332 
ECLECTIC PHARMACY. 
niacy, such as form the subject of this essay, the question will 
arise and must be met, what name shall be given them ? 
Experiments upon May-apple Root. — On treating 2 pounds of 
this root in powder, with alcohol, sp. gr. .835^ in the steam dis- 
placement apparatus of C. F. Smith, I obtained about half a gallon 
of a concentrated tincture ; this was divided into two portions of 
two pints each. 
Of these, the first was mixed with about four pints of water, and 
evaporated till the alcohol was all driven off. The aqueous liquid 
being now decanted, left a quantity of a light brown colored pow- 
der adhering to the dish, which being collected, washed and dried, 
weighed 219 grs., and very nearly corresponded in appearance 
with the Podophyllin of Merrill. The other portion of the tinc- 
ture, consisting of two pints, was evaporated nearly to dryness, 
leaving one and three quarter ounces (av.) of alcoholic extract, 
too tenacious and deliquescent to powder. 
500 grains of this extract were treated freely with boiling water, 
and the water being poured off, the resinoid substance was col- 
lected in the form of a shining mass of a dark brown color, the un- 
dissolved portion not adhering to this being also collected on a 
filter the whole "weighed 138 grs. As thus prepared, it had a 
darker brown color than the first mentioned product, but in other 
respects resembled it. 
It will be perceived from this, that the yield from May-apple 
Pvoot treated with alcohol was as follows : By the evaporation 
of the tincture, one and three quarter ounces, av., (766 grs. ;) 
from the troy pound, (5760 grs.) about thirteen per cent, by precipi- 
tating the resin with water, 219 grs. from the same quantity, three 
and three quarters per cent. Corresponding precisely with the 
results of the experiment with the extract, 500 grs of which yielded 
138 grs. of the resin. With a view to testing the expediency of 
depriving the root of all its principles soluble in water, previ- 
ous to treating it for the resin, I boiled a portion of it in 
water, and submitted the pulpy mass to pressure to deprive it of 
the aqueous liquid; it was then allowed to remain, with a view to 
drying off; but owing to the pulpy nature of the magma, I 
could not conveniently dry it before it threatened decomposition, 
and was obliged to treat it with alcohol while yet moist. By this 
means, an extract was obtained which weighed nearly 50 per 
