ON SYMPLOCARPUS PG2TIDUS. 
3 
and a half inches in diameter; of a dark brown colour exter- 
nally, and very rough from the insertion of the radicles; in- 
ternally of a white, starchy appearance; when cut transversely 
it shows a medullary portion which is less compact, more of 
an amylaceous aspect, and shrinks more from drying than the 
cortical portion. 
The radicles are of a much lighter colour than the caudex, 
about the thickness of a goose quill, and when dried, very 
much wrinkled; internally of a white colour, with a yellowish 
brown epidermis; they do not possess the acrid principles of 
the plant to the same degree as the body of the root, and in 
fact the specimens which were collected in the fall had scarce- 
ly any acridity in them, for which reason they were thrown 
aside, the caudex alone being used in all the following experi- 
ments. 
The roots on which these experiments were made, were 
dug up in the fall after the decay of the leaves, the radicles 
were cut off, the caudex well rubbed with a soft brush to free 
it from all foreign matter, then wiped dry with a cloth, and 
immediately cut into transverse slices about one-fourth of an 
inch in thickness; then spread out on hair sieves and dried in 
a well ventilated room ; when dry it possessed the foetid 
odour, and acrid properties in a high degree; at the time, I 
thought it had not lost much of its powers by the process, and 
flattered myself that its active principles might not be as vola- 
tile as its family relatives, the Arum triphyllum, &c. &c. ; but 
these surmises, as the following experiments will tend to prove, 
were erroneous. 
The decoction of the dried root was, when warm, slightly 
coloured; when cold and exposed to the light, it assumed a 
purple tinge, had a slight, sweet, nauseous taste and foetid 
odour. It changes the colour of litmus paper. 
Experiment 1. To the filtered decoction of the root was 
added a few drops of tincture of iodine, which instantly struck 
a deep blue colour, indicating the presence of starch. 
On the addition of alcohol to the cold infusion of the root, 
it caused a gelatinous precipitate. Subacetate of lead also pro- 
