( 60 )
The total extract has to be again treated with petroleum-ether to ascer-
tain whether all is again redissolved the essential oil taking into solution
a certain quantity of resin which but for its presence petroleum-ether could
not dissolve, and which will prove insoluble after all the essential oil has been
driven off. The residue is to be carefully dried and weighed, and the sum
subtracted from the weight obtained after drying in the air-bath.
In the case of gánjá of 1892-93, the results of this weighment were :—
Round ...
... 0030 gram.=0.60%
Flat ...
...
0030
„
=0.60%
2. Estimation of the fixed oil.
This cannot be completed till the examination of the ether extract
takes place, since in a case like this, where the fixed oil forms so large a pro-
portion of the total extract, some portion is certain to escape solution by the
petroleum-ether, and to be therefore taken up by the ether.
After the total ether extract is estimated by drying and weighing, the
substance is then washed with petroleum-ether, and if weight is lost by the
extract, the amount is added to the petroleum-ether extract.
In the case of gánjá of 1892-93 the quantities so obtained were :—
Round
. . .
...
1 . 13% Hence the weight of fixed oil was
ascertained to be :—
Flat
...
... 0 .72%
Round ... 18 . 53% + 1 . 13%-0 . 60% = 19.06%
Fixed oil
Fi
Flat ... 18 . 96% + 0 . 72%-0 . 60% = 19.08%
3. Further examination of the fixed oil.
Agitated with ether after acidulation, in order to separate alkaloids, a
substance was obtained that deposited in white feathery crystals on the side of
the capsule. This substance treated with dilute acetic acid then evaporated
to dryness, and treated with a few drops of distilled water gave the following
reactions with the two gánjás of 1892-93:—
Round gánjá, 1892-93.
Flat gánjá, 1892-93.
Meyer's re-agent and dil. sulphuric
acid.
Distinct white ppt.
... White ppt., soluble in excess
of re-agent.
Picric acid
...
...
...
Nil... Nil.
Phospho-molybdic acid
... Distinct white ppt.
... Distinct white ppt.
Platinic chloride
...
...
Nil
...
... Faint ppt., almost immedi-
ately dissolved in excess of
re-agent.
Gold chloride
...
... Whitish ppt., soluble in Distinct white ppt.
excess of re-agent.
Potassio-bismuthic iodide
... Orange ppt.
... Orange ppt.
Tri-iodide of potassium
... Amorphous whitish ppt. Faint whitish ppt.
Soda hydrate
...
. . . Whitish ppt.
... Faint white ppt.
A further examination of this petroleum-ether extract was undertaken in
order to ascertain if it could be factionally precipitated by treatment with
alcohols of different strengths. At the same time the petroleum-ether solution
of alcoholic extract, already mentioned, was similarly treated.
Of the petroleum ether extract from alcohol all was dissolved in absolute
alcohol: the substance having already been extracted by alcohol, nothing
insoluble in that medium had been extracted.
Of direct petroleum-ether extract only93.3% was soluble, the,rema-
i n- i ng 6. 7 % b e i n g a w h i t i s h - g r e y f a t t y s u b s t a n c e .
Of the remainder in both cases treated to alcohol of 95%, 77. 7 % p r o v e s
soluble; therefore alcohol of 95 % keeps out of solution 7 . 25 % of the total
petroleum-ether extract. This insoluble substance is of dark colour, has a slightly
acid reaction, is not viscid, produces no narcotic effect when administered to
a cat.
When next the portion in 95 % alcohol is treated to alcohol of 90 %,
the percentage soluble is only 2 . 05 %, as much as 97 . 95 remaining undissolved
as a resinous body of black colour and sticky consistence. This substance was
powerfully physiologically active. The remainder is found on evaporating to