ON  CICUTA  MACULATA. 
291 
but  not  in  alcohol,  and  which  yielded  mucic  acid  by  the  action  of 
nitric  acid. 
Fixed  Oil. — A  portion  of  the  bruised  seeds  was  treated  with 
ether,  and  the  resulting  tincture  evaporated,  until  it  ceased  to 
have  weight,  when  about  five  per  cent,  of  a  very  thick,  greenish, 
greasy  matter  was  obtained,  consisting  chiefly  of  fixed  oil,  with 
resin  and  chlorophylle. 
Resin, — An  ethero-alcoholic  tincture  was  made  by  displace- 
ment, and  evaporated  to  a  syrupy  consistence,  then  thrown  into 
water,  when  about  three  per  cent,  of  impure  resin  was  precipi- 
tated. 
Volatile  Oil. — One  pound  of  the  bruised  seeds  were  distilled 
with  water  acidulated  with  sulphuric  acid ;  seven  per  cent,  of  a 
colorless,  very  limpid  volatile  oil  passed  over,  having  an  insipid, 
oily  taste,  and  an  odor  very  analogous  to  that  of  oil  of  Chenopo- 
dium  anthelminticum  ;  has  a  specific  gravity  of  .853,  and  boils  at 
360°  F.,  without  undergoing  any  change;  is  soluble  in  alcohol, 
ether  and  chloroform  ;  it  dissolves  a  large  quantity  of  sulphur  by 
heat,  and  deposits  most  of  it  in  crystals  on  cooling  ;  phosphorus 
is  also  readily  taken  up  by  the  oil,  with  the  aid  of  heat,  and  also 
crystallizes  on  cooling  ;  sulphuric  acid  decomposes  and  blackens 
the  oil  with  the  evolution  of  heat ;  muriatic  acid  gas  passed 
through  it  is  largely  absorbed,  and  decomposes  the  oil,  changing 
its  color  to  a  dark  brown,  without  any  deposition  of  resin ;  and 
the  same  reaction  takes  place  with  chlorine. 
Nitric  acid  acts  on  it  powerfully.  When  added  to  the  oil  an 
explosion  follows,  by  which  most  of  it  is  thrown  from  the  vessel, 
the  residue,  on  standing  a  few  hours,  deposits  a  thick  resinous 
matter,  heavier  than  water,  which,  when  well  washed  with  warm 
water,  and  distilled  with  potassa,  afforded  a  substance  having  a 
very  agreeable  aromatic  odor.  The  volatile  oil  of  Cicuta  macu- 
lata  is  neutral  to  test  paper,  but  rapidly  ozonizes  air  enclosed 
with  it  in  glass  bottles  exposed  to  the  light,  and  in  this  respect 
it  is  more  active  than  oil  of  turpentine.  The  corks  of  the  vials 
containing  it  are  bleached  as  though  acted  on  by  nitric  acid,  and 
when  a  slip  of  paper  moistened  with  iodide  of  potassium  and 
starch  water  is  suspended  in  a  vial  above  the  oil,  the  iodide  is 
instantly  decomposed,  setting  free  the  iodine,  showing  the  pre- 
