Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
July,  1875.  ; 
Aspidium  Marginale, 
^93 
potassium,  and  was  heavier  than  water.  The  alcoholic  solution  had  an 
acid  reaction,  and  the  resin  is  therefore  similar  to  that  obtained  by  Luck 
from  Aspidium  Filix-mas. 
Filicic  Acid, — The  etherial  extract,  after  standing  a  few  weeks, 
deposited  on  the  sides  of  the  vessel  yellow  crystals,  which  were  col- 
lected on  a  filter  and  washed  with  ether,  then  with  ether-alcohol,  and 
dissolved  in  diluted  alcohol  with  the  addition  of  carbonate  of  potassium, 
decolorized  with  animal  charcoal,  precipitated  by  HCl,  and  recrystal- 
lized  from  ether,  which  gave  small  granular,  slightly  yellowish  crystals, 
which,  when  heated,  yielded  an  oily  substance  smelling  of  butyric  acid. 
They  burned  wich  a  luminous  flame  when  heated  on  platinum  foil,  and 
left  a  shining  charcoal.  Treated  with  ammonia,  they  quickly  assumed 
a  dark  brownish-yellow  color.  They  are  but  sparingly  soluble  in  diluted 
alcohol,  soluble  in  boiling  absolute  alcohol,  only  slightly  more  soluble 
in  boiling  than  cold  ether,  and  soluble  in  fats,  volatile  oils  and  bisulphide 
of  carbon.  They  show  the  reactions  to  all  the  tests  applied  by  Luck, 
and  I  believe  then  to  be  identical  to  the  filicic  acid  obtained  by  him 
from  the  true  male-fern. 
Treatment  with  Alcohol. — The  dregs,  after  having  been  exhausted 
with  ether,  were  freed  from  all  traces  of  it  by  exposure  to  the  air,  and 
then  macerated  for  three  days  with  alcohol,  specific  gravity  '835,  and 
thoroughly  exhausted  in  a  percolator  ;  the  liquid  was  of  a  reddish-brown 
color,  and  had  an  acid  reaction.  The  greater  portion  of  the  alcohol 
was  distilled  off,  and  the  remainder  evaporated  by  the  aid  of  a  water- 
bath  to  the  consistence  of  honey.  The  residue  had  a  sweetish  and 
very  astringent  taste.  After  standing  for  a  few  weeks  in  the  capsule, 
small  crystals  formed,  which  were  separated,  dissolved  in  a  small  quan- 
tity of  water ;  four  times  the  quantity  of  alcohol  was  added  to  take  up 
the  coloring  matter,  and  the  solution  precipitated  with  stronger  ether. 
The  liquid  separated  into  three  layers,  the  upper  one  being  ether  slightly 
colored  ;  the  middle,  alcohol  containing  the  coloring  matter,  and  the 
lower  aqueous  stratum  the  sugar.  The  watery  solution  yielded  crystals 
which  proved  to  be  cane  sugar. 
The  residue  from  which  the  crystals  were  first  deposited  was  dis- 
solved in  water,  filtered,  precipitated  by  acetate  of  lead,  and  filtered  ; 
the  excess  of  lead  was  then  removed  from  the  liquid  by  sulphuretted 
hydrogen,  the  filtrate  containing  glucose,  as  proven  by  Trommer's  test. 
The  lead  precipitate  was  boiled  with  water  for  some  time,  and  filtered 
