Am'sTeJt.r,'i8S)arm'}      E xtr actum  Jalap ce  A  Icoholicum.  435 
cent,  of  ether  soluble  resin  was  determined.  For  this  purpose  50 
grains  of  each  specimen  of  resin  were  digested  in  2  fl.  oz,  of  stronger 
ether,  sp.  gr.  0-725  (6o°  F.),  for  one  month  with  almost  daily  agita- 
tion; the  clear  ethereal  solution  poured  off  and  preserved  in  an 
accurately  tared  glass  capsule.  The  operation  was  repeated  twice 
more  and  the  whole  carefully  evaporated,  when  the  amount  of  ether- 
soluble  resin  was  readily  determinable. 
Quantitative  Results  of  Proximate  Analysis. 
No. 
Form 
Employed. 
Cost 
per  Lb. 
Amount 
used. 
Per  Cent. 
Resin. 
Per  Cent. 
Kther-soluble 
Resin. 
,  
cts. 
grs. 
1 
Whole  Root. 
38 
35oo 
7-285 
14-0 
2 
22 
35oo 
9-285 
io-o 
3 
80 
35oo 
1 1 '000 
90 
4 
,tt         <  < 
60 
3000 
14-500 
8-o 
5 
Powd.  Root. 
40 
35oo 
7714 
12-5 
6 
50 
35oo 
11771 
iro 
Average,  10*269  IO'75 
It  was  noticed  that  the  ethereal  solutions  of  Nos.  2  and  5  were 
considerably  deeper  in  color  than  any  of  the  rest ;  and  the  deposit 
of  ether-soluble  resin,  after  evaporation,  of  Nos.  2,  3,  5  and  6, 
much  darker  in  color  than  Nos.  1  and  4.  Also,  that  No.  4,  which 
was  richest  in  the  amount  of  resin,  yielded  the  smallest  quantity  of 
ether-soluble  resin. 
From  the, foregoing  analysis  the  writer  is  inclined  to  fully  justify 
Prof.  Searby's  assertion,  and  feels  admonished  that  the  time  has 
arrived  when  the  revisers  of  the  present  Pharmacopoeia  should  sug- 
gest the  substitution  of  resin  of  jalap  in  place  of  the  abstract  in 
the  formula  for  Pil.  Carthartic.  Comp.,  and  make  the  pharmacopceial 
requirement  of  the  root  about  8  per  cent,  of  resin.' 
WlLLIAMSPORT,  Pa.,  August  5,  I  89O. 
EXTR ACTUM  JALAPS  ALCOHOLICUM. 
By  John  Elmer  Wishart,  Ph.G. 
"Abstract  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
Two  samples  of  jalap  root  were  procured,  and  after  being  reduced 
to  No.  60  powder,  four  troy  ounces  of  each  were  used  for  preparing 
the  extract  by  percolation  with  95  percent,  alcohol.    The  percolates 
