1818.] on Ipecacuanha 425 



alcohol and to ether a bright golden hue ; it has the hot and 

 acrid flavour of an essential oil, and contains the substance 

 which gives ipecacuanha its specific odour. By heating or dis- 

 tilling it with water, it may be separated into two parts, one a 

 more volatile odoriferous oil, the other a more fixed oil, which 

 has generally been regarded as a resin. 



To obtain the emetic matter in its most pure state, the follow- 

 ing process may be employed. The ipecacuanha in powder is 

 to be treated with sulphuric ether, until all the fatty matter is 

 dissolved ; then alcohol is to be digested on it, the tincture is 

 to be evaporated on the water-bath, and the residue redissolved 

 in cold water, by which the wax is separated ; it is then to be 

 macerated on carbonate of barytes to remove the gallic acid, 

 again dissolved in alcohol, and evaporated. The emetic matter 

 when dried is in the form of transparent scales of a reddish- 

 brown colour ; it has scarcely any odour ; a bitter taste, slightly 

 acrid, but not nauseous ; it is decomposed by a heat greater than 

 that of boiling water ; no ammonia is produced from it by 

 distillation, thus proving that it contains no azote ; it deliquesces 

 in the atmosphere ; it is dissolved by water in all proportions 

 without experiencing any change ; it is not capable of being 

 crystallized. It is decomposed by concentrated sulphuric acid; 

 nitric acid dissolves it, and has its colour changed to a deep red, 

 afterwards it becomes yellow, a large quantity of nitrous gas is 

 disengaged, oxalic acid is formed, bat none of the bitter yellow 

 matter. The gallic acid precipitates it from its solution either 

 in alcohol or in water ; the alkalies when they arc concentrated 

 seem to change its nature and properties, but the substance 

 which of all others appears to have the most powerful effect upon 

 it is the sub-acetate of lead ; it precipitates it completely from 

 all its solutions. The authors conclude from all their experi- 

 ments, that the emetic matter is a substance sui generis, pos- 

 ted of peculiar and specific properties ; they conceive it to 

 be an immediate principle of vegetables, which is found in plants 

 that belong to different families, and appears to possess the same 

 pro| in all cases. From its distinguishing property, they 



prop jive it the name of emetine. 



the analysis of the callicocca ipecacuanha, 

 which is as foil' 



line 14 



Patty matter ■-' 



i in 



Starch is 



Woody matter 48 



. 2 



lot) 



