io  Note  on  Resin  of  Podophyllum,  U.  S.  P.  { Am-/aT/il9h4arnu 
the  varying  results  reported  by  different  investigators.  After  mak- 
ing due  allowance  for  the  fact  that  these  writers  working  with 
rhizome  collected  at  different  times  and  seasons  of  growth  would 
obtain  products  showing  necessarily  variation  in  the  percentage  and 
composition  of  the  resin,  there  are  still  a  number  of  statements  that 
cannot  be  made  to  coincide  with  our  present  knowledge.  While 
we  are  inclined  to  believe,  notably  from  the  experiments  reported 
by  Tilden  (Proceedings  American  Pharmaceutical  Association, 
I^59>  P-  334).  that  the  correct  time  for  collection  of  podophyllum  is 
in  the  autumn,  as  the  percentage  of  resin  and  of  ether  soluble  resin 
appears  then  to  be  the  larger,  the  Pharmacopoeia  does  not  mention 
the  proper  time  for  collection.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that,  up  to 
the  present  time,  no  systematic  experiments  have  been  carried  out 
to  decide  the  variation  in  the  composition  of  the  rhizome  as  collected 
at  different  seasons. 
It  was  deemed  advisable  to  prepare  a  fresh  sample  of  resin  of 
podophyllum  to  test  these  statements  of  the  Pharmacopoeia  and 
1,000  gm.  of  podophyllum  was  treated  strictly  in  accordance  with 
the  official  directions.  It  yielded  39  gm.  of  resin  having  a  green- 
ish-brown color,  with  a  slight  tinge  of  yellow.  This  yield,  3-9  per 
cent.,  is  somewhat  less  than  that  reported  by  some  writers,  but  is 
believed  to  be  in  harmony  with  the  results  reported  by  the  most 
reliable  investigators. 
It  exhibited  the  following  solubilities:  Ether  (U.  S.  P.,  1890), 
extracted  82  per  cent.  Chloroform  extracted  70  per  cent.  Alcohol, 
methyl  alcohol  and  amyl  alcohol  readily  dissolve  it.  Solutions  of 
the  caustic  alkalies  dissolve  it  with  but  a  slight  residue.  Acetic 
acid,  U.  S.  P.,  dissolves  it  but  partly,  but  the  glacial  acetic  acid 
readily  dissolves  it  entirely.  Carbon  disulphide  partly  dissolves  it, 
Benzin  and  benzol  each  dissolve  but  a  minute  trace,  about  one-half 
of  one  per  cent.,  mostly  yellow  coloring  matter.  It  is  insoluble  in 
turpentine.  Boiling  water  takes  up  about  22  per  cent.,  and  deposits 
most  of  this  again  on  cooling. 
Concerning  the  solubility  of  resin  of  podophyllum  in  ether, 
investigators  report  as  follows  :  John  W.  Cadbury  (Amer.  Journ.  of 
Pharm.,  1858,  p.  301),  77  per  cent.;  this  resin  being  precipitated  by 
non-acidulated  water.  Harvey  Allen  (Amer.  Journ.  of  Pharm., 
1859,  p.  206),  of  resin  of  his  own  preparation,  80  per  cent,  was  soluble 
in  ether,  of  a  purchased  sample  75  per  cent.    Tilden  (Proceedings 
