298 
ON  CAPSICUM  ANNUUM. 
this,  treated  with  ether,  which  dissolved  all  the  active  portion  of 
it,  leaving  behind  a  gummy  substance  which  behaved  with  re- 
agents, like  the  extractive  already  described.  The  ethereal  solu- 
tion was  evaporated,  the  resulting  extract  dissolved  in  alcohol, 
sp,  gr.  0.809,  and  this  tincture  then  treated  with  an  alcoholic 
solution  of  subacetate  of  lead  till  a  precipitate  was  no  longer 
produced.  This  was  filtered,  and  to  the  clear  liquid  thus  obtained 
was  added  a  very  weak  solution  of  sulphuric  acid  in  alcohol,  to 
remove  the  lead  from  the  solution  as  a  sulphate.  By  this  treat- 
ment the  remaining  active  principle  was  obtained  in  solution 
mixed  with  a  little  acetic  acid,  which  was  removed  by  boiling 
the  solution.  After  decolorizing  by  animal  charcoal,  and  evap- 
orating, an  oily  liquid  was  obtained  which  was  found  to  be  identi- 
cal, both  in  its  general  behaviour  and  in  its  solubilities  with  the 
product  obtained  by  the  process  of  Mr.  Taylor.  The  precipitate 
produced  by  subacetate  of  lead,  was  next  introduced  into  a  bottle 
with  some  acetic  acid  and  some  ether.  The  ethereal  liquid  was 
poured  off,  and  on  evaporation  left  a  fatty  substance,  soft  to  the 
touch,  melting  readily  when  heated,  soluble  in  alcohol,  ether, 
chloroform  and  oil  of  turpentine ;  with  solution  of  potassa  or 
ammonia  it  forms  compounds  resembling  soaps. 
After  exhausting  capsicum  by  means  of  alcohol,  the  dregs 
were  percolated  with  some  ether,  and  the  tincture  evaporated. 
The  result  of  this  treatment  was  a  very  small  portion  of  the 
reddish  brown  oil  previously  described.  With  a  view  of  ascer- 
taining the  presence  of  wax,  the  dregs  were  digested  with  some 
oil  of  turpentine,  but  on  evaporation  nothing  was  left,  showing 
that  wax  is  not  present  in  capsicum. 
The  dregs  left  after  this  treatment  were  dried,  and  a  cold 
infusion  made  of  a  portion  of  them.  The  filtered  liquid  thus 
obtained  was  of  a  dark  brown  color,  and  was  found  to  coagulate 
on  boiling,  and  to  give  a  precipitate  with  a  solution  of  bichloride 
of  mercury,  thus  showing  the  presence  of  albumen.  To  a  por- 
tion of  the  infusion  some  alcohol  was  added,  when  a  gelatinous 
substance  separated.  This  was  collected  on  a  filter  and  washed 
with  a  little  alcohol ;  on  drying  it  formed  into  translucent  masses, 
which,  when  dissolved  in  hot  water,  yielded  a  consistent  jelly 
on  cooling,  thus  showing  the  presence  of  pectin.  After  the  sepa- 
ration of  the  pectin,  the  solution  was  concentrated  and  found  to 
