RADIX IPECACtJANH.E. 



375 



and allow the chloroform to evaporate. Two drops of water now added 

 will afford a nearly colourless solution of emetine, which, placed in a 

 watch-glass, will readily give amorphous precipitates upon addition of 

 a saturated solution of nitrate of potassium, or of tannic acid, or of a 

 solution of mercuric iodide in iodide of potassium. To the nitrate 

 Power's test may be further applied. 



If the ivood separated as exactly as possible from the bark is used, 

 and the experiment performed in the same way, the solution will reveal 

 only traces of emetine. By addition of nitrate of potassium, no preci- 

 pitate is then produced, but tannic acid or the potassico-mercuric iodate 

 afford a slight turbidity. This experiment confirms the observation 

 that the bark is the seat of the alkaloid, as might indeed be inferred . 

 from the fact that the wood is nearly tasteless. 



Will 



amorphous, bitter, and very hygroscopic. It is related to cafFetannic 

 and kinic acids ; Reich has shown it to be a glucoside. 



Ipecacuanha contains also, according to Reich, small proportions of 

 resm, fat, albumin, and fermentable and cry stall! zable sugar ; also gum 

 and a large quantity of pectin. The bark yielded about 30 per cent., 

 and the wood more than 7 per cent, of starch. 



Commerce— The imports of ipecacuanha into the United Kingdom 

 in 18^0 amounted to 62,952 lb., valued at £16,639.2 



Uses — Ipecacuanha is given as an emetic, but much more often in 

 small doses as an expectorant and diaphoretic. In India it has proved 

 ot late a most imnnvfor^f ,.o,^..i,. f^^ ^,r.-.,.f..,r q[^qq ^he year 1858 



grains) doses began 



01 late a most miportant remedy for dysentery. Si 

 when the administration of inecacuanha in lar^e (30 



( 



to be adopted, the mortality in the cases treated for this complaint has 



greatly diminished. 



it is not 

 ivcs much 



Adulteration and Substitutes— It can hardly be said that ipeca- 

 cuanha as at present imported is ever adulterated. Although it may 

 contain an undue proportion of the woody stems of the plant, " ' ' 

 HYdulently admixed with other roots. But it very often arri v u^ xnuuu 

 etenorated by damp : we have the authority of an experienced drug- 

 8>s tor saying that at least three packages out of every four offered in 

 e London drug sales, have either been damaged by sea- water or by 

 ^amp during their transit to the coast. 



oeveral roots have been described as False l2)ecacuanha, but we 



an r^i ^^^ ?^^ *^^^ ^'^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ readily distinguished at first sight by 

 y clru^rgist Qf average knowledge and experience. 



I ,^, ^'^^^1 the word Poaya is applied to emetic roots of plants of at 

 u<de ^^^ S^?^^'.^^ belonging to the orders Riihiacece, Violariecc, and Folij- 

 van'^^' "^h^le in the same country, the name Ipecacuanha is used for 

 '^nous species oi lonidmm' as well as for Cephaelis. 



'SSa/ ^rr''-^' ^^- (1862) 523. 



^ecenf if i?'..?-^-^"'' 1870. -The more 

 Plified tfT!,?! *^'^ '■*=*^"'" liave been sim- 

 the CTeaf^? ' f"- ''^*^"*^ ^^'^t drngs are for 

 ' In thl \?'' 1* included under one head. 



per 1000 cases 



treated : under the new method of treat- 

 ment, it has been reduced to 13 '5. In 

 Bengal it has fallen from 88 '2 to 28*8 per 

 1000. — Supplement to the Gazette of India, 

 January 23, 1809. 



•^ As lonidhnn Ipecacuanha Vent. , /. 

 Poaya St. Hil., /. j)a7'vifloru7n Vent., the 

 first of which affords the Poaya hranca or 



