322  Solid  Hydrocarbons  in  Plants.  {^'"'/uT'im^"'- 
chemical  properties  as  a  camphor-like  body/'  Its  analysis  gave  the 
followiDg  results  : 
I.  II. 
C.  80-84  80-90 
H.  10-13  10-11 
A  compound  resembling  the  one  from  chichipate was  also 
discovered  later  in  Phlox  Carolina,^  and  the  account  of  it  was  read 
before  a  meeting  of  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association  at 
Providence,  R.  1.,  September,  1886.  The  combustions  of  this  cam- 
phor-like substance  gave  the  following  : 
I.  II. 
C.  82-49  82-57 
H.  n-ll  11-23 
From  subsequent  study,  we  were  led  to  believe  that  the  above 
results  were  based  upon  a  mixture  of  compounds.  Because  of  the 
small  amounts  of  crude  material  then  at  our  disposal  we  were  not 
able  to  overcome  the  difficulties  inherent  in  purifying  and  separating 
iihese  substances.  However,  from  the  preliminary  investigations  we 
were  induced  to  think  that  these  compounds  presented  features  of 
unusual  interest  and  novelty. 
Recently  we  began  anew  our  studies  upon  twenty-five  and  twenty 
kilos  of  Cascara  amarga  ^  and  Phlox  Carolina  respectively. 
The  drugs  were  very  thoroughly  exhausted  with  a  light  petroleum- 
ether,  boiling  point  under  45°  C.  The  total  solids  extracted  from  Cas- 
cara amarga  were  2*015  per  cent. ;  of  this  about  0*1  per  cent,  were 
fats.  The  yield  from  Phlox  Carolina  was  I'OO  per  cent.,  including 
traces  of  coloring  matter.  On  heating  to  110°  C,  there  was  no  ap- 
preciable loss  of  weight  in  Cascara.  The  Phlox  contained  small 
quantities  of  volatile  oil. 
The  extracts  on  evaporating  spontaneously  deposited  upon  the  sides 
of  a  dish  or  beaker  glittering,  white,  feather-like  crystals,  often 
several  centimetres  in  length.  At  the  bottom  of  the  glass  were 
stellate  groups  of  brilliant  acicular  crystals.  Fats,  wax,  and  in 
Phlox  a  red  coloring  matter,  accompanied  the  crystalline  principle, 
and  rendered  the  subsequent  purification  tedious  and  difficult. 
1  On  the  underground  portion  of  Phlox  Carolina.  By  Henry  Trimble, 
Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.,  Vol.  58,  p.  479. 
2  1  am  indebted  to  Parke,  Davis  &  Co.,  Detroit,  Michigan,  for  the  generous 
supply  of  Cascara  amarga  received  from  them.    Helen  C.  De  S.  Abbott. 
