REPORT  ON  SPIGBLIA. 
511 
Resolved,  That  the  Executive  Committee  be  authorized,  after 
furnishing  at  least  three  copies  of  the  Proceedings  to  each  mem- 
ber, and  distributing  such  number  as  they  may  deem  best,  to 
scientific  Institutions,  Editors,  Libraries,  &c,  to  hold  the  balance 
for  sale  at  such  price  as  shall  cover  the  cost  of  publication  and 
postage. 
The  Minutes  were  now  read,  the  Roll  called,  and  the  Minutes 
approved,  when,  on  motion,  the  Association  adjourned  to  meet 
next  year  in  accordance  with  previous  resolution. 
W.  J.  M.  Gordon,  Secretary, 
REPORT    ON  SPIGELIA. 
By  R.  H.  Stabler,  M.  D. 
To  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association : 
The  subject  entrusted  to  me  at  the  meeting  of  last  year  being 
strictly  an  experimental  one,  I  shall  confine  my  remarks  to  a 
detail  of  the  methods  pursued  in  the  investigation  and  the  con- 
clusions drawn  from  them. 
Twelve  ounces  of  spigelia  root  was  macerated  in  two  gallons 
of  water  for  twenty-four  hours  and  seven  pints  distilled  off  into 
a  narrow  necked  receiver ;  numerous  white  flakes  rose  to  the 
top  and  were  carefully  collected  in  the  narrow  portion  of  the 
neck,  and  separated  from  the  remainder  of  the  liquid  for  ex- 
amination. 
It  had  a  pungent  odor  and  taste,  unctuous  feel,  was  soluble  in 
alcohol  and  ether ;  to  water  it  communicates  its  sensible  proper- 
ties, but  is  only  soluble  in  small  quantities  in  that  menstruum  ; 
has  a  granular  appearance  under  the  microscope  ;  carbonate  of 
potassa  renders  it  soluble  in  water,  but  destroys  its  taste  and 
odor.  The  decoction  remaining  in  the  still  was  separated  by 
expression  from  the  root,  treated  with  solution  of  sub-acetate  of 
lead  to  excess,  filtered,  and  the  excess  of  lead  separated  by  care- 
fully adding  dilute  sulphuric  acid  until  it  ceased  to  cause  a  pre- 
cipitate ;  again  filtered,  the  filtrate  evaporated  over  a  steam  bath 
to  the  consistence  of  a  soft  extract.  Ninety-five  per  cent,  alco- 
hol was  made  to  dissolve  all  this  residuum  soluble  in  it,  which 
left  a  tasteless  brown  extractive.  The  tincture  was  filtered  off, 
passed  through  a  bed  of  animal  charcoal  to  decolorize  it,  evapor- 
