206 
ON  PODOPHYLLIN. 
good  appearance,  or  to  be  in  any  respect  objectionable,  if  it  be 
bright  and  either  neatly  coiled  or  passed  through  the  cork,  evi- 
dencing care  and  design  in  the  arrangement.  Upon  several  oc- 
casions has  this  precaution  been  marked  and  openly  commended 
by  physician  and  patient. 
I  have  occasionally  by  this  means  restored  (in  appearance 
at  least)  deteriorated  samples,  but  think  in  this,  as  in  every 
thing  else,  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than  a  pound  of 
cure. 
I  would  suggest  that  the  formula  be  allowed  to  remain  un- 
altered, and  the  use  of  the  wire  added  to  the  directions  follow- 
ing it  in  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Rome,  Georgia,  Feb.  1859. 
ON  PODOPHYLLIN. 
By  Harvey  Allen. 
( An  Inaugural  Essay.) 
As  my  object  was  to  endeavor  to  find  in  which  resin  the  vir- 
tues of  Podophyllum  peltatum  resides,  I  will  not  attempt  a  de- 
scription of  the  plant,  or  an  analysis  of  it,  but  will  confine  my 
remarks  to  Podophyllin,  the  so-called  active  principle. 
By  analysis,  Podophyllum  is  said  to  contain  "  albumen,  gum, 
starch,  extractive,  lignin,  gallic  acid,  fixed  oil,  traces  of  volatile 
oil,  and  two  resinous  principles,  one  soluble  in  alcohol  and  ether 
and  the  other  soluble  in  alcohol  only  •  both  resins  were  found 
to  possess  the  active  properties  of  the  root ;  six  grains  operated 
as  a  drastic  cathartic  with  some  emetic  effect." 
It  was  suggested  to  me  that  the  ethereal  resin  was  the  active 
one,  and  these  few  experiments  were  made  to  ascertain  if  such 
was  the  case.  One  pound  avoirdupois  of  Podophyllum  peltatum, 
in  coarse  powder,  was  macerated  with  alcohol  for  a  day  ;  it  was 
then  transferred  to  a  percolator,  and  alcohol  added,  until  it 
passed  without  taste;  six  pints  were  used.  The  resulting  tincture 
was  then  evaporated  very  carefully  by  means  of  a  water  bath  to 
the  consistence  of  a  thin  syrup,  and  thrown  into  about  six  times 
its  bulk  of  water,  by  which  the  resin  was  precipitated,  at  first 
almost  white ;  it  was  then  separated  by  filtration  and  carefully 
