CUNILA  AMERICANA,  (AMERICAN  DITTANY.) 
495 
tannin  precipitated  from  the  washings  by  gelatin  in  excess,  the 
filtrate  was  colored  black  by  sesqui-chloride  of  iron,  which  was 
decolorized  by  heat,  indicating  gallic  acid.  A  cold  aqueous  in- 
fusion was  found  to  contain  glucose  and  gum,  but  no  albumen. 
A  decoction  contained  starch. 
The  ethereal  extract  of  the  root,  purified  by  alcohol,  charcoal, 
and  water,  had  a  light  yellow  color,  a  peculiar  gutta-percha-like 
odor,  and  produced  a  burning  sensation  when  placed  on  the 
tongue.  It  was  soluble  in  chloroform,  and  burned  with  a  green- 
ish flame. 
The  ashes  of  the  root  contained  salts  of  lime,  potassa  and 
magnesia. 
In  conclusion,  it  may  be  stated  that  Cypripedium  was  found 
to  contain  a  volatile  oil,  a  volatile  acid,  tannin,  gallic  acid,  two 
resins,  gum  glucose,  starch,  and  ligneous  matter. 
ON  CUNILA  MARIANA  (AMERICAN  DITTANY). 
By  Philip  Milleman,  of  Chicago. 
(Extracted  from  an  Inaugural  Essay.) 
This  is  a  small  indigenous  perennial  plant  found  growing  on 
rocky,  dry,  shady  hills  and  woods,  from  New  England  to  Georgia 
and  Arkansas,  flowering  through  June,  July,  and  sometimes  to 
October.  This  plant,  called  also  stone  mint  and  mountain 
dittany,  has  both  in  its  recent  and  dried  state  a  very  warm, 
pungent,  spicy  taste,  analogous  to  that  of  Monarda  punctata — 
a  fact  suggested  to  me  by  Prof.  Procter — and  the  object  of  this 
thesis  is  to  trace  how  far  the  analogy  is  borne  out  by  experiment. 
A  quantity  of  the  fresh  herb  was  obtained  in  Chester  County, 
Pa.,  where  it  grows  in  great  abundance  on  and  along  the  hills  of 
that  section.  This  was  carefully  garbled  and  sliced  transversely. 
Five  pounds  were  introduced  into  a  tin  still  of  ten  gallons' 
capacity,  and  eight  gallons  of  water  added.  Heat  was  applied 
until  a  gallon  and  a  half  of  distillate  had  passed,  on  which 
floated  three  fluidrachms  and  a  half  of  a  reddish  amber-colored 
volatile  oil. 
A  comparison  was  instituted  between  this  oil  and  that  of 
Monarda  punctata.  Their  color  is  very  similar,  being  reddish 
amber-colored;  but  the  oil  of  dittany,  by  exposure  to  light, 
