Am*jJa°nU)r^7h8arm }        Fluid  °f  Cimicifuga,  9 
extract  is,  with  one  exception,  inferior  to  the  corresponding  extract  in 
the  former  tables.  The  total  amount  of  cimicifuga  represented  is 
3516*97  grains  less  than  represented  by  the  U.  S.  P.  process,  and 
10897*51  grains  less  than  by  simple  percolation.  The  average  of  the 
ten  pints  makes  each  16  fluidounces  of  fluid  extract  represent  6*5  troy- 
ounces  of  cimicifuga,  which  is  34  per  cent,  in  favor  of  percolation  with- 
out maceration,  as  represented  by  the  second  experiment.  One  very 
great  objection  to  the  process  just  described  arises  from  the  fact  that 
the  powders  settle  in  a  tough  mass,  so  compact  as  to  almost  prevent 
the  passage  of  the  alcohol ;  percolator  No.  1  with  a  diameter  of  2*45 
inches  requires  considerable  pressure  when  the  moistened  powder  is 
made  to  occupy  15  inches  in  height.  But  by  this  process  the  powder 
settles  until  it  occupies  only  11  inches.  Indeed,  with  this  percolator 
the  liquid  ceased  to  drop  at  all,  and  I  was  compelled  to  stir  the  powder 
with  a  spatula.  It  will  be  remembered  that  this  operation  was  discon- 
tinued when  the  amount  of  percolate  directed  by  the  official  formula 
for  fluid  extracts  was  obtained.  I  will  now  call  attention  to  the  fol- 
lowing experiment,  where  the  entire  process  recommended  for  solid 
extract  of  cinchona,  as  I  understand  it,  was  applied  to  cimicifuga. 
3,840  grains  of  powdered  cimicifuga  were  mixed  with  16  fluidounces 
of  alcohol,  allowed  to  stand  30  minutes,  and  poured  into  an  ordinary 
glass  percolator,  diameter  of  top  10  inches,  bottom  ij  inches.  When 
the  liquid  disappeared  below  the  surface  of  the  powder  alcohol  was 
added,  until  the  total  amount  of  percolate  desired  (56  f^)  was  obtained 
in  fractions,  as  explained  by  table  4. 
3,840  grains  of  powdered  cimicifuga  was  mixed  with  the  first  per- 
colate (16  f^)  from  the  preceding  fraction,  allowed  to  stand  30  min- 
utes, and  poured  into  a  percolator  similar  to  the  preceding.  When 
the  liquid  disappeared  beneath  the  surface  of  the  powder  it  was  followed 
with  the  succeeding  percolates  in  the  order  they  were  obtained,  each 
being  permitted  to  disappear  before  the  following  one  was  added  ;  finally, 
the  operation  was  completed  with  alcohol.  The  percolates  were 
reserved  in  portions,  as  explained  by  table  4,  until  60  fluid  ounces  were 
obtained.  The  first  percolate  (16  fj)  of  the  preceding  operation  was 
mixed  with  a  third  portion  of  3,840  grains  of  powdered  cimicifuga, 
allowed  to  macerate  30  minutes,  and  poured  into  a  percolator  like  those 
used  in  the  preceding  examples.  This  was  followed  with  the  remain- 
der of  the  percolates,  the  result  being  also  separated,  as  obtained,  into 
