Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  > 
Jan.,  1880.  j 
^Anemopsis  Calif ornica. 
5 
der  prepared  from  the  same  and  applied  to  venereal  sores  are  a  great 
remedy.  The  powder  is  advantageously  used  on  cuts  and  sores,  as  it 
is  very  astringent.  The  leaves,  after  being  wilted,  and  applid  to  swell- 
ings, are  a  sure  cure."  In  connection  with  this  the  following  exami- 
nation may  be  of  interest. 
All  parts  of  the  plant  exhale,  when  broken,  a  pungent,  disagreeable, 
penetrating  odor.  The  taste  is  aromatic  and  peppery.  Alcohol  readily 
extracts  all  the  sensible  characteristics.  Water  simply  becomes  flavored 
when  boiled  with  the  root,  the  filtrate  being  astringent  and  highly 
charged  with  glucose.  It  does  not  afford  precipitates  with  the  usual 
reagents  for  alkaloids.  The  odor  and  taste  of  the  plant  is  derived  from 
a  volatile  oil;  this  is  obtained,  according  to  our  experiments,  in  the 
proportion  of  six  fluid  drachms  to  the  avoirdupois  pound  by  distilling 
the  dried  root  with  water. 
Essential  Oil,  A. — This  is  heavier  than  water,  yellowish,  very 
refractive  and  to  the  taste  sharp,  pungent  and  possessing  in  a  high  degree 
the  characteristic  odor  and  flavor  of  the  plant.  It  dissolves  in  all  pro- 
portions in  alcohol,  ether,  chloroform  and  carbon  disulphide.  When 
mixed  with  an  equal  bulk  of  sulphuric  acid  heat  is  evolved,  and  a  thick, 
dark  red  liquid  results.  This  dissolves  in  alcohol  and  chloroform,  with 
production  of  a  beautiful  red  color;  is  insoluble  in  ether,  but  becomes 
thinner  when  mixed  with  it  and  permitted  to  separate.  This  substance 
does  not  retain  the  odor  of  the  oil. 
When  the  essential  oil  is  poured  upon  the  surface  of  freshly  pre- 
pared nitro-muriatic  acid  in  a  test  tube  and  gently  agitated,  it  turns  blue  ; 
then  with  evolution  of  nitric  oxide  and  a  sudden  increase  of  tempera- 
ture decomposes,  the  result  being  a  brownish  resinous  substance  ;  the 
natural  odor  of  the  oil  disappears,  and  the  underlying  acid  changes  to  a 
red  color. 
When  the  essential  oil  is  in  like  manner  poured  upon  the  surface  of 
hydrochloric  acid  and  gently  agitated,  a  gradual  change  in  color  to  deep 
blue  results  ;  in  the  course  of  twenty  hours  passes  into  violet,  then 
changes  to  purple,  and  lastly  to  brown.  The  natural  odor  of  the  oil 
remains. 
After  distillation  with  water  the  root  has  a  slight  odor  of  the  oil,  an 
astringent  taste  and  a  benumbing  action  upon  the  tongue. 
Alcohol  seems  to  extract  all  the  sensible  properties  of  the  recently 
dried  root.    When  percolated  with  this  menstruum  a  dark  reddish  tine- 
