k%™'Jm™'}  Resina  Podophylli.  227 
malic  acid,  traces  of  tannic  acid,  inulin,  albumen,  traces  of  fat  and 
volatile  oil,  resin,  chlorophyll,  and  other  coloring  matter. 
A  small  quantity  of  the  herb  was  incinerated,  and  found  to  contain 
sulphate,  chloride  and  carbonate  of  iron,  calcium,  magnesium  and 
potassium. 
RESINA  PODOPHYLLI. 
By  Frederick  B.  Power,  G.  P. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
Eight  troy  ounces  of  powdered  podophyllum  were  treated  as  per 
formula  for  resina  podophylli,  U.  S.  P.,  1870,  until  the  alcoholic 
percolate  ceased  to  cause  a  precipitate  when  dropped  into  water,  and 
passed  perfectly  colorless  ;  the  residue  contained  in  the  percolator  was 
dried  and  found  to  weigh  seven  troy  ounces  and  two  drachms,  the 
amount  of  moisture  in  the  powder  having  been  previously  ascertained 
and  found  to  be  5  per  cent.,  leaving  the  amount  of  soluble  matter 
abstracted  by  the  alcoholic  menstruum  about  4  per  cent. 
The  precipitated  resin  was  allowed  to  drain,  and  washed  with  suc- 
cessive portions  of  cold  water  until  freed  from  acid,  and  the  washings 
upon  evaporation  left  no  residue  ;  the  yield  of  resin  thus  obtained 
after  careful  drying  was  two  drachms  or  three  per  cent.  ;  it  was  of  a 
light  yellowish  brown  color,  and  presented  a  marked  contrast  with 
some  of  the  commercial  specimens  examined.  The  percentage  of 
resin  seeming  small,  a  larger  quantity  of  selected  rhizomes  was 
operated  upon,  but  the  percentage  in  both  instances  was  the  same ; 
the  rhizomes,  however,  had  been  previously  deprived  of  the  radiclert 
and  it  being  known  that  these  are  at  least  quite  as  rich  in  resin,  the 
operation  might  have  led  to  different  results  had  they  not  been 
detached. 
The  mother  liquor  remaining  after  the  precipitation  of  the  resin, 
together  with  the  washings  therefrom,  was  concentrated  by  evapora- 
tion, when  a  portion  of  resinous  matter  separated,  which  was  found 
to  be  entirely  soluble  in  alcohol,  being  precipitated  by  water ;  but  by 
