Amsep"""i8P7h8arm*}         Fluid  Extract  of  Cirnicifuga.  44,1 
the  percolators  was  properly  made.  The  temperature  of  this  first 
ounce  was  the  same  ;  then  why  should  we  expect  a  drop  of  alcohol  to 
possess  greater  solvent  power  in  the  one  case  than  in  the  other.  The 
principle  is  the  same  as  where  equal  amounts  of  powder  were  made  to 
occupy  unequal  heights,  thus  unequalizing  the  contact ;  for  here 
unequal  amounts  of  powder  occupy  identical  heights,  equalizing  the 
contact.  The  smaller  amount  of  powder  is  brought  to  a  level  with  the 
larger. 
One  other  point.  Greater  force  is  required  to  pack  sixteen  ounces 
of  powder  fifteen  inches  high  into  a  percolator  2*45  inches  in  diam- 
eter than  is  required  to  pack  twenty-four  ounces  the  same  height  into  a 
percolator  three  inches  in  diameter,  the  proportions  being  correctly 
calculated.  In  like  manner,  it  required  less  pressure  as  the  percolators 
increased  in  size  to  make  the  sixteen  ounces  uf  powder  occupy  the 
calculated  heights  given  in  the  January  "  Journal."  The  friction 
between  the  sides  of  the  percolator  and  the  powder  is  greater  as  the 
percolators  decrease,  and  this  actually  seems  to  increase  the  density  of 
the  powder  in  the  small  percolator,  followed  as  it  is  by  a  delay  of  the 
menstruum  ftin  its  passage  through  ;  so  that  actually  we  have  greater 
maceiation  in  the  case  of  the  smallest  amount  of  powder. 
This  fact  may  have  influenced  the  first  ounce  of  percolate  in  Tables 
9  and  10,  as  the  small  percolator  required  nearly  an  hour  longer  before 
the  liquid  appeared.  This  ounce  contained  ninety-eight  and  three- 
tenths  grains  of  extractive  matter  against  eighty-four  and  thirteen  hun- 
dredths grains  from  the  first  ounce  of  percolate  from  the  larger  amount 
of  powder. 
I  think  there  can  be  little  doubt,  not  reasoning  from  this  experiment, 
that  height  of  powder  governs  the  value  of  the  extract,  other  condi- 
tions being  the  same.  After  the  first  ounce  of  percolate  had  been 
reserved,  the  conditious  of  the  operation  were  changed.  The  small 
percolator  was  removed  to  a  cold  room  where  the  temperature  was 
near  freezing,  and  the  percolation  continued  to  the  end  of  the  opera- 
tion. The  other  was  placed  in  a  location  where  the  thermometer 
registered,  most  of  the  time,  ioo°F.,  and  interrupted  percolation 
pursued  as  before  explained. 
Result. — The  percolate  from  the  former  run  steadily  down  as  regards 
dissolved  principles  ;  that  from  the  latter  exhibited  a  remarkable  line 
of  pulsations,  corresponding  exactly  with  the  periods  of  maceration. 
