RELATION OF THE BRITISH PHARMACOPOEIA TO PHARMACOLOGY. 569 
will also be free from vegetable albumen,—a substance to whose presence, accord¬ 
ing to Chevallier, confirmed by Scanlan (Pharm. Journ. vol. i. p. 133, and vol. iv. 
p. 72),. the formation of mould on extracts is to be ascribed. Such extracts will, 
according to Scanlan, be about fifteen per cent, stronger than if the vegetable 
albumen were present. 
The remarks made last month by Dr. Redwood concerning the semi-exhaustion 
of cinchona bark, of its active principle quinine, in the process for making De- 
coctum Cinchonse are equally applicable in the case of Extraction Cinchonce 
Flavce Liquidum. Garrod admits (Med. Times and Gaz., 1864, vol. i. p. 360) 
that the process given for its preparation is quite unable to effect the exhaustion 
of the bark of its alkaloids. So long as quinine itself can as readily be prescribed as 
it is at the present day, it is difficult to understand what peculiar value such a 
decoction and liquor can possess. 
In Extractum Colchici Aceticum , the starch of the colchicum juice is rejected 
from the extract, as suggested by Southall (Pharm. Journ. vol. xiii. p. 62). In 
this extract, as first made by Garden, under the direction of Sir Charles Scu¬ 
damore (Pharm. Journ. vol. vii. p. 260), the starch was also rejected ; but, ac¬ 
cording to Fordred (ibid. p. 389), the resulting mass was deliquescent, and re¬ 
quired the admixture of starch when dispensed. The last Dublin Pharmacopoeia 
also ordered the starch to be excluded, the Edinburgh and London Colleges re¬ 
quiring it to be retained. In using the new extract therefore, dispensers will 
have an opportunity of deciding this moot point in pharmaceutic art, and it is 
to be hoped they will publish the result of their practical observations. 
Extractum Colocynthidis Compositum is an old friend in its old place, having 
been erroneously, according to Bell (Pharm. Journ. vol. xviii. p. 457) and other 
Pharmaceutists, called a pill for more than twenty years. Hard soap replaces 
soft in the formula, a little practical improvement suggested by Whipple (Pharm. 
Journ. vol. xiv. p. 344). 
Extractum Erejotx Liquidum. The oily matter existing in ergot was formerly 
supposed to be the matter on which its activity depends; hence the ethereal 
tincture of ergot of the last London Pharmacopoeia, a mere solution of the oil. 
Bonjean, however (Pharm. Journ. vol. iii. p. 129), showed that ergot contained 
two active substances; the one, ergotin, acting on the arterial integuments, and 
a poisonous oil and resin acting on the nervous centres ; and he suggested per¬ 
colation of the ergot with ether to remove the oil. These researches and sug¬ 
gestions have been acted on in the British Pharmacopoeia ; the extract is pre¬ 
pared so as to exclude the oil and include the ergotin, and the ethereal tincture 
lias been quite omitted. We still, however, know little of this so-called ergotin ; 
but it is now being investigated (Pharm. Journ. 2nd ser. vol. v. p. 492), and we 
shall probably soon be better acquainted with its nature and properties. 
Extractum Eilicis Liquidum is the old oil of male fern. 
Extractum Jalapse is admitted (Garrod, Med. Times and Gaz. 1864, vol. i. 
]i. 360) to be simply jalap resin plus a natural excipient. Surely Pharmaceutists 
will be able to tell the authors of the next British Pharmacopoeia how jalap resin 
can be made into pills by the aid of artificial excipients, and the list of extracts 
be thus relieved of an unnecessary member. 
Extractum Lupuli will be found to be a different preparation to the old ex¬ 
tract of hops. Pharmacologists actually engaged in practising pharmacy will 
probably report on this and other new processes after they have had time to 
test their value. 
Extractum Nucis Vomicx. Better directions than those given under this head 
for exhausting the nux vomica seeds will be found under the article Strychnia, 
page 328 of the British Pharmacopoeia. 
Extractum Sarsx Liquidum. This is an evaporated infusion, the sarsaparilla 
not being, however, so well exhausted as perhaps it might be; for Husband has 
