Ami2Z\marrn'}  Note  on  Resin  of  Podophyllum,  U.  S.  P.  9 
honor  and  powerful  intellect,  had  much  to  do  with  his  success  in 
strengthening  his  influence  with  his  American  brethren,  and  the 
heartfelt  expressions  of  grief  and  regret  which  have  been  heard  in 
every  State  of  the  Union  attest  the  universal  regard  and  esteem 
with  which  he  was  held.  Truly,  American  Pharmacy  has  lost  a 
master  mind  by  the  death  of  John  Michael  Maisch.  J.  P.  R. 
NOTE  ON  RESIN  OF  PODOPHYLLUM,  U.  S.  P. 
George  M.  Beringer,  Ph.G. 
The  object  of  the  present  note  is  not  to  add  anything  to  the  his- 
tory or  chemistry  of  this  valuable  remedy,  but  simply  to  correct  the 
errors  in  the  statement  of  its  action  to  solvents  that  have  been 
incorporated  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  1890. 
The  errors  appear  to  have  originated  in  the  National  Dispensa- 
tory, which  states  in  regard  to  resin  of  podophyllum  :  "  It  dissolves 
to  a  limited  extent  in  carbon  bisulphide.  From  1 5  to  20  per  cent,  of 
the  resin  is  soluble  in  ether  and  80  per  cent,  is  dissolved  by  boiling 
water  and  reprecipitated  on  cooling.  A  small  portion  of  the  resin, 
however,  remains  in  solution  in  the  water." 
In  1889,  I  had  occasion  to  examine  two  samples  of  commercial 
"  podophyllin."  The  one  was  of  a  bright  yellowish  green  color  and 
yielded  to  ether  66  per  cent.  This  evidently  was  not  made  in 
accordance  with  the  pharmacopoeial  formula  as  it  bore  evidence  of 
having  been  precipitated  by  solution  of  alum.  The  other  sample 
appeared  to  conform  with  that  made  by  the  official  process  and 
yielded  to  ether  81  per  cent.  At  the  time,  the  attention  of  Professor 
MaiscrTwas  called  to  the  evident  misstatement  in  his  book.  He 
frankly  stated  that  evidently  it  was  a  mistake  and  that  the  word 
soluble  in  relation  to  the  action  of  ether  should  be  insoluble  and,  it 
is  in  the  knowledge  of  the  writer,  that  in  the  edition  now  in  press 
he  had  made  the  correction. 
We  are  surprised  to  find  this  error  reiterated  in  the  new  Pharma- 
copoeia, where  on  p.  338  occurs  the  following  unequivocal  statement : 
u  Ether  dissolves  15  to  20  per  cent,  of  it ;  boiling  water  dissolves 
about  80  per  cent.,  and  deposits  most  of  it  again  on  cooling."  The 
object  of  this  note  is  to  prove  that  both  of  these  statements  are 
erroneous. 
Upon  referring  to  the  literature  of  this  subject  we  are  confused  by 
