222 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [September 16,1871. 
tion with that of the preceding. But without mak¬ 
ing comparisons, the energetic action of the liquid 
extract shows itself in an absolute manner by tbe 
extent of the effects produced. Thus the liquid ex¬ 
tract was administered to thirty-one children, of ages 
varying 'from five to fifteen years, and only three 
patients were met with upon whom it did not have 
a purgative effect. 
It was administered in doses of from 6 to 30 
grams. In the three cases in which it had no 
effect, only 10, 15 and 20 grams had been admi¬ 
nistered. 
In two cases there was but one motion; in seven 
cases, two motions; in two cases, three; in six cases, 
four; in five cases, five ; in three cases, six; and in 
three cases, seven. These evacuations were yellow¬ 
ish, liquid, more or less abundant, and after the pur¬ 
gation there was neither uneasiness nor fever. 
Some of the patients suffered from nausea, some 
from griping, and some vomited. One of the patients 
upon whom 20 grams of the liquid extract had no 
purgative effect, vomited, which doubtless explains 
the absence of purging. Three others had nausea, 
and fourteen altogether had colic pains, which shows 
the convulsive intestinal action of the preparation 
employed. 
. 3. Cathartine. 
In the preparation of this product, Lassaigne and 
Feneulle adopted a rather complicated method. The 
senna was first exhausted with ether, then the resi¬ 
due was treated by water and partially distilled. 
The decoction remaining in the retort, expressed and 
filtered, was afterwards treated with neutral acetate 
of lead, which gave a plentiful precipitate that was 
rejected. The liquor, deprived of any excess of the 
reagent by a current of sulphuretted hydrogen, was 
taken up again by rectified spirit, and the alcoholic 
solution evaporated to the consistence of extract; 
this was afterwards dissolved in alcohol acidulated 
with sulphuric acid, then filtered to separate the in¬ 
soluble sulphate of potash that was formed. After 
precipitating the sulphuric acid by acetate of lead, 
separating this last reagent by sulphuretted hydro¬ 
gen, filtering anew and evaporating to dryness, ca¬ 
thartine was obtained, a substance which, according 
to those authors, stands in the same relation to senna 
as emetine to ipecacuanha. 
The treatment by ether, and the distillation, are 
two useless operations. A product exactly similar 
may be prepared much more simply in the following 
manner:—Digest one kilogram of senna in two 
different quantities of from eight to ten times its 
weight of distilled water; raise it to the boiling- 
point and then leave it to cool; after twenty-four 
hours press strongly and filter. Mix the two liquors 
and evaporate to one litre, which treat by its volume 
of spirit to separate the mucilaginous matter. Eva¬ 
porate the spirit by a water-bath, and add to the 
residue neutral acetate of lead, which will give rise 
to a plentiful precipitate that is to be rejected. 
Separate the excess of lead by sulphuretted hydro¬ 
gen, then filter, evaporate to a syrupy consistence, 
treat with rectified spirit, filter, and add carefully 
very dilute sulphuric acid as long as there is any 
precipitate; filter again, and evaporate by a water- 
bath. 
The substance so obtained is of a reddish-yellow 
eolour, with a bitter nauseous taste, recalling that 
of senna. It is hygrometric, soluble in water and 
in spirit, but not completely insoluble in ether, as 
indicated by Lassaigne and Feneulle. An aqueous 
solution gives an abundant precipitate with sub¬ 
acetate of lead, and becomes darker under the in¬ 
fluence of alkalis. 
Physiological Effects. —In order not to employ 
doses capable of injuring the patients, at first 20 
centigrams were given, then 1 gram to children from 
six to thirteen years old. No effect following, the 
dose was raised to from 5 to 10 grams, according to 
the age of the children. 
In seven cases where cathartine was administered 
in 5 gram doses, there was but one with a nega¬ 
tive result. In the other six there were from one 
to four liquid evacuations, twice accompanied by 
nausea and three times by griping pains, but in 
none of them was there any vomiting, uneasiness or 
fever. 
Three times the cathartine was given to the elder 
children in doses of 10 grammes. The purgative 
effect was not very strong, there being but one, two 
and four motions, without nausea or vomiting, and 
in only one case with pain. 
If it be remembered that senna only yields about 
one-thirtieth of its weight of cathartine, it will be 
seen that this preparation evidently has not the 
strength of the liquid extract, and consequently can¬ 
not pretend to represent by itself the purgative prin¬ 
ciple of senna. 
4. A New Substance (Catharto-mannite ?). 
This substance, which is very soluble in water, 
insoluble in concentrated alcohol and in ether, is 
obtained as a secondary product in the preparation 
of cathartine. The process is as follows:—After 
having separated the mucilaginous matter from the 
infusion of senna, the solution is concentrated, and 
acetate of lead added to it; the liquid is filtered, 
deprived of excess of lead by sulphuretted hydrogen, 
and evaporated to a syrupy consistence, then treated 
with concentrated alcohol: the insoluble residue 
contains the substance in question. This is dis¬ 
solved in a little water and precipitated afresh by 
alcohol. After repeating this treatment two or three 
times, the product did not appear sufficiently pure 
for chemical analysis ; but, nevertheless, it was 
thought advisable to submit it to a few clinical ex¬ 
periments, in order to determine its therapeutic 
value. It was dissolved in sufficient water to give 
a ten per cent, solution. 
Physiological Effects. —Doses of one gram were 
administered to five children without producing any 
effect. There were neither nausea, gripings nor eva¬ 
cuations. Two days afterwards the same children 
each took 2 grams of this product; the result was 
equally negative. The same want of success was 
experienced the following day with 5 gram doses, 
no uneasiness being produced. These five children 
not only were not purged, but appeared rather to be 
constipated under the influence of this preparation. 
In consequence of tins result 15 grams of the liquid 
extract was given to each of these children, which 
produced in every case plentiful evacuations. 
5. Cathartic Acid. 
This acid was prepared in the following manner: 
An infusion, made with one kilogram of Alexan¬ 
drian senna, was concentrated so as to obtain one 
litre of product, to which was added its volume of 
7 5 per cent, alcohol. The precipitated muciiaginoug 
