THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS; [February 24,1872. 
082 
being used and the shape of the funnel favouring the 
swelling of the powder on the addition of water, 
without unduly compacting it. so that when the 
aqueous menstruum had begun to pass, the dropping 
continued moderately fast throughout. The quantity 
of menstruum, though less than that indicated in the 
Pharmacopoeia, was limited to such amount as could 
be conveniently evaporated during the time at our 
disposal, and, as the result proved, gave a fair yield 
of extract. 
At the second lecture on extracts the alcoholic 
percolate from the jalap was introduced into the eva¬ 
porating-pan, and the dome clamped on to it, as 
shown in the drawing; and to this a large glass 
Liebig’s condenser was attached, and connected with 
the hydrant and sink by elastic hose. Steam being 
generated, which occupied about ten minutes, the 
alcohol was rapidly recovered, and at the close of the 
lecture, the dome being removed from the pan, a dry 
mass of resinous extract was obtained, which weighed 
oz. (av.) and 40 grs., nearly 21*4 per cent, of the 
jalap used. The alcohol had scarcely lost in quan¬ 
tity, but was not free from the odour of the drug. 
The aqueous percolate was evaporated to a s} r rupy 
consistence, after the lecture, removed from the pan, 
and divided into two equal parts. The resinous mass 
Avas dissolved in a pint of the recovered alcohol, and 
also divided into two equal parts. A half part of the 
resinous and aqueous liquids were now mixed, as 
directed in the process of the Pharmacopoeia for the 
whole, and the mixture being evaporated gave 0 } oz. 
of an excellent dry hydro-alcoholic extract. 
Two pounds of jalap having been used, this quan¬ 
tity, being one-lialf the whole yield, represents the 
yield per pound=39 per cent. The powdered jalap 
cost (55 cents per pound, the alcohol (half the quan¬ 
tity used) 55 cents, the heat, estimated, 20 cents, 
giving an aggregate cost of the ounces, $1.40. 
Deducting alcohol recovered and useful for a similar 
process, 50 cents, we have a cost of 00 cents, or 
$2.14 the cost of a pound, less than half the market 
price of the best extractum jalap®. 
The object in setting aside half of the alcoholic 
solution of resinous extract was to ascertain the pro¬ 
portion it would yield of the officinal resina jalap®. 
Accordingly, at the next lecture it was diluted to half 
a pint and added to 4 pints of water. The precipi¬ 
tate, washed by several portions of water, collected 
and dried, yielded 2 ounces of the officinal resina 
jalap®, or 124 per cent, of the jalap used. The cost 
of this was about 7 0 cents per ounce. 
The question of economy in evaporation is of prac¬ 
tical interest in connection with the preparation of 
these extracts by the use of a steam-boiler, and is an 
element of inaccuracy in these estimates. The pro¬ 
cess being suspended and resumed involves a loss of 
fuel, and there is no doubt but that much waste oc¬ 
curs from there being too many burners under the 
boiler. Six burners instead of eight would serve 
the purpose, though the rapidity of getting up steam 
would be lessened. 
Extractum Nucis Vomicce, U. S. P. 
Twelve troy ounces of finely-powdered nux vomica, 
moistened with four fluid ounces of alcohol, were in¬ 
troduced into a cylindrical glass percolator, adapted 
to a receiving bottle, and percolated with alcohol till 
nearly 4 pints of tincture were obtained, care being 
taken to displace the last part of the alcohol by 
water. To obviate the “inconvenience of holding a 
percolator with one hand while filling and packing 
it with the other, George M. Dougherty, a member 
of the present class, has devised the instrument here 
figured, which is an improvement upon one invented 
by T. C. Conard, of last year's graduating class. 
“ The manipulator” consists of two funnels of zinc, 
one fitting over the other at the smaller end, and a 
ring, with three springs attached, fitting securely 
over the outer one. A conical percolator is held in 
place, wliile being packed, by the shape of the funnel; 
but when a cylindrical percolator is used, the springs 
are slipped on, and hold the percolator in a vertical 
position -while it is being packed, and afterwards 
if desired. 
The larger funnel has an opening by which a re¬ 
ceiving vessel can be introduced under the percolator, 
held in position above; or an argand burner may 
be placed in it, and an evaporating-dish, containing 
a liquid to be evaporated, on the upper funnel. 
The recovery of the alcohol from the tincture of 
nux vomica was accomplished by the use of the 
pharmaceutical still, with water-batli attachment, 
here figured. 
Combination Still. 
Tliis differs from Procter’s, figured in Parrish’s 
Pharmacy, 3rd 
edition, p. 297, 
in having a wa¬ 
ter-bath, C, in¬ 
to which the 
condenser, B, 
fits by a water- 
joint. There 
should also be 
a water-joint on the outer-vessel, A. The tincture 
being introduced into the water-bath, C, this was 
then placed in A, wliicli was half filled with water, 
and surmounted by B. Being at the opposite end of 
the counter from the hydrant and sink, water was 
supplied to the refrigerating surface from a vessel of 
tinned iron with a small tubule near the bottom, so 
elevated as to discharge on to the top of the still, 
and a larger one was placed on the counter to receive 
the warmed water flowing from it. A gas stove sup¬ 
plied the heat to the water-bath, and before the ex¬ 
piration of the lioiu* all but about 3 ounces of the 
alcohol had been recovered. The semifluid extract 
was poured into a tared capsule and further evapo¬ 
rated over a draught of warm air to a solid consistence. 
The yield was 10 drachms=10-4 per cent. The cost, 
deducting the cost of alcohol recovered, was about 
28 cents per ounce. 
