844         EXTRACT  AND  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  CIMICIFUGA. 
doubt  owing  to  the  difficulty  of  combining  the  resinous  with  the 
aqueous  product. 
I  have  for  some  time  past  prepared  the  extract  for  my  own 
use  by  the  following  process  as  suggested  by  Mr.  Andrews,  and 
whilst  not  entirely  free  from  objection,  it  is  more  reliable  than 
any  I  can  obtain  from  the  trade. 
Take  of  Powdered  Cimicifuga  (No.  50),  any  quantity. 
Alcohol  95  per  cent. 
Diluted  Alcohol,  (alcohol  1  part,  water  2  parts)  of 
each  a  sufficient  quantity, 
Moisten  the  powered  root  with  the  alcohol  and  pack  closely  in 
a  displacer;  add  gradually  95  per  cent,  alcohol  until  the  resi- 
nous portion  is  exhausted  ;  evaporate  the  alcoholic  portion  to 
dryness,  powder  the  product  and  pass  it  through  a  fine  sieve  ; 
proceed  to  displace  with  diluted  alcohol  until  the  root  is  perfect- 
ly exhausted,  evaporate  the  resulting  product  over  a  water-bath 
until  it  is  of  nearly  the  required  consistence  of  a  good  extract, 
then  mix  the  powdered  resinous  portion  while  the  fluid  is  still 
warm  and  stir  constantly  until  cold. 
In  this  way  the  resin  is  intimately  and  smoothly  mixed  with 
the  extractive  portion  ;  is  much  more  readily  rubbed  down  with 
aqueous  solutions  ;  and  contains  all  the  active  ingredients  of  the 
root :  but  however  carefully  prepared  I  find  that  change  of  tem- 
perature is  liable  to  more  or  less  separate  the  resin  and  extrac- 
tive. 
I  have  thought  that  the  fluid  extract  containing  all  the  active 
ingredients  in  a  more  permanent  combination,  and  representing 
the  root  in  strength,  would  be  a  more  eligible  form  of  adminis- 
tering it ;  especially  as  a  substitute  for  the  large  doses  of 
the  powered  root,  I  have  prepared  it  in  the  following  manner 
and  found  it  to  give  much  satisfaction  where  it  has  been 
used. 
Take  of  Pulv.  Cimicifuga  (No,  50),  16  ozs.,  troy. 
Alcohol  95  per  cent. 
Diluted  Alcohol,  of  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Moisten  the  root  with  the  alcohol,  pack  closely  in  the  displacer, 
and  pour  on  alcohol  gradually  until  eight  fluid  ounces  have 
passed  through,  which  reserve  in  a  covered  vessel  to  prevent 
evaporation,  then  proceed  with  diluted  alcohol  until  the  root  is 
