NOTES AND ABSTRACTS IN CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY. 721 
The following is the method of operating recommended by M. Lefort:—• 
The powdered ipecacuanha is exhausted by percolation first with alcohol of 
86^ (sp. gr. 846), and then with alcohol of 56° per cent, (proof spirit) ; 
the united tinctures are distilled to recover the spirit, and the residue is 
evaporated by a water-bath to a syrupy consistence. This extract, 
which contains the emetine in combination with a peculiar organic acid, 
the ipecacuanhic acid, of which M. Willick has described the composi¬ 
tion and properties, is poured into a well-stoppered bottle, and, for every 
100 parts of powder which has been operated on, 2 parts of caustic 
potash dissolved in a little water are added together with a volume of 
chloroform nearly equal to that of the mixture. As the emetine is very 
soluble in potash, and as the alkaline solution rapidly absorbs oxygen 
from the air, the flask in which the reaction takes place should be always 
completely full. The mixture is strongly agitated, and then allowed to repose 
for several days; the chloroform which forms at first a species of emulsion 
by the agitation, slowly separates, and at last collects at the bottom of the 
vessel. It is then removed by a pipette, and replaced by a fresh quantity. 
The alkaline liquid may be considered to be exhausted when the chloroform 
comes away colourless, or almost so. The chloroform solutions are then 
mixed and distilled to recover the chloroform. The residue in the retort is 
deep brown, and is composed principally of emetine and a resinous matter, 
which, according to the experiments of Pelletier and Magendie, is not emetic. 
These two substances are separated from each other by treatment with a 
weak acid, which dissolves only the alkaloid. The solution is afterwards de¬ 
composed by the quantity of solution of ammonia exactly necessary to pre¬ 
cipitate the base ; any excess of the precipitant must be avoided, because 
emetine is slightly soluble in ammoniacal water. The emetine is thus de¬ 
posited as a voluminous greyish powder, which may be collected on a filter, 
after being sufficiently washed by decantation. It still retains a minute 
quantity of resinous matter, which may be removed by digesting in ether. 
After this operation, the alkaloid remains in a state of great purity. 
Dried at a temperature of 50° C., emetine, when perfectly purified, is a 
very light whitish powder without smell, and of a bitter taste. It fuses at a 
temperature of 70° C., and then forms a brown transparent mass. Exposed 
to the air it colours slightly brown, but it does not attract moisture and liquefy 
as stated by Pelletier and Magendie. At 15° C., distilled water dissolves 
yd^th of its weight, and the resulting solution always possesses a yellowish 
tint and an alkaline reaction. Concentrated alcohol and chloroform dissolve 
it in all proportions, but it never crystallizes by the evaporation of these 
vehicles. Ether and the fatty oils dissolve it only in very small quantity. 
Caustic potash and soda freely dissolve it, and the solutions rapidly absorb 
oxygen from the air. Caustic ammonia does not dissolve it in such quantity, 
but nevertheless a notable quantity is taken up. Mixed with lime or mag¬ 
nesia and exposed to the air, it soon acquires a saffron-yellow tint. Hydro¬ 
chloric, sulphuric, phosphoric, and acetic acids are easily saturated by emetine, 
producing uncrystallizable compounds very soluble in water. Nitric acid, on 
the contrary, possesses the remarkable property of forming with emetine a 
nitrate which is very slightly soluble in water. This compound is very volu¬ 
minous at first, but gradually agglutinates to a tenacious brown uncrjstal¬ 
lizable mass. 100 parts of water at 15° C. dissolve 1 part of this salt. This 
insoluble nitrate, which may be produced by double decomposition between 
the acetate, chloride, or sulphate of emetine and nitrate of potash, forms the 
most distinctive character of emetine. Tannin abundantly precipitates eme¬ 
tine from its aqueous, alcoholic, or saline solutions. Solutions of iodine fur¬ 
nish with this alkaloid compounds very little soluble in water. Bichloride of 
