616 
Laboratory  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharra. 
Dec,  1884. 
LABORATORY  NOTES. 
Abstracts  from  Theses. 
Fluid  Extract  of  Convallaria  Majalis. — The  most  satisfactory  results, 
according  to  Wm.  E.  Cassell,  are  obtained  by  using  for  16  troyounces 
of  the  drug  a  menstruum  composed  of  3  fluidounces  of  glycerin,  5 
fluidounces  of  water,  and  8  fluidounces  of  alcohol,  and  exhausting 
finally  with  diluted  alcohol.  Fourteen  fluidounces  of  the  percolate 
are  reserved,  and  the  remainder  is  mixed  with  1  fluidounce  of  glycerin, 
evaporated  to  two  fluid  ounces  and  mixed  with  the  reserved  portion. 
Verbena  hastata. — Alexander  A.  Weber  has  found  the  blue  vervain 
to  be  an  excellent  sudorific.  The  root,  leaves  and  flowers  are  used, 
but  the  root,  which  has  a  bitter,  astringent  and  nauseous  taste,  is  the 
most  active.  The  fluid  extract  is  a  convenient  preparation  and  is  made 
with  diluted  alcohol  in  the  usual  manner;  the  dose  of  it  is  one-half  to 
one  fluidrachm. 
Iris  versicolor. — The  oleoresin  prepared  by  Wm.  L.  Cliffe,  yielded 
to  acidulated  water  a  brownish  amorphous  substance,  which,  after  the 
separation  of  the  acid,  was  soluble  in  ether,  alcohol  and  water,  the  latter 
solution  giving  precipitates  with  potassio  mercuric  iodide  and  with 
potassium  biniodide,  while  the  alcoholic  solution,  acidulated  with  nitric 
acid  and  tested  with  phosphomolybdic  acid  gave  a  brilliant  green  color 
in  a  day  or  two.  The  drug  after  treatment  with  benzin,  yielded  to  80 
per  cent,  alcohol  several  resins,  tannin  and  sugar.  Cold  water  now 
took  up  albumen,  and  gummy  and  coloring  matter,  after  which  treat- 
ment with  boiling  water  yielded  a  slightly  colored  liquid  which  did 
not  become  blue  with  iodine.  The  distillate  with  water  separated  a 
solid  compound  which  became  liquid  at  the  temperature  of  the  body. 
(See  also  "  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,"  1876,  p.  406,  and  1881,  p.  601.) 
Teucrium  Scordium  has  been  used  with  advantage  in  hemorrhoids 
both  locally  and  internally.  Louis  Murjahn  has  prepared  a  fluid 
extract,  by  exhausting  the  powdered  herb  with  diluted  alcohol  in  the 
usual  manner ;  it  is  of  a  blackish  green  color  and  is  given  in  doses  of 
1  or  2  fluidrachms.  On  evaporating  this  liquid,  about  16  per  cent,  of 
a  soft  dark  green  extract  is  obtained,  which  has  been  used  in  the  form 
of  pills,  one  grain  of  it  being  combined  with  two  grains  of  the  pow- 
dered herb.  For  local  use  the  ointment  was  prepared  by  mixing  1  part 
of  the  finely  powdered  herb  with  9  parts  of  petrolatum. 
Syrupus  calcii  lactophosphatis — Geo.  Thos.  Williams  has  found  the 
