168 
Apocynum  Cannabinum, 
/Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1       AprU,  1888. 
page  535;  will  be  found  a  synopsis  of  the  results  obtained  by  Mr. 
KremerS;  whose  paper  has  been  referred  to  in  the  foregoing  essay.  To 
facilitate  the  comparing  of  the  results  obtained  with  oil  of  pennyroyal 
by  the  two  investigators,  we  append  the  summary  prepared  by  Mr. 
Kremers,  according  to  which  oil  of  pennyroyal  was  found  to  con- 
tain : 
I.  A  low  boiling  alcohol,  the  products  obtained  from  two  different 
quantities  of  oil,  and,  according  to  slightly  modified  processes,  appar- 
ently differing.  The  nature  of  this  body,  therefore,  remains  to  be  de- 
termined. 
II.  A  body  of  the  composition  CioH^gO,  which  may  be  designated 
as  hedeomol,  occuring  in  two  modifications  of  different  boiling  points. 
Their  derivatives  and  oxidation  products  remain  to  be  studied. 
III.  Formic  acid:    1.  Its  salt  became  reduced  almost  immediately. 
2.  Its  barium  salt  reduces  HgCla  to  HgCl.  .  3.  Its  lead  salt  is  insolu- 
ble in  alcohol. 
IV.  Acetic  acid  :  1.  Its  iron  salt  is  soluble  in  water,  imparting  to 
it  a  bright  red  color,  and  becomes  precipitated  on  boiling.  2.  Its  sil- 
ver salt  is  white,  and  does  not  become  darkened  within  five  minutes. 
3.  Its  lead  salt,  when  heated  with  arsenic  trioxide,  gives  the  kakodyl 
reaction.  4.  The  free  acid  causes  the  formation  of  white  fumes  with 
ammonia. 
V.  Isoheptoic  acid :  1.  Determined  by  the  analysis  of  its  salts.  2. 
Its  barium  salt  is  amorphous  and  readily  soluble  in  water,  which  dis- 
tinguishes it  from  the  normal  heptoic  acid. 
APOCYNUM  CANNABINUM. 
By  Henry  A.  C.  Poppenhu.?en,  Ph.  G. 
From  an  inaugural  essay. 
The  commercial  roots  are  nearly  cylindrical,  rather  long,  from  three 
sixteenths  to  one  half  inch  thick,  longitudinally  wrinkled.  The  bark 
of  the  thinner  ones  is  transversely  fissured.  It  has  but  few  branches. 
Externally  it  is  of  a  brownish  appearance  and  internally  whitish,  break- 
ing with  a  very  short  fracture.  When  pounded  in  a  mortar,  the  bark 
is  readily  reduced  to  a  powder,  but  the  woody  portion  becomes  spongy 
and  very  resistant.  Odor  faint,  but  peculiar;  taste  very  lasting  and 
persistently  bitter,  the  woody  portion  almost  tasteless. 
