December 24,1870.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
503 
more complete character can best be given in Mr. 
Moodeen Sheriff’s own words:— 
“ Although this drug is commonly known as a 
root, it consists partly of the root and partly of the 
stem; therefore, if it is entire, the upper portion 
(stem) differs from the lower (root) in external cha¬ 
racters. The upper portion is about two or three 
inches long; very rough, from thin scales; brown or 
reddish-brown in colour if the scales are not worn 
out, but paler if they are so ; in the latter condition 
it bears circular or semicircular marks of the scales, 
which occasionally make it look slightly annulated ; 
varies in thickness from one to three goose-quills ; 
beset with the remains of leaves ; and often curved 
and sometimes bent upon itself. The lower portion 
is much thinner, varying in thickness from a quill of 
a fowl to that of a goose ; paler in colour, being ge¬ 
nerally brownish-grey or brownish-white ; nearly of 
the same length as the upper portion ; more or less 
compressed ; wrinkled longitudinally; and beset with 
elevated marks of rootlets. There is no difference 
between the colour and taste of the internal substance 
of both portions, which are black and extremely bitter, 
respectively. The root is generally cylindrical, but, 
from having the upper portion much thicker than the 
lower, it looks tapering sometimes. It is very light 
and brittle, and easily powdered.” The deep black 
colour and short waxy fracture of the inner portion 
of the root are very characteristic features. 
This is strictly an Indian drug. The localities 
given for the plant are Gossain Than, Kumaon and 
Kedarkonta. It has been said to occur also in some 
mountains near Cliittoor, in Central Carnatic, but 
the Himalayan region is evidently the source of the 
bazaar drug, which goes down to Calcutta, and 
thence to Madras and probably to Bombay. Dr. 
Stewart says that it is common in the Punjab Hima¬ 
laya, at from 5,500 to 14,000 feet. Honigberger de¬ 
clares that it is more frequently used in veterinary 
than hi human medicine, but in the latter its root is 
one of the regular febrifuges. It must be used in 
considerable quantity, as the author of ‘Punjab 
Plants ’ states that thirty-six maunds were exposed 
for sale from Kiillu at the Rampur fair in Bissaliir, 
in 1807. Davies’ Trade Report gives twenty maunds 
of Kutld as annually exported from Peshawar to 
Kabul.* 
The reputed purgative properties of this substance 
have no foundation in fact; its great use lies hi its 
* See Dr. J, L. Stewart’s ‘ Punjab Plants,’ p. 163. La¬ 
hore, I860. 
being a very valuable tonic, in which respect As¬ 
sistant-Surgeon Moodeen Sheriff considers it equal 
to gentian and colomba, and superior to chiretta. 
As a dose, 10 to 20 grains as a tonic, or 20 to 40 as an 
antiperiodic, are recommended. If this is really a 
just appreciation of the value of this drug, it no longer 
deserves to be placed amongst the “ non-ofticinal,” 
but to rank with the officinal substances of the Indian 
Pharmacopoeia. Further than this, if it has proved 
superior to chiretta in India, why should it not 
receive a fair trial, in competition with gentian, 
colomba and chiretta, hi this country ? Both this 
and the Atees root (Aconitum lieterophyllum ) deserve 
a full and fair trial, which neither of them have yet 
obtained. 
for Stabtnts. 
CHEMICAL NOTES TO THE PHARMACOPOEIA. 
BY WILLIAM A. TILDEN, B.SC. LOND. 
DEMONSTRATOR OF PRACTICAL CHEMISTRY TO THE 
PHARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY. 
Argenti Oxidum.— Solution of nitrate of silver is 
poured into lime-water, the latter being in very 
slight excess. The precipitated oxide is allowed to 
settle and washed with distilled water :— 
CaO + 2AgN0 3 = Ca2N0 3 -f Ag 2 0. 
Lime-water is preferred, in this case, to solution of 
potash or of soda. "When these are used the oxide 
is apt to be mixed with small quantities of carbonate 
and chloride, and also retains traces of the alkali, 
which it is very difficult to remove by washing. 
Oxide of silver is a very powerful agent of oxida¬ 
tion, yielding its oxygen so readily to many organic 
substances, particularly essential oils, as to give rise 
to active combustion. It is also decomposed by 
common salt and all chlorides, and by many other 
salts. In dispensing it, therefore, these facts ought 
to be borne in mind. 
Argentum purificatum.— Metallic silver, free from 
copper and from all but mere traces of other metals, 
is obtained by dissolving crude silver in nitric acid 
and precipitating the whole in the form of chloride 
by the addition of common salt. The precipitate 
separated from the solution is placed in a dish, 
wetted with dilute sulphuric acid, and a sheet of zinc 
laid upon it. In about twenty-four hours the decom¬ 
position is complete, the zinc is removed, and the re¬ 
sidual sponge of metallic silver digested Avitli dilute 
sulphuric acid and finally washed. If desired, it may 
then be melted into a mass. 
[§ If ammonia be added in excess to a solution of 
the metal in nitric acid, the resulting fluid exhibits 
neither colour nor turbidity.] This test indicates 
freedom from copper and lead. 
Bismuthi Carbonas. —Dissolve purified bismuth 
in slightly diluted nitric acid, and add this, in small 
quantities at a time, to a solution of carbonate of 
ammonia. Collect, wash, and dry the precipitate by 
a gentle heat. 
On dissolving the bismuth in the nitric acid, the 
following reaction occurs :— 
Bi 2 + 8 H N 0 3 = 2 (Bi 3 N 0 3 ) + N 2 0 2 + 4 H 2 O. 
And when the solution of this nitrate of bismuth is 
