ON  THE  BERRIES  AND  LEAVES  OF  ILEX  OPACA.  315 
yielded  chlorophylle,  when  treated  according  to  the  process  of 
Graham. 
By  a  treatment  similar  to  that  of  the  berries,  tannic  acid  of 
the  same  variety  was  detected.  One  ounce  of  the  leaves  were 
macerated  in  a  pint  of  water  acidulated  with  two  fluid  drachms 
of  strong  acetic  acid  for  ten  days,  then  thrown  in  a  displacement 
apparatus  and  the  liquid  repeatedly  passed  through.  The  re- 
sulting infusion  was  of  a  yellowish  or  light  brown,  with  a  taste 
slightly  bitter.  It  was  next  saturated  with  magnesia,  filtered 
and  evaporated  to  about  two  fluid  ounces,  then  poured  into  a 
bottle,  a  portion  of  carbonate  of  potassa  added,  treated  with 
ether,  the  ether  decanted,  and,  as  in  former  experiments  with 
the  fruit,  allowed  to  evaporate  spontaneously.  The  result  was  a 
light  brown  resinous  extractive  matter,  soluble  in  water,  but 
much  more  so  in  alcohol  and  ether,  possessing  a  slight  bitterness. 
Three  ounces  of  the  leaves  were  chipped  up  and  boiled  in  four 
pints  of  water  down  to  one  pint,  then  strained  and  expressed, 
the  decoction  filtered  and  evaporated  to  one  half ;  the  remaining 
liquid  had  a  dark  greenish  brown  color  and  an  extremely  bitter 
taste  ;  it  was  then  boiled  with  a  small  quantity  of  purified  bone 
charcoal,  which  deprived  it  of  much  of  its  color  and  bitterness. 
The  liquid  was  next  poured  off,  the  coal  washed  and  dried,  after 
which  it  was  treated  repeatedly  with  boiling  alcohol,  and  that 
evaporated  to  dryness.  The  result  of  this  treatment  was  a  green 
extractive  substance — the  alcohol  dissolving  out  a  portion  of  the 
green  coloring  matter, — having  a  resinoid  appearance  and  frac- 
ture, and  an  intensely  bitter  taste  ;  it  was  partially  soluble  in 
cold  water,  entirely  so  in  alcohol  and  ether,  and  does  not  appear 
to  be  hygrometric.  It  evidently  contains  all  of  the  bitterness 
due  to  that  portion  of  the  plant  from  which  it  was  obtained ; 
various  attempts  to  procure  from  it  a  crystalline  principle  have 
been  attended  with  no  definite  results.* 
From  the  above  experiments  it  may  be  inferred  that  the  con- 
stituents of  the  fruit  of  the  Ilex  Opaca  are,  Tannin,  Pectin, 
Albumen,  and  two  crystallizable  principles;  one  inodorous,  taste- 
less and  inert ;  the  other  with  no  odor,  but  an  intensely  bitter 
taste,  probably  the  one  upon  which  the  main  activity  of  the 
plant  is  dependant;  also  salts  of  Potassa,  Lime,  and  Mag- 
[By  a  careful  analysis  of  the  ashes  of  the  berries  the  author  determined 
the  presence  of  potassa,  lime,  magnesia,  and  protoxide  of  iron.— Editor.] 
