Carthamine, or CARTHAMEINE.

Carthamine, or CARTHAMEINE. The dye so called is obtained by a chemical process from Carthamus tinctorius, or Safflower (q.v.), in crystals which are insoluble in water, slightly soluble in ether, and which with alcohol readily form a purple-red solution. When newly precipitated, carthamine immediately and permanently attaches itself to cotton or silk (but not to wool), requiring no mordant. It dyes the fabric a fine red, which is changed to yellow on the addition of alkalies, and may be returned to red again on being treated with acids. The safflower contains about .5 per cent. of carthamine, and also about 25 per cent. of a yellow colouring matter called safflower-yellow, which, however, is of no value in dyeing.