Chemical examination of watermelon seed / by Frederick H. Power and Arthur H. Salway.

  • Power, Frederick B. (Frederick Belding), 1853-1927.
Date:
[1910?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Chemical examination of watermelon seed / by Frederick H. Power and Arthur H. Salway. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [Reprinted from the Journal of The American Chemical Society, Vol. XXXII. No. 3. March, 1910.] [Contribution from the Wellcome Chemical Research Laboratories, London.] CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF WATERMELON SEED. By Frederick B. Power and Arthur H. Salway. Received January 13, 1910. The seeds of the watermelon (Cucurbita citrullus, Linne) have been em¬ ployed to some extent medicinally on account of their diuretic proper¬ ties, but chiefly as a domestic remedy. So far as known to us, they have never been examined chemically. Lewkowitsch1 has briefly noted the physical and chemical constants of the fatty oil, and of the mixed fatty acids obtained therefrom, but makes no statement regarding the com¬ position of the oil, and no further information concerning this product appears to be available. As many of the plants belonging to the family of Cucurbitaceae contain in some of their parts substances which possess a considerable degree of physiological activity, it was deemed desirable to submit the seeds of the watermelon to a complete chemical examination. Such an investiga¬ tion appeared, furthermore, of interest from the point of view of com¬ paring the constituents of these seeds with those of the common pump¬ kin (Cucurbita pepo, Linne), which have recently been completely ex¬ amined by us.2 EXPERIMENTAL. The material employed was obtained from the United States and con¬ sisted of fresh watermelon seeds of good quality. A portion of the crushed seed was first tested for the presence of an alkaloid by means of Prollius’ fluid, but with a negative result. For the purpose of a complete investigation, 22.5 kilograms of the seed were crushed and the shells separated as completely as possible from the kernels. The shells amounted to 10.95 kilograms, thus corre¬ sponding to 48.7 per cent, of the weight of the seed. The ground kernels were then subjected to strong hydraulic pressure, when 1665 grams of fatty oil were obtained, corresponding to 7.4 per cent, of the weight of the entire seed. The so-called “press-cake” remaining after the removal of the oil amounted to 8.88 kilograms. These operations, connected with the expression of the oil, were carefully conducted for us by Messrs. Staf¬ ford, Allen & Sons, of London, to whom our thanks are due. 1 “Chemical Technology and Analysis of Oils, Fats and Waxes,” 3rd Edit., Vol II, p. 511. a This Journal, 32, 346.