28 
SCAMMONY AND JALAP. 
diately after they were swallowed, however, an irritation 
was excited in the throat, which formed an ohjection to 
their use. Moreover, the resin thus held in solution is lia- 
ble to be precipitated in the stomach when it comes in con- 
tact with an acid, which would increase the effect twofold. 
The irritation produced in the throat is caused by a vola- 
tile oil, and the griping, by an acid ; both of which may be 
separated by distillation. Two drachms of the resins were 
put into separate glass retorts, and kept in a sand bath un- 
til all the acids and oils distilled over. The first portion, 
however, that came over, was only a little aromatic water, 
which was taken from the receiver without being allowed 
to dilute the acids. The oils thus produced were of a dark 
brown color, becoming white by redistillation, but soon re- 
turning to their former color. The acids, from the tests 
which I used, I believe to be nothing more than strong ace- 
tic acid impregnated with the odor of the oils. The acids 
and oils of both resins exist in the same relative proportions, 
but not in equal quantities : about one of the former to two 
of the latter is as near as I can recollect, having lost the me- 
morandum since I performed the experiment — now two 
years since. 
The fact of the alkalis diminishing the action of the resins, 
led me to suppose that the oils could not be very active, as 
the acids were separated from them, and as they could not 
be united and taken in the form of draught, owing to their 
being so exceedingly nauseous; I therefore took one drop 
in the form of pill ; but even in that state, and being cover- 
ed with silver leaf, it. irritated the fauces so much, as to cause 
it to be rejected several times ; but after it passed the throat, 
1 only found a hot and nauseous taste, and after a short time 
a degree of warmth in the abdomen, with a sensation similar 
to that produced by a mild dose of medicine, without being 
sufficiently potent to carry itself off. In this experiment I 
was also unable to detect any difference in the strength of the 
two oils ; and I am of opinion, if the quantity had been a 
