Am^«j;r.jharni  |  MyHus  Chekeu.  247 
cent.  This  ash  was  digested  in  water,  residue  treated  with  hydrogen 
chloride,  and  balance  dissolved  in  sodium  hydrate.  Separate  analyses 
were  made,  the  several  tests  showing  the  presence  of  j)otassium,  mag- 
nesium, calcium,  and  aluminium,  in  combination  as  chlorides,  phos- 
phates, sulphates  and  carbonates,  and  silica. 
3.  Estimation  of  Benzin  Extract, — 373'24  gms.  of  stems,  in  a  mod- 
erately fine  powder,  dampened  with  petroleum  benzin,  and  packed  in  a 
glass  percolator,  were  macerated  and  slowly  exhausted  by  displacement. 
The  percolate  measuring  1-89  liters,  was  set  aside  in  a  tared  dish  to 
evaporate  spontaneously,  all  remaining  benzin  was  driven  off  by  a 
water-bath.  The  extract  weighed  20*34  gms.,  or  5*45  per  cent.;  it  was 
unctuous  to  the  touch,  liquid  at  43°  C,  and  of  firm  consistence  at 
29°  C.  It  was  treated  with  water,  the  solution  filtered,  gave  on  evapor- 
ation a  light  yellow,  tasteless,  amorphous,  inert  coloring  matter.  The 
residue  of  extract  was  treated  with  alcohol  (90  per  cent.),  a  small  por- 
tion only  being  soluble,  this  solution  on  dilution  with  water  became 
milky,  and  on  evaporation  yielded  a  yellow,  fixed  oil,  of  peculiar  odor, 
and  persistent,  intensely  bitter  taste.  The  residue  of  extract  as  left 
undissolved,  w^as  of  an  unctuous,  fatty  character ;  it  was  saponified 
with  potassium  hydrate,  the  soap  thus  formed  decomposed  by  hydrogen 
chloride,  and  set  aside  for  twenty-four  hours,  then  diluted  with  water, 
filtered  and  evaporated,  depositing  a  yellow  crystalline  matter  which, 
when  treated  with  alcohol,  filtered  and  evaporated,  gave,  as  seen  by  the 
microscope,  tabular  crystals  of  light  yellow  color,  almost  tasteless, 
freely  soluble  in  alcohol  or  ether.  This  fatty  acid  was  associated  with 
a  small  amount  of  potassium  chloride. 
4.  Estimation  of  Alcoholic  Extract. — The  residue  of  stems  left  in  the 
percolator  was  next  exhausted  with  alcohol  (90  per  cent).  The  perco- 
late measuring  1'89  liters,  was  evaporated  to  the  consistence  of  an 
extract,  weighing  23*32  gms.,  or  6*25  per  cent.  It  was  redissolved  in 
alcohol,  and  on  the  addition  of  Avater,  a  precipitate,  weighing  14-58 
gms.,  or  62*5  per  cent,  of  the  extract  was  deposited.  The  precipitated 
body  was  resinoid  in  character,  light  green  in  color,  and  tasteless.  It 
was  dissolved  in  ether  and  spontaneously  evaporated ;  the  resultant 
mass  was  of  pilular  consistence,  dark  olive  green  in  color,  and  neutral 
in  reaction,  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol,  chloroform,  or  carbon  disulphide. 
The  solution  of  the  resin  in  potassium  hydrate  is  brownish-black,  and 
mineral  acids  throw  down  from  it  green  precipitates. 
The  filtrate  from  the  precipitated  resinous  matter  yielded  a  brown 
extractive,  associated  with  a  very  small  quantity  of  tannin. 
