144 
ON  SOME  CONSTITUENTS  OP  ERGOT. 
left  of  the  consistence  of  a  soft  extract,  and  yielded  1*72  water, 
19-37  oxide  of  lead  and  78.64  fatty  acid  (mean). 
To  determine  the  nature  of  the  fatty  acids,  a  portion  was 
pressed  between  bibulous  paper  and  repeatedly  crystallized  from 
hot  alcohol ;  the  dry  crystals  fused  at  62°  C,  and  congealed 
between  57  and  58*^  C.  ;  they  consisted  of  pure  hydrate  of  pal- 
mitic acid.  Ultimate  analysis  proved  the  correctness  of  this 
inference. 
The  extract,  like  lead  soap,  was  decomposed  by  muriatic  acid, 
and  the  fatty  acid  taken  up  by  ether  ;  it  proved  to  be  oleic  acid. 
The  proportion  of  lead  oxide  to  tho  acids  is  5:4,  and  the  fatty 
acids  are  1  palmitic  to  3  oleic  acid ;  the  composition  of  the  plas- 
ter is,  therefore,  C,Ji^,  (  2  PbO)  O3  +  3  C36H33  (PbO)  O3.  By 
the  action  of  ether  this  was  decomposed  so  as  to  yield  a  basic 
palmitate  and  an  acid  oleinate. 
The  coloring  principle  contained  in  the  oil  was  obtained  by 
treating  it  with  ammoniacal  alcohol,  and  evaporating  the  alcohol. 
It  corresponds,  the  solubility  in  ether  excepted,  with  Wiggers' 
ergotin,  and  to  it  the  oil  owes  its  color,  aromatic  odor  and  acrid 
taste. 
The  author  also  disproved  the  assertion  of  Manassew^itz,  that 
the  oil  of  ergot  was  not  saponifiable  by  caustic  potassa. 
Since  Manassewitz  did  not  succeed  in  isolating  Wenzell's 
ecbolina,  the  author  operated  upon  30  oz.  powdered  ergot  by 
nearly  the  process  described  by  Wenzell  (in  Amer.  Journ.  Ph., 
May,  1864)  and  isolated  the  alkaloid,  which  possessed  the  ap- 
pearance and  reactions  indicated  by  Wenzell.  Herrmann  also 
digested  the  precipitate  by  bichloride  of  mercury  in  Wenzell's 
process,  with  carbonate  of  lead,  exsiccated  the  mixture  and  ex- 
hausted with  90  pr.  ct.  alcohol,  which  dissolved  ecbolina,  to- 
gether with  a  trace  of  chloride  of  lead.  The  author  promises 
further  researches  on  ecbolina,  also  on  Wenzell's  ergotina  and 
ergotic  acid. 
1000  grs.  powdered  ergot  contained  50  grs.  water,  and  yielded 
22-01562  ashes,  consisting  of  chloride  of  sodium,  silica  (14*67 
pr.  ct.,)  and  potassa  (30  pr.  ct.,)  soda,  lime,  magnesia  (4*88  pr. 
ct.,)  alumina,  iron,  manganese  combined  with  phosphoric  acid 
(45-12  pr.  ct,)-^  Witmeins  ViertelJ.  Schr.^  1869,  481-497. 
