264 
ON KALMIA iATIFOLIA, 
its acrid nature, produce the peculiar effects, attributed to the 
plant. 
A third portion of the extract was treated with boiling 
alcohol of the sp. gr. .800 and the alcohol decanted and 
thrown upon a filter; on cooling, a white gelatinous matter 
was deposited in the filter, owing to its insolubility in alco- 
hol a little below its boiling temperature. When dry this 
matter presented a greyish white amorphous mass, slightly 
sweet to the taste; it was freely soluble in water but inso- 
luble in cold absolute alcohol and ether, answering in its 
properties to mannite. 
The remainder of the extract from which the last men- 
tioned substance was obtained, was insoluble in ether and 
alcohol, but soluble in water. It was of a brown colour, 
insipid, and afforded a copious precipitate with nitrate of 
silver, which are the properties of what is termed extractive 
matter. 
14th. Four hundred grains of the dried leaves were 
incinerated in an open crucible, the remaining ashes weighed 
fourteen grains ; these were digested in two ounces of water 
and pure nitric acid added until effervescence ceased ; it 
was then filtered : with a portion of this, oxalate of ammonia 
gave a copious white precipitate. Ferro-cyanide of potas- 
sium caused a blue colour, and on standing deposited a pre- 
cipitate of prussiate of iron. To anothet portion, a solution 
of chloride of platina was added ; after standing some time a 
yellow precipitate of chloride of platinum and potassium was 
formed. Another portion, containing carbazotic acid depo- 
sited fine yellow crystalline needles, which deflagrated by 
application of heat. 
From these experiments the constituents of the leavesof the 
Kalmia Latifolia are inferred to be—Gum, Tannin, Resin, 
Chlorophylle, Fatty Matter,a substance resembling Mannite, 
an Acrid Matter, Wax, Extractive Matter, Vegetable Al- 
bumen, Yellow Colouring Matter, Lignin, and Salts of 
Lime, Iron and Potash. 
