PHARMACY  OF  THE  CINCHONAS. 
521 
tion  can  be  safely  adopted,  but  that  eacli  substance  should  be  spe- 
cially studied  in  order  to  attain  the  best  practical  results.  This 
powder,  like  a  few  others,  is  very  easily  moistened,  so  that,  with 
a  spatula  or  horn  scoop,  and  without  rubbing  between  the  hands, 
it  is  quickly  got  into  a  uniform  condition,  free  from  lumps,  being 
in  this  respect  very  unlike  the  Cinchonas.  It  is  also  easily  and 
quickly  packed,  with  equable  firmness,  and  therefore  may  be  suc- 
cessfully percolated  in  small  portions.  The  menstruum  adopted 
being  an  excellent  and  an  easy  solvent  of  all  that  is  desired, 
and  dissolving  such  portions  in  almost  unlimited  amount,  while 
refusing  the  inert  mucilaginous  parts,  is  admirably  adapted  to 
be  re-applied  to  successive  portions  of  the  powder.  Under  these 
conditions,  it  is  not  difficult  to  so  arrange  the  details  that  prac- 
tical exhaustion  may  be  effected  without  a  very  profuse  use  of 
the  expensive  menstruum ;  and  this  is  the  object  of  the  com- 
plicated management.  The  effect  of  this  management  is  pretty 
well  illustrated  by  the  weight  of  the  percolates.  A  pint  of  the 
menstruum  used  weighed  6,050  grains.  The  first  pints  of  perco- 
late from  the  three  parts  of  the  powder  weighed  about  6,350 
grains,  6,500  grains,  and  6,700  grains,  respectively ;  and  this 
weight  would  doubtless  go  on  increasing  within  all  reasonable 
limits.  When  the  parts  of  powder  operated  on  are  doubled,  of 
course  the  advantages  of  this  mode  of  percolation  are  increased. 
The  use  of  Diluted  Alcohol  to  push  the  Alcohol  through  is  ren- 
dered necessary  by  the  circumstance  that,  if  water  be  at  once 
used,  as  with  the  Cinchonas,  the  powder  swells  up,  gelatinizes 
and  stops  the  percolation  before  it  has  proceeded  far,  and  the 
object  of  economizing  the  Alcohol  is  frustrated.  By  the  plan 
described,  the  Diluted  Alcohol  displaces  the  stronger  Alcohol  at 
half  the  cost.  The  powder  holds  about  eleven  and  a  half  fluid- 
ounces  of  Alcohol,  but,  when  the  Diluted  Alcohol  is  put-  on,  it 
swells,  and  holds  much  more,  so  that  it  requires  not  only  the 
twelve  fluidounces  of  Diluted  Alcohol,  but  several  fluidounces  of 
water  in  addition,  to  entirely  displace  the  eleven  or  twelve 
fluidounces  of  weak  percolate.  The  progress  of  these  displacing 
liquids  is  well  seen  through  the  funnel  as  they  descend  and  push 
the  Alcohol  before  them. 
If  it  be  admitted  that  Bitter  Orange  Peel  and  Saffron  are 
