AmNo0vU"'i87h6!rm" }       Root  °f  Euphorbia  Ipecacuanha.  48  5 
in  alcohol,  precipitated  by  a  spirituous  solution  of  lead  acetate,  the  pre- 
cipitate decomposed  by  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  and  the  sulphide  of 
lead  treated  with  boiling  alcohol,  from  which,  on  cooling,  shining 
colorless  needles  of  a  neutral  principle  separated,  which  were  insoluble 
in  pure  and  acidulated  water,  but  soluble  in  ether,  and  from  platinum 
foil  volatilizable  without  charring.  The  aqueous  filtrate  from  the  resin 
obtained  above  was  evaporated,  and  the  residue  incinerated  ;  the  ashes 
contained  salts  of  potassium,  sodium,  calcium  and  magnesium. 
On  examining  a  section  of  the  root  under  the  microscope,  starch 
granules  wefe  found  to  be  quite  plentifully  around  the  medullary  sheath 
and  near  the  cortical  portion.  They  polarized  but  feebly,  were  oblong, 
different  in  size  and  quite  small.  Sugar,  albumen  and  gum  were  found 
in  the  cold  infusion  by  appropriate  tests. 
Medicinal  Effects. — From  experiments  made  upon  dogs,  the  volatile 
alkali  and  the  neutral  crystallizable  principle  were  both  found  to  be 
perfectly  inert,  while  the  resinous  mass,  in  ten-grain  doses,  was  found 
to  lessen  the  frequency  and  the  force  of  the  heart's  beat,  producing 
also  dizziness,  vomiting  and  purging,  with  slight  convulsive  movements. 
These  poisonous  symptoms  having  gradually  disappeared,  the  animals 
were  left  in  a  prostrate,  weakened  condition,  from  which  they  slowly 
.recovered. 
San  Francisco,  Cat.,  February  ioth,  1876. 
ON  THE  ROOT  OF  EUPHORBIA  IPECACUANHA. 
EY  PHILIPP  H.  DILG,  PH.G. 
(Abstract  from  an  Inaugural  Essay.) 
The  author  collected  the  root  in  New  Jersey  late  in  September,  and 
on  repeating  some  of  Mr.  Petzelt's  experiments  (see  "  Amer.  Jour. 
Pilar.,"  1873,  P*  25^)  did  not  obtain  any  reaction  for  glucose  until 
after  the  decoction  had  been  boiled  with  an  acid. 
The  alcoholic  extract  obtained  by  spontaneous  evaporation  was  of  a 
light-brown  color  and  contained  some  crystals  ;  ether  extracted  from  it 
some  oil  and  waxy  matter,  and  a  compound,  which,  on  evaporation 
from  petroleum  benzin,  yielded  clusters  of  radiating  crystals. 
On  percolating  the  root  with  petroleum  benzin  and  evaporating  the 
menstruum,  a  yellow  tenacious  mass,  intermingled  with  thin  colorless 
needles,  was  obtained.  This  benzin  extract  was  completely  dissolved 
by  chloroform  and  bisulphide  of  carbon,  the  latter  solution  being  tur- 
