1818.] on Ipecacuanha. 423 



very imperfectly acquainted with its chemical and physiological 

 properties. They accordingly divide their memoir into two 

 parts, corresponding with these two subjects. 



With respect to the chemical composition of ipecacuanha, the 

 last experimentalist who has examined it, before the authors of 

 the present memoir, is M. Masson-Four ; and the result of his 

 examination is, that it consists of gallic acid, mucilage, extract, 

 and resin. He conceives that the active principles of this root 

 are the extract and the resin ; that alcohol dissolves the resin, 

 the gallic acid, and a portion of the extract ; that water takes 

 up the mucilage and the gallic acid, but that it does not dis- 

 solve any of the resin. This analysis is so manifestly imperfect, 

 that MM. Magendie and Pelletier resolved to undertake a new 

 examination of it, and they extended their researches to three 

 different articles, which are all employed under the name 

 ipecacuanha, although belonging to different genera of plants. 

 The first is the brown ipecacuanha, derived from the psycotria 

 emetica ; second, the grey ipecacuanha, produced by the calli- 

 cocca ipecacuanha ; and third, the white ipecacuanha, the viola 

 emetica. 



The brown ipecacuanha, that procured from the psycotria 

 emetica, was the one first examined. The cortical part of the 

 root, being possessed of the most active properties, was separated 

 from the ligneous part, and was made the subject of the follow • 

 ing experiments. It was reduced to powder, and then digested 

 with sulphuric ether, first at the temperature of the atmosphere, 

 and afterwards artificially heated. The ethereal tinctures were 

 evaporated, and a fat, oily, odoriferous substance was procured. 

 The ipecacuanha which had been acted upon by ether was then 

 digested in hot alcohol, until nothing more could be extracted 

 from it by this re-agent. Some white flakes, of a matter which 

 resembled wax, separated from the alcoholic tincture ; and more 

 of this waxy substance was procured by dissolving in cold water 

 the residue obtained by evaporating the tincture. This residue 

 was of a reddish-saffron colour. The part of the ipecacuanha 

 which is soluble in cold water, was procured by evaporation on 

 the water-bath ; it was reddish-brown, veiy deliquescent, bitter, 

 and nearly without smell ; it was powerfully emetic, and slightly 

 reddened blue vegetable colours. The acid which this extract 

 contained was in very small quantity ; it was conceived to be 

 the gallic acid from its producing a green colour with acetate of 

 iron. 



The extract was precipitated from its solution by acetate of 

 lead ; the precipitate was washed, and the lead separated by 

 Hiilphuretted hydrogen, by which the emetic principle was 

 obtained in a separate state. From the nature of the action of 

 the acetate of lead in this process, it is probable that the sub- 

 stance which it precipitates is homogeneous. When alcohol 



