ON PHYTOLACCA DECANDRA. 
165 
will be quite thin. The hydrated per oxide of iron should 
be prepared according to the formula in the U. S. Pharma- 
copoeia, and should always be prepared for the occasion. 
When carefully conducted, the above process yields a salt 
containing about forty per cent, of the ferruginous oxide, 
suitable for making either powders or pills, and sparingly 
soluble in cold water. As it is desirable to know how much 
of the hydrated oxide to prepare in any operation, all that 
is necessary is to regulate the quantity of proto-sulphate of 
iron in the formula for hydrated per oxide — thus: every 
ounce of the proto-sulphate when peroxodized contains 147 
grains of dry per oxide— now, as the quantity required to 
combine with four ounces of citric acid is 1440 grs., ten 
ounces of the sulphate, which will yield 1470 grains, is just 
about enough* 
ART. XLIL— ON PHYTOLACCA DECANDRA. 
By Edward Donelly. 
C An Inaugural Essay, J 
This plant, known by the name of Poke Root and Poke 
Weed, is found growing abundantly throughout the United 
States, where it is indigenous, flourishing along road sides, 
on the borders of fields and woods, attracting attention when 
in full vigor by the magnitude of its large branching stems, 
beset with numerous leaves, which are entire, smooth, and 
of an oblong shape, ribbed beneath, and supported on short 
foot stalks ; but the beauty of the plant is much heightened 
by the thickly set clusters of rich dark purple berries, 
15* 
! 
