1821.] and Medicinal Virtues of the Common Hop. 195 



as a medicine, and a general description of its character and pro- 

 perties is recorded in most Pharmacopoeias. 



Not having seen any accurate analysis of this article, and 

 considering it important that the physician should know in what 

 part of the plant its medicinal virtue resides, I commenced some 

 experiments with a view to ascertain this object. The facts 

 ^which were developed in the progress of the investigation were 

 to me novel and unexpected ; and the results to which they 

 obviously led altogether different from what I had anticipated. 

 The medicinal character of the hop was, therefore, now regarded 

 as a subject of minor importance ; for however desirable might 

 be the merit of introducing to general use a new and eligible 

 Jorm of medicine, that consideration would excite comparatively 

 but little solicitude, while there existed a hope of eftecting an 

 improvement in domestic economy, which would be materially 

 interesting to a great portion of the civihzed world. 



A quantity of hops was procured which had been kept for 

 domestic purposes in a small bag for three years. When they 

 were taken from the bag, there remained about two ounces of an. 

 impalpable yellow powder, which, by sifting, was rendered per- 

 fectly pure. This substance has probably been observed by most 

 persons acquainted with the hop, and I suspect has generally been 

 mistaken for pollen^ but it is peculiar to the female plant, and is 

 .probably secreted by the nectaria. It seems to have been more 

 correctly appreciated by those accustomed to the domestic use 

 of hops, than by many others, professing a more scientific know- 

 ledge of their culture, properties, and use. I have not been able 

 to find any notice of this powder in books, and know not that it 

 has been designated by any appropriate term. In the following 

 inquiry, therefore, it will be called Lupulin. 



Exp. 1. — One dram of lupulin was boiled with two ounces of 

 water, in a small retort, till a third part of the water had passed 

 over into a receiver. The fluid that came over indicated slightly 

 the peculiar aromatic flavour of the hop ; it was perfectly trans- 

 parent, very httle discoloured, and exhibited no appearance of a 

 volatile oil. The water remaining in the retort was aromatic and 

 bitter. When filtered and evaporated, it yielded 10 grs. of a pale 

 yellow extract, intensely bitter, and possessing in a high degree 

 the peculiar aromatic taste of the hop. 



Exp. 2. — Two ounces of the best merchantable hops were 

 distilled in a retort with six ounces of water till half of the fluid 

 had passed over into a receiver of water. The water in the 

 receiver was shghtly impregnated with the odour of the hop, but 

 there were no appearances of volatile oil. 



Exp. 3. — Two drams of lupulin were boiled in a retort with 

 three ounces of alcohol. The alcohol came over strongly impreg- 

 nated with the aroma of the lupulin ; but there was no visible 

 indication of an essential oil. The remaining alcohol had 

 assumed a briUiant yellow colour, and a pleasant but intensely 



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