918 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts , and Letters. 
tion at hand. However, it is interesting to note that the 
American Dispensatory of 1854, gives the formula of Robinson 
for preparing the ethereal oil of xanthoxylum , the present 
Eclectic oleoresin of xanthoxylum. The same is directed to be 
prepared by extracting the bark with ether and subsequently 
removing the ether by evaporation—a process similar to the one 
now employed in preparing the official oleoresins. Of but 
slightly lesser interest is the advertisement of Wm. S. Merrel 
which appeared in the Eclectic Medical Journal in 1855. Under 
the heading, Class II.—Soft resinoids and oleo-resins, etc., the 
following preparations were listed: 
Apocynin 
Ascelepedin 
Aletrin 
Eupurpurin 
Iridin 1 
Ptelein, or Oil of Ptelea 
Oil of Lobelia 
Oil of Xanthoxylum 
Oil of Capsicum 
Oil of Stillingia 
Oil of Male Fern 
(from Dogsbane). 
(from Pleurisy Root), 
(from Star Root). 
(from Queen of the Meadow), 
(from Blue Flag). 
(from Water Ash). 
(from Lobelia Seed). 
(from Prickley Ash). 
(from African Cayenne). 
In view of the fact that these preparations were already being 
manufactured and advertised commercially in 1855, there can be 
but little doubt that the Pharmacopoeial Revision Committee of 
1860 must have been aware of their existence and have been in¬ 
fluenced to some extent thereby. 
Definition 
Oleoresins, as a class of galencials, are extracts prepared, as 
a rule, with the aid of a highly selective solvent. Ether is the 
solvent usually employed for this purpose at the present time, 
whereas, acetone was directed to be used in the eighth revised 
edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia. Other solvents of 
this nature, namely: petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, car¬ 
bon tetrachloride, et cetera, have been used, but have not been 
officially recognized. The oleoresin of cubeb is an exception 
1 Prof. John King- is said to have prepared and used Irisin (identical with 
Iridin) in 1844. Letter from J. U. Lloyd to Edward Kremers (1906). 
