12 
REPORT ON SYRUP OF SARSAPARILLA. 
water, and its solution possesses in a high degree the pro- 
perty of frothing by agitation, like soapy water. It is dis- 
solved readily by cold alcohol, but to a greater extent when 
it is hot, the excess of salseparine separating by cooling. 
Infusion of Sarsaparilla which is odorous and sapid, loses 
itsodor and taste when boiled for a short time, which speaks 
little in favor of the decoction, (see Traite de Pharm., tome 
ii. p. 62.) Further, when Sarsaparilla is treated with water, 
it is easily deprived of its extractive matter, and, if we may 
judge from the coloration of the liquid, it is soon exhaust- 
ed ; but after the root has ceased to color the menstruum, 
the fluid which passes possesses the power of frothing by 
agitation, which is due to the salseparine it contains, the lat- 
ter substance having been but partially removed from the 
root by the first treatment. From this circumstance it is 
necessary to employ very considerable quantities of fluid, 
and hence the method of displacement does not present any 
advantages in the aqueous treatment of Sarsaparilla. 
Both Soubeiran and Guibourt give the preference to a 
syrup made with the hydro-alcoholic extract, dissolved in 
water. Although a solution of that extract in water de- 
posits salseparine by standing, yet when made into a syrup, 
Guibourt remarks that it takes a long time for even a small 
deposition to take place. 
We will now detail our experiments, and it will be seen 
that they corroborate the statements above, as well as those 
of the paper referred for our consideration. 
Six ounces of Sarsaparilla was obtained in coarse powder, 
by sifting from the ground root, composed principally of 
the cortical portion. One half of this was macerated in 
eight fluid ounces of water, for three days, and then subject- 
ed to displacement, until one pint of fluid was obtained. 
This infusion which possessed the peculiar odor of Sarsa- 
parilla in a marked degree, was placed in a capsule, and 
suffered to evaporate at a temperature varying from 120° 
