282 
TAMPICO JALAP. 
alteration at the said temperature. The structure of the blackened kamala re¬ 
mains the same ; it furnishes also the same tincture with spirit or alkaline 
liquids. The resins, removed by alcohol, amount to 7T8 per cent, of the 
dried substance ; the inorganic bodies (ash) to 12-9 per cent. 
The alcoholic tincture, if allowed to evaporate very slowly, leaves microscopic 
crystals, which I suppose to be Anderson’s Rottlerine ; this sort of kamala seems 
to be well suited to furnish that interesting principle. 
[Note by Mr. Daniel Ilanbury In accordance with a suggestion of my 
friend Dr. Fluckiger I have set on foot some inquiries as to the origin of the 
new kamala described in the foregoing paper. 
Dr. Fluckiger has so carefully described the characters of the drug that there 
is but little which I can add. I may however point out that the new kamala 
has a distinct odour, which is exactly that which is perceptible when a tincture 
of the old sort is poured into water. Apart from its dissimilar structure when 
seen under the microscope, the new kamala differs most obviously from the old 
in its darker colour, larger grains and freedom from earthy impurities. 
The woodcut accompanying this paper has been prepared from a beautiful 
drawing by Mr. Tuffen West, F.L.S. D. H. 
TAMPICO JALAP. 
BY CHARLES UMNEY, F.C.S. 
The attention of the pharmaceutist has recently been directed, in the various 
journals of pharmacy in this country, to a variety of jalap, rather abundant at 
the present time in the drug market, known as Tampico jalap ; comparison has 
also been made between it and the officinal jalap (Exogonium purya) known 
commercially as Vera Cruz. 
In a paper read at the Pharmaceutical Conference this year (Pharm. Journ., 
October, 1867), Mr. A. Southall gave the result of analyses of several samples 
of jalap of both varieties, the product of resin amounting, in some cases, to 33 
per cent. 
Messrs. T. and H. Smith remark (Pharm. Journ., November, 1867), that 
they have never succeeded in obtaining more than 15 per cent, of pure resin 
from any kind of jalap, neither have they ever seen a greater yield recorded. 
They account for the discrepancy between their statement and that of Mr. 
Southall, by saying, that the resin as obtained by him could not have been in a 
srate of purity and dryness. So far they are correct, but they have underrated 
the maximum yield of resin of jalap. 
M. Guibourt, twenty-five years ago (Pharm. Journ., vol. ii., 336) recorded 
17-65 per cent, of pure resin, obtained from an ordinary specimen of officinal 
jalap. 
Having a quantity (56 lbs.) of fine selected Vera Cruz jalap in process for 
the production of resin when I saw their letter in the Journal, I determined to 
note accurately the quantity of resin, free from matter soluble in water, and in 
a dry and pulverulent state ; this was 21| per cent., or 6£ per cent, more than 
the maximum found by Messrs. Smith. 
Tampico jalap of the finest quality has not given me the fortunate results of 
Mr. Southall, for I have never obtained more than from 12 to 15 per cent, of 
resin ; nevertheless, by selecting very heavy pieces, probably 2 or 3 per cent, 
more might be obtained. 
It is quite possible to obtain 33 per cent, of alcoholic extractive, even when 
