much lactucerine and a 
soft resin, together with oxalic and lactucic acid; no sugar 
or gum could be detected in it. Water removed from the 
residue sulphate of potash, sulphate of magnesia, and basic 
persulphate of iron ; ether took up a tenacious waxy body, 
which was not further examined. 3 grms. of dry lactuca- 
rium, heated in a retort for six hours in a water-bath, 
yielded 0.18 grm. of an aqueous colourless acid distillate, 
which smelt of lactucarium; on digestion with oxide of 
zinc it lost its acid reaction, and on evaporation its odour. 
1.40 grm. of lactucarium, distilled with 3 grms. of sulphuric 
acid and 12 grms. water, yielded an acid distillate, which 
smelt strongly of lactucarium, and which, on saturation 
with carbonate of Hme and distillation with bisulphate of 
potash, afforded an acid liquid, which had a valerian-like 
odour, and contained no acetic acid. — Chem. Gaz.^ from 
Archiv, der Pharm. 
