602 
Practical  Notes. 
f  Am  Jour.  Pharnii^ 
t    .  Dee.,  1881. 
and  drying,  weighed  1,990  grains,  or  about  25  per  cent.  It  was  freely 
soluble  in  ether,  chloroform  and  hot  solution  of  caustic  soda,  and  from.'^ 
the  latter  reprecipitated  by  hydrochloric  acid. 
The  acid  filtrate,  after  concentration,  gave  evidences  of  the  presence- 
of  an  alkaloid  on  testing  with  potassium  iodo-hydrargyrate  and  solu- 
tion of  iodine  in  potassium  iodide.  On  shaking  the  acid  liquid  with 
ether  and  evaporating  the  latter  a  brown  viscous  mass  remained,  whicL 
was  but  slightly  soluble  in  dilute  acetic  acid,  and  this  solution  was  not, 
affected  by  Mayer^s  test  or  by  iodine.  The  acid  liquid  previously 
treated  with  ether  was  rendered  alkaline  with  soda  and  agitated  with 
amyiic  alcohol,  on  the  evaporation  of  which  a  brownish  viscid  mass 
remained,  which  was  almost  entirely  soluble  in  dilute  acetic  acid,  the- 
solution  yielding  precipitates  with  Mayer's  test  and  with  iodine. 
For  obtaining  a  larger  quantity  of  the  alkaloid  32  troyounces  of 
the  drug  were  digested  with  water  acidulated  with  hydrochloric  acid ;: 
the  filtered  liquid  was  concentrated,  again  filtered,  the  gummy  matter 
Temoved  by  alcohol,  the  decanted  liquid  distilled,  concentrated  andv 
rendered  alkaline  by  soda.  After  agitation  with  ether,  the  etheriaL 
liquid  separated  readily  on  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  alcohol  and 
on  evaporation  yielded  an  amorphous  mass,  which  was  soluble  in  acid- 
ulated water,  and  this  solution  yielded  precipitates  with  Mayer's  test,, 
iodine,  tannin  and  picric  acid. 
The  constituents  of  the  rhizome  are  a  volatile  matter,  starch,  gum,, 
tannin,  sugar,  an  acid  resin,  fixed  oil  and  very  probably  an  alkaloid. 
PRACTICAL  NOTES. 
.  By  Hans  M.  Wilder. 
Syrujjs. — AVhen  syrups  are  made  they  are  generally  poured  into  the- 
stock  bottles  or  stone  jugs  while  hot,  or  at  least  quite  warm ;  the  con- 
tainers are  then  stoppered  and  put  aside.  Now  it  often  happens  with- 
many  syrups,  particularly  when  the  warm  weather  sets  in,  that  they 
sour  or  ferment.  This  can  in  a  great  measure  be  prevented  by  giving 
the  filled  syrup  bottles,  etc.,  a  good  shaking  up  when  perfectly  cold. 
The  rationale  is :  When  we  pour  a  hot  liquid  (or,  for  the  matter  of 
that,  a  hot  solid)  into  a  receptacle  and  stopper,  vapor  will  arise,  collect 
over  the  surface  of  the  contents  and  on  cooling  be  thrown  down  as^ 
water,  which  floats  on  top  of  the  dense  syrup,  mixes  by  diffusion  with 
some  of  it,  and  thus  forms  a  weak  saccharine  solution,  which,  as  may 
