Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
June  1, 1872.  J 
Crystallized  Digitaline. 
265 
clogging  from  the  sebaceous  matter  still  adhering.  The  mass  is  then 
placed  in  a  winnowing  machine  precisely  like  those  in  use  in  western 
countries.  The  chaff  being  separated,  the  white  oleaginous  kernels 
are  exposed,  and,  after  being  steamed,  are  placed  in  a  mill  to  be 
mashed. 
This  machine  is  formed  of  a  circular  stone  groove  twelve  feet  in 
diameter,  tapering  at  the  edge,  and  is  made  to  revolve  perpendicularly 
by  an  ox  harnessed  to  the  outer  end  of  its  axle,  the  receiver  turning 
in  a  pivot  in  the  centre  of  the  machine.  Under  this  ponderous  weight 
the  seeds  are  reduced  to  a  mealy  state,  steamed  in  tubs,  formed  into 
cakes  and  pressed  by  wedges  in  the  manner  before  described,  the 
process  of  mashing,  steaming  and  pressing  being  likewise  repeated 
with  the  kernels. 
The  kernels  yield  about  thirty  per  cent  of  oil.  It  is  called  tsing- 
yu,  and  sells  for  nbout  three  cents  per  pound.  It  answers  well  for 
lamps,  though  inferior  for  this  purpose  to  some  other  vegetable  oils 
in  use.  It  is  also  employed  for  various  purposes  in  the  arts,  and  has 
a  place  in  the  Chinese  pharmacopoeia  because  of  its  quality  of  chang- 
ing gray  hair  to  black,  and  other  imaginary  virtues.  The  husk 
which  envelopes  the  kernels  and  the  shell  which  encloses  them,  and 
their  sebaceous  covering,  are  used  to  feed  the  furnaces  ;  scarcely  any 
other  fuel  is  necessary  for  this  purpose.  The  residuary  tallow  cakes 
are  also  employed  for  fuel ;  a  small  quantity  of  it  remains  ignited  a 
whole  day.  It  is  in  great  demand  for  chafing  dishes  during  the  cold 
season. 
Finally,  the  cakes  which  remain  after  the  oil  has  been  pressed  out 
are  much  valued  as  a  manure,  particularly  for  tobacco  fields,  the  soil 
of  which  is  rapidly  impoverished  by  that  plant. — Scientific  American, 
May  4th,  1872.  • 
CRYSTALLIZED  DTGITALINE* 
By  M.  Nativelle. 
The  process  adopted  by  the  author  for  obtaining  crystallized  digita- 
line, a  magnificent  specimen  of  which  accompanied  the  memoir,  con- 
sists, in  the  first  place,  in  exhausting  the  digitalis  in  50f  alcohol,  in- 
*  Extracted  from  the  Report  by  M.  Buignet,  on  behalf  of  the  Commission, 
recommending  the  award  of  the  Orfila  prize  (6000  francs)  to  the  Author, 
t  The  British  Pharmacopoeia  orders  rectified  spirit. 
