200         ON  THE  LEAVES  OF  PODOPHYLLUM  PELTATUM. 
pointes  of  alcohol,  will  condense  only  the  aqueous  part  of  the 
mixed  vapor  arising  from  (a),  while  it  permits  the  strong  alco- 
holic vapor  to  pass  on  to  the  condenser  (c),  there  to  be  converted 
into  concentrated  alcohol.  In  case  of  ether  distillations  the 
temperature  of  the  water  in  the  pan  (b)  must  slightly  exceed 
the  temperature  of  boiling  ether,  when  ether  vapor  will  pass  on, 
while  alcohol  or  water  will  be  returned  to  the  boiler  (a).  If 
water  is  to  be  distilled,  the  pan  (b)  is  left  empty,  and  the  whole 
of  the  ascending  vapor  is  condensed  in  the  Liebig's  condenser 
(c). 
The  still  may  be  varied  in  size,  from  a  few  quarts  up  to  many 
gallons,  according  to  the  views  and  requirements  of  the  prac- 
titioner or  druggist,  and  will  amply  repay  them  for  their  small 
outlay  in  its  purchase. 
ON  THE  LEAVES  OF  PODOPHYLLUM  PELTATUM. 
By  Thomas  J.  Husband,  Jk. 
(An  Inaugural  Essay  presented  to  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy.) 
The  leaves  of  Podophyllum  peltatum  are  palmate,  with  six  or 
seven  wedge-shaped  lobes,  irregularly  incised  at  the  extremity, 
yellowish  green  on  their  upper  surface,  paler  and  slightly  pu- 
bescent beneath,  and  from  four  to  six  inches  in  width.  They 
attain  their  growth  by  about  the  first  of  June,  at  which  time 
the  plant  flowers.  Soon  after  this  period  they  become  covered 
with  bright  yellow  spots,  which  increase  in  size  until  the  leaves 
decay,  which  occurs  about  the  end  of  July. 
The  rhizome  of  this  plant  has  been  the  subject  of  several 
essays,  but  I  believe  the  leaves  have  received  very  little  atten- 
tion, although  poisonous  properties  have  been  ascribed  to  them. 
It  was  suggested  that  the  leaves  might  contain  a  resin  similar 
to  the  podophyllin  of  the  rhizome,  and  the  following  experi- 
ments were  made  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  whether  this 
was  the  case. 
The  leaves  were  collected  during  the  time  of  flowering,  dried 
in  the  shade  without  artificial  heat,  and  reduced  to  the  "  mode- 
rately fine  "  powder  of  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  (No.  50).  A 
portion  of  this  powder  was  moistened  with  alcohol,  packed  in  a 
