ArUFe°buri886arm'}         Gleanings  in  Materia  Medica.  89 
scaly  crystals  and  a  yellow  oily  mother-liquor.  The  expressed  fat  is 
yellowish-brown  and  the  surface  becomes  covered  with  a  white  crystal- 
line efflorescence;  fused  it  is  dark-brown  and  congeals  with  a  wavy 
surface.  The  fat  melts  at  42*5°  to  43°  C.  and  congeals  at  32°  to 
32* 5°  C.  It  is  readily  soluble  in  hot  ether,  petroleum  benzin,  carbon 
bisulphide  and  chloroform,  and  partly  soluble  in  hot  alcohol.  The 
fat  remaining  in  the  press  cake  has  a  slightly  higher  melting  and 
congealing  point.  The  brown  fat  of  the  shells  melts  at  43°  to  44°  C. 
All  these  fats  give  with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  a  beautiful  fuchsin- 
red  color.  The  shells  contain  also  a  wax-like  body  melting  at  74°  to 
75°  C,  and  very  sparingly  soluble  in  hot  ether. 
Analysis  showed  the  fat  to  consist  of  the  glycerides  of  myristic  and 
oleic  acids,  the  former  predominating ;  together  with  small  quantities 
of  resins,  free  myristic  acid,  little  volatile  oil  (the  stearopten  is  not 
identical  with  myristic  acid),  about  Ol  per  cent,  of  non-saponifiable 
oil,  and  a  brown  coloring  matter. 
Peganum  Harmala,  Lin. — The  alkaloid  harmaline,  C13H14N20,  was 
isolated  from  the  seeds  by  Goebel  in  1837,  and  subsequently  (1847) 
investigated  by  Fritzsche,  who  also  discovered  a  second  alkaloid 
harmine,  C13H12N20.  With  the  view  of  ascertaining  their  chemical 
constitution  the  two  alkaloids  have  been  farther  studied  by  O.  Fischer 
and  E.  Taeuber  (Per.  D.  Chem.  Ges.,  1885,  p.  400-406).  Harmaline 
crystallizes  from  wood  spirit  in  yellowish  scales,  melting  with  decom- 
position at  238°  C,  yielding  colored  strongly  fluorescent  salts,  and  on 
being  warmed  with  strong  sulphuric  acid,  giving  a  solution  of  harmalin- 
sulphonic  acid  which  after  dilution  with  water  exhibits  a  beautiful 
sky-blue  fluorescence.  Treated  with  fuming  hydrochloric  acid  under 
pressure,  crystalline  harmalol  is  obtained,  which  is  orange-red  or  brick- 
red,  somewhat  soluble  in  water,  and  in  this  solution  shows  a  magnifi- 
cent green  fluorescence ;  it  is  probably  identical  with  the  yellow  color- 
ing matter  contained  in  the  seeds.  By  the  oxidation  of  harmaline 
with  nitric,  acid,  harmine  is  formed,  but  the  latter  could  not  be  con- 
verted into  the  former  by  reducing  agents.  Harmine  crystallizes  in 
colorless  needles,  melts  with  partial  decomposition  at  256°  C,  and  is 
partly  sublimable;  its  colorless  salts  show  in  diluted  solution  indigo- 
blue  fluorescence.  Treatment  with  fuming  hydrochloric  acid  converts 
it  into  a  phenol,  harmol,  which  in  acid  solution  has  a  violet  fluores- 
cence. By  oxidation  with  chromic  acid  harminio  acid  C10H8N2O4  is 
obtained  in  silky  needles. 
