ON CUBEBIN AND THE DIURETIC PRINCIPLE OF CUBEBS. 
539 
in the liquefied form, by which means twenty gallons of the gas may be compressed 
into a small-sized vessel, and readily carried about. In this way, it may, if necessary, 
be made pure and on a large scale, and carried about in steel cylinders for all surgical 
purposes.” 
There seems to be considerable doubt with many medical men both as to the value of 
nitrous oxide as an anaesthetic, as well as to its safety; and Dr, Richardson, in the 
‘ Lancet’ of April 18th, has entered a strong protest against its use, observing, that it 
was not in the true sense the agent that caused insensibility, but that it acted indirectly ; 
the immediate stupefier being really carbonic acid ; in fact, that nitrous oxide is an 
asphyxiating ag;ent: the vapour density of nitrous oxide and of carbonic acid being the 
same ; and as diffusion of gases into the blood and out of it is governed by the same 
laws as in ordinary diffusion, to make an animal breathe nitrous oxide is virtually 
equivalent to making it breathe carbonic acid itself, the diffusion of carbonic acid being 
so determinately impeded. 
We understand that the hint thrown out by Mr. Ernest Hart has been acted upon, 
and that a simple process has been devised by which the gas may be prepared in a con¬ 
densed and portable form. The process has been, we believe, registered, and the gas 
may be obtained in any quantity. 
A more detailed account of this remedy will appear in a subsequent number. 
ON CUBEBIN AND THE DIURETIC PRINCIPLE OF CUBEBS. 
BY F. V. IIEYDENREICH. 
The oleo-resin of cubebs is generally regarded as containing all the remedial proper¬ 
ties of the drug. In order to answer this query, it was necessary first to prepare the 
oleo-resin, and then to separate the various substances contained in it. To this end 80 
ounces of cubeb berries were taken, reduced to fine powder, and then subjected to the 
action of ether, for the purpose of obtaining the oleo-resin. The quantity thus obtained 
was 19 oz., or nearly 24 per cent. The oleo-resin was then subjected to distillation 
with water, to separate sufficient volatile oil for experiments, and afterwards heated on 
a water-bath, to drive away the remainder of the volatile oil. The loss of weight by 
this operation was 10 ounces and 7 drachms, showing the presence of this amount of 
volatile oil, or a little over 13 per cent., and leaving as residue the soft resin, cubebin, and 
wax, amounting to 8 ounces and 1 drachm. A portion of this was reserved for experi¬ 
ments, and the remainder mixed with a small portion of ether and set aside to facilitate 
the deposition of cubebin and wax. 
Experiments were first made with the volatile oil. This had a light straw colour, 
and had to a much greater extent the odour of the drug than the green commercial 
article. It was tried as follows:— 
Case No. 1.—Three minims were given every two hours, for ten hours, without any 
appreciable effect. 
Case No. 2.—Ten minims were given every two hours for six hours. The effect in 
this case was a slight feeling of warmth in the region of the stomach, which was slowly 
diffused through the body, but no appreciable increase of urine could be noted. 
Case No. 3.—Ten minims were given every hour for twelve hours, with a view of 
obtaining the constitutional effects of the oil on the system. No increase in the 
amount of urine could be noticed, but great inward heat was felt, amounting almost to 
fever. These unpleasant symptoms passed off during the following day. 
Cubebin was experimented with next. By repeated crystallizations it had been 
obtained perfectly pure, in white silky needles, tasteless and odourless. 
Case No. 1.—Ten grains were administered every hour for six hours, without produc¬ 
ing any effect on the system whatever. 
Case No. 2.—Ten grains were administered every hour for twelve hours, and this 
was followed by a dose of 30 grains, without producing any effect whatever. 
The soft resin had the consistence of honey, of a dark olive-green colour, with some 
odour yet of cubeb. It was tried with the following results : — 
Case No. 1.—Ten grains given every two hours for six hours, acted the following 
