AmjSy,r;8P79arm  }    The  Products  of  Ricinus  Communis.  ^7 
boiling  alcohol  and  water,  slowly  soluble  in  hot  and  cold  ether,  readily 
soluble  in  hot  or  cold  benzin,  insoluble  in  benzol. 
Next  Tuson's  process  was  followed.  Half  a  pound  of  the  bean  was 
boiled  with  successive  portions  of  water.  The  decoction  had  an  acid 
reaction,  was  strained  and  evaporated.  The  soft  extract  was  dissolved' 
in  boiling  alcohol.  As  soon  as  the  alcohol  was  added  a  brown  deposit 
was  thrown  down.  This  was  partially  soluble  in  cold,  more  so  in  hot 
water,  sparingly  soluble  in  acetic  acid  and  acetic  ether,  insoluble  in 
alcohol,  diluted  alcohol,  benzin,  chloroform,  bisulphide  of  carbon  and 
benzol.  Upon  examining  the  deposit,  it  proved  to  be  gum,  pectin, 
sugar,  extractive,  etc.  In  order  to  ascertain  whether  or  not  it  contained 
any  purgative  properties,  five  drachms  were  given  to  a  cat,  without  any 
perceptible  results.  Filtering  the  solution,  condensing  and  allowing  it 
to  evaporate,  no  crystals  were  obtained.  Again  dissolved  in  boiling 
alcohol,  a  brown  extract  remained.  This  was  separated  by  filtration, 
the  filtrate  evaporated,  and,  as  no  crystals  were  deposited,  the  filtrate, 
mixed  with  magnesia,  was  evaporated  to  dryness,  exhausted  with  boil- 
ing alcohol,  filtered  and  allowed  to  evaporate.  A  few  tabular  crystals 
were  left;  the  yield  was  very  small,  only  12  or  13  grains.  Thinking 
the  second  boiling  with  alcohol  was  the  cause  of  the  small  amount,  the 
experiment  was  repeated  with  three  pounds  more  of  the  bean.  The 
yield  this  time  was  almost  2  drachms  of  tabular  prismatic  crystals.  The 
crystals  obtained  corresponded  with  those  obtained  by  Boerner  in  regard 
to  solubility  in  hot  water,  acidulated  solution  with  phosphomolybdic 
acid,  tannic  acid  and  iodohydrargyrate  of  potassium,  proving  the  pro- 
duct not  to  be  an  alkaloid. 
A  portion  of  the  decoction  was  neutralized  with  bicarbonate  of 
sodium,  which  immediately  changed  the  color  from  dark-brown  to  port- 
wine  red.  To  the  red  solution  bicarbonate  of  sodium  was  added  in 
excess,  but  no  further  results  were  obtained.  A  hot  alcoholic  solution 
of  the  extract  previously  obtained  was  mixed  with  one  ounce  of  ether, 
which  immediately  deposited  a  white  amorphous  powder  mixed  with 
extractive.  The  powder,  though  white  when  deposited,  changed  to 
brown  on  standing  several  days.  It  proved  to  be  insoluble  in  cold 
water,  alcohol  and  in  cold  or  hot  ether,  but  soluble  in  hot  water  and 
alcohol  to  a  limited  extent,  sparingly  soluble  in  benzin  and  bisulphide 
of  carbon.    In  order  to  ascertain  whether  this  contained  sugar  or  not^ 
