^'^Yeb^/m^^'''^ }     Examination  of  Cascara  Sagrada.  87 
nium  chloride  in  mercurammonium  chloride  are,  firstly,  fusibility, 
which  will  detect  larger  quantities,  and  secondly,  the  decomposition 
product  by  boiling  the  specimen  with  large  quantities  of  water,  one 
part  precipitate  to  one  hundred  parts,  repeated  twice.  If  the  specimen 
be  pure,  only  the  faintest  shade  of  yellow  should  tinge  the  precipitate. 
An  analysis  which  undoubtedly  is  the  best  method  of  determining 
either  of  the  above  compounds,  is  best  carried  out  as  given  in  the 
analysis  of  samples.  The  amount  of  mercuric  sulphide  obtained  should 
equal  92.27  %  of  the  sample  taken,  a  smaller  percentage  proving  ad- 
mixture. 
AN  EXAMINATION  OF  CASCAEa  SAGRADA. 
By  H.  F.  Meier  and  J.  LeRoy  Webber. 
In  addition  to  what  has  been  already  ascertained  in  regard  to  the 
chemical  composition  of  the  bark  of  Rharanus  purshiana,  we  desire  to 
contribute  the  following :  A  summary  or  existing  knowledge  as  to 
its  constitution  may  be  found  in  The  American  Journal  of  Phar- 
macy for  1879,  p.  165,  by  Prof  Prescott.  Passing  over  the  micro- 
scopical examination,  it  appears  that  there  have  been  recognized  among 
its  constituents  three  resins — a  brown,  red  and  yellow  resin,  respect- 
ively ;  4,  a  crystallizable  body  ;  5,  tannic  acid ;  6,  oxalic  acid ;  7, 
malic  acid ;  8,  a  fat  oil ;  9,  a  volatile  oil ;  10,  wax  ;  11,  starch. 
In  addition  to  what  has  been  above  enumerated,  we  may  refer  to  a 
note  in  the  Pharmaceutical  Journal  and  Transactions,  1885,  p.  615, 
wherein  Mr.  Limousin  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  resinous  bodies, 
separated  by  Prof  Prescott,  were  all  more  or  less  derived  from  chry- 
sophanic  acid,  which  he  has  observed  to  be  present  in  it  in  notable 
quantities. 
In  the  same  journal,  1886,  p.  918,  there  is  a  reference  to  a  sub- 
stance, received  by  Prof.  Wenzell,  with  an  examination  thesis.  It  is 
described  as  of  a  deep  orange-red  color,  a  glucoside,  differing  entirely 
from  frangulin  and  emodin.  This  description  is  somewhat  fuller 
than  the  one  given  in  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  for 
1886,  p.  252.  In  the  latter  journal  it  is  stated  that  the  principle 
will  be  further  examined  by  Prof.  Wenzell. 
We  have  found  after  an  exhaustive  examination,  and  abundantly 
verified  the  presence  of,  three  other  bodies  whose  influence,  both  in  a 
pharmaceutical  and  physiological  sense,  is  of  decided  importance.  We 
would  name  here,  1st,  a  ferment;  2d,  glucose;  3d,  traces  of  ammonia. 
