122  Acetic  Acid  as  a  Menstruum  and  Solvent.  {^JXww™' 
alongside  of  others  which  have  been  made  with  alcohol,  and  most 
of  them  have  proved  their  superiority.  It  is  the  intention  to  report 
upon  these  later. 
It  will  at  once  occur  to  the  reader  that  the  presence  of  strong 
acetic  acid  in  a  fluid  extract  would  be  objectionable  on  account  of 
its  taste;  but  it  can  be  shown  that  it  is  possible  to  evaporate  the  fluid 
extract  at  a  very  low  temperature,  thus  getting  rid  of  the  acetic  acid, 
and  then  re-dissolving  a  proper  portion  of  the  extract  in  a  sol- 
vent. If  this  extract  be  standardized,  a  definite  preparation  is  se- 
cured. It  is  true  that  a  portion  of  the  extractive  seems  to  be  ren- 
dered insoluble  during  the  evaporation  ;  but  the  experiments  will 
show  that  this  can  be  re-dissolved  by  varying  the  menstruum,  and, 
in  addition,  it  can  be  shown  that  this  insoluble  extractive  usually 
represents  inert  substances. 
In  the  following  experiments  the  acetic  extract  of  nux  vomica 
was  prepared  with  a  10  per  cent,  acetic  acid,  made  by  Dr.  E.  R. 
Squibb  &  Sons,  and  proved  by  assay  to  contain  15  per  cent,  of 
alkaloids. 
These  acetic  extracts  can  be  made  dry  and  pulverulent,  and  to  dis- 
tinguish them  the  writer  proposes  for  them  the  name  of  "  Acetracts." 
No.  I. — 2  gm.  acetract  nux  vomica,  treated  with  100  c.c.  alcohol, 
sp.  gr. -819,  yielded  a  light  colored  tincture;  the  residue  weighed 
I  1 12  gm.,  and  was  not  devoid  of  bitterness,  plainly  indicating  that 
the  alcohol  was  too  strong. 
No.  2. — 2  gm.  acetract  nux  vomica,  treated  with  a  menstruum  of 
75  c.c.  alcohol  and  25  c.c.  water,  yielded  a  residue  weighing  0-502 
gm.  The  residue  was  very  slightly  bitter  and  practically  an  inert 
substance.  The  tincture  was  limpid,  transparent  and  of  a  dark 
amber  color. 
No.  3. — 2  gm.  acetract  nux  vomica,  treated  with  a  menstruum  of 
70  c.c.  alcohol  and  30  c.c.  water,  yielded  a  residue  weighing  0-4^4 
gm.  This  had  a  very  slightly  bitter  taste,  and  was  practically 
exhausted,  producing  a  limpid,  dark  brownish-red  liquid. 
No.  4. — 2  gm.  acetract  nux  vomica,  treated  with  a  menstruum  of 
65  c.c.  alcohol  and  35  c.c.  water,  yielded  a  residue  weighing  0-360 
gm.  The  liquid  was  not  clear,  a  fine,  brownish-red  precipitate  mak- 
ing its  appearance.  The  liquid  could  not  be  filtered  satisfactorily, 
and  a  small  portion  which  was  filtered  continued  to  let  fall  a  pre- 
cipitate. 
