 He showed in 1945 that luteic acid, a molecule present in the myrobalanitannin, a tannin found in the fruit of "Terminalia chebula", is an intermediary compound in the synthesis of ellagic acid.At these times, molecule formulas were determined through combustion analysis.The discovery in 1943 by Martin and Synge of paper chromatography provided for the first time the means of surveying the phenolic constituents of plants and for their separation and identification.