55  6 
Ly  coper  don  Solidum. 
J  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\      Dec,  1876- 
value  a  specimen  from  Columbia,  Virginia,  was  subjected  to  careful 
analysis  in  this  laboratory,  with  the  following  results  : 
"  Moisture         ....  14*16 
"  Glucose  (fruit  sugar)    .       .       .  0*93 
"  Gum   2*60 
"  Pectose   i7'34 
"  Nitrogen  in  an  insol.  combination  0*36 
"  Woody  fibre       ....  64*45 
"Ash   0-16 
IOO'OO 
41  This  analysis  does  not  sustain  the  high  reputation  of  this  substance 
as  a  food  material." 
The  substance  received  from  Mr.  Eck  being  from  China,  while  all 
the  above  statements  as  to  chemical  composition  refer  to  material  from 
America,  and  these  statements  differing  so  widely  from  each  other,  it 
^eemed  well  to  make  a  new  analysis,  which  was  done  by  Mr.  Keller. 
The  specimen  of  Chinese  Fuh-ling  examined  was  kidney-shaped, 
about  6  inches  in  longest  diameter,  and  3J  inches  in  shortest,  and 
weighed  about  two  pounds  and  a  quarter.  The  rough,  brownish-black 
bark-like  exterior  was  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  thick,  verging 
gradually  into  the  perfectly  white  uniform  mass  inside.  The  whole 
was  compact  and  firm,  but  easily  cut  with  a  saw,  and  the  fragments, 
after  removal  of  the  exterior  crust,  showed  but  little  toughness  and 
were  easily  crushed  in  a  pestle  and  mortar.  A  sufficient  quantity  was 
reduced  to  fine  powder,  passed  through  a  sieve,  and  thoroughly  mixed. 
This  powder  yielded  little  soluble  matter  to  either  cold  or  hot  water, 
but  was  much  more  freely  dissolved  by  a  dilute  solution  of  hydrate  or 
carbonate  of  sodium,  the  liquid  produced  in  each  case  giving  a  floccu- 
3cnt  gelatinous  precipitate  (corresponding  in  character  to  pectic  acid) 
when  treated  with  an  acid  or  alcohol,  such  precipitate  proving  ex- 
cessively difficult  to  wash.  Starch  and  cane-sugar  were  carefully  tested 
for,  but  none  could  be  found. 
The  quantitative  analysis  was  made  as  follows :  Water  was 
determined  by  prolonged  exposure  to  no°C.  ;  albuminoid  matter  was 
calculated  from  the  amount  of  nitrogen,  determined  by  combustion 
with  soda  lime.  For  the  organic  matters  soluble  in  water  the  powder 
was  exhausted  with  water  by  repeated  boiling,  keeping  the  flask  full  of 
steam  so  as  to  exclude  air  ;  the  liquid  rapidly  filtered,  and  evaporated 
I  in  a  retort  exhausted  by  a  Bunsen's  pump)  to  a  small  bulk.  The 
