260 
EXPERIMENTS ON SARSAPARILLA. 
which was of a dark colour, glutinous, adhesive, insoluble 
in alcohol, but soluble in water. The dilute alcoholic men- 
struum was of a darker, richer taste, and had the peculiar 
taste of the root. The liquid was carefully evaporated by 
means of a sand bath at a temperature not exceeding ISO 
F., and two ounces (avoirdupois) of solid extract obtained. 
This extract is of a shining black colour, possessing the 
acridity and distinctive properties of pure sarsaparilla. 
One pound of Vera Cruz sarsaparilla. treated in the same 
manner, yielded two and a quarter ounces (avoirdupois) of 
solid extract, somewhat inferior to the Para variety. 
One pound of Honduras sarsaparilla, treated in a simi- 
lar manner, yielded two and a half ounces (avoirdupois) of 
solid extract inferior in quality to that of either the other 
varieties. 
At the time no other varieties of sarsaparilla were at hand. 
Recently, however, Mr. Thomas S. Wiegand, atpresentthe 
apothecary of the institution, treated one pound of Rio 
Negro sarsaparilla, in the same manner, and obtained four 
ounces and twenty grains (avoirdupois) of solid extract, 
equal or nearly equal to that obtained from the Para varity. 
The result of these trials may be stated thus: 
Sarsaparilla from Rio Negro, oz. 4, 20 grains solid extract, 
" " Honduras, " 2§. 
« < £ Vera Cruz, « 2$. 
" " Para, " 2. 
My own impression from these experiments is that the 
Para sarsaparilla is the best, the Rio Negro second, the 
Vera Cruz third, and the Honduras the least valuable of 
the four varieties. Possibly the subject may be worth fur- 
ther examination by those interested in the manufacture of 
the various preparations of sarsaparilla. 
U. S. Naval Hospital, N. Y. Sept. 12th, 1846. 
