Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Aug.,  1880. 
Eupatorium  PerfoLiatum, 
393 
small ;  but,  so  far  as  examination  enabled  me  to  form  an  opinion,  1 
judged  them  to  be  either  wax  or  resin. 
The  residue  left  after  treating  with  benzin  was  then  dissolved  in 
alcohol  and  Hltered.  Upon  the  filter  there  was  left  a  black  powder, 
which  was  unaffected  by  alcohol,  water,  alkalies  and  concentrated  acids, 
and  when  heated  was  consumed,  leaving  an  ashy  residue. 
The  filtrate  was  then  treated  with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  acetate  of 
lead,  which  caused  a  copious  precipitate  of  coloring  matter;  this  was 
separated  by  second  filtration,  and  the  liquid  treated  with  sulphuretted 
hydrogen  (H2S),  by  which  the  lead  was  eliminated.  The  liquid  being 
boiled,  was  thus  freed  from  sulphuretted  hydrogen.  After  this,  purified 
animal  charcoal  was  left  in  contact  with  it  for  three  days,  the  whole 
being  shaken  occasionally.  By  this  means  the  solution  was  nearly 
deprived  of  color;  it  was  then  concentrated  and  treated  with  boiling 
water  until  all  bitterness  was  removed,  and  the  residue  was  a  resinous, 
tasteless  mass. 
The  aqeuous  solution  thus  obtained  was  again  evaporated  and  treated 
with  chloroform,  which  dissolved  out  a  bitter  principle  and  left  a  taste- 
less resin-like  mass  in  the  vessel. 
The  chloroformic  solution,  when  evaporated,  left  the  bitter  principle 
in  a  pure  condition,  and  was  named  Eupatorine.  When  tested  by 
Trommer's  test  it  gave  no  reaction,  but  when  first  boiled  with  sul- 
phuric acid  it  gives  a  red-colored  precipitate,  and  by  sulphuric  acid 
alone  a  white  precipitate  was  occasioned,  showing  it  to  be  a  glucoside. 
Eupatorine  has  a  little  acid  taste,  soluble  in  alcohol,  chloroform, 
ether,  boiling  water  and  concentrated  acids;  with  sulphuric  acid  a  dark 
reddish -brown  color  is  produced,  and  with  hydrochloric  and  nitric  acids 
a  light  yellow  color  results. 
Eupatorine,  when  pure,  is  wholly  dissipated  by  heat,  and  when  boiled 
with  sulphuric  acid  and  water  the  odor  of  raspberries  is  given  off. 
Aqueous  Percolate. — After  the  herb  was  treated  with  alcohol  it  was 
exhausted  with  water,  and  the  solution  evaporated  to  the  consistence  of 
an  extract,  having  an  astringent  taste,  and  giving  the  following  reac- 
tions: With  ferric  chloride,  a  dark-green  color  was  produced;  with 
solution  of  gelatin,  a  light  brown  precipitate  was  formed,  and  by  plac- 
ing this  in  a  filter,  and  washing  it  with  cold  water  several  times,  ferric 
chloride  gave  a  dark  color  to  that  part  of  the  filter  that  had  been  in 
contact  with  the  precipitate,  proving  the  presence  of  tannin;  with  tar- 
tar emetic,  no  precipitate.    Alcohol  gave  a  precipitate  of  gum  from  an 
