246        Extractum  Pruni  Virginiance  Fluidum.  {AjuS;1|^ 
EXTRACTUM  PRUNI  VIRGINIANS  FLUIDUM. 
By  Harry  W.  Porter. 
Abstract  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
The  fluid  extract  of  wild  cherry  made  in  accordance  with  the  new 
Pharmacopoeia,  does  not,  I  believe,  represent  the  bark  as  fully  as 
that  made  by  the  old  plan.  Percolation  and  evaporation  being 
necessary  in  all  cases,  the  objection  to  the  old  formula  seems  to*, 
apply  to  that  part — a  very  essential  one — where  emulsion  of  almonds 
is  directed  to  be  added,  and  then  strained  and  filtered  out. 
This  objection  I  have  attempted  to  overcome  by  eliminating  an  un- 
necessary ingredient  which  serves  as  an  impediment,  and  by  reducing 
the  bulk  of  material  in  the  operation  for  developing  the  latent  hydro- 
cyanic acid.  This  is  accomplished  by  depriving  the  almonds  of  their 
fixed  oil,  which  amounts  to  more  than  one-half  their  weight  (54  per 
cent.),  and  of  other  matters  insoluble  in  water,  amounting  in  all  to> 
nearly  three-fourths  the  weight  of  the  almonds  ;  or,  in  other  words,, 
by  extracting  from  the  almonds  all  that  is  requisite  for  developing 
the  hydrocyanic  acid  represented  by  the  amygdalin  of  the  bark?, 
namely,  a  nearly  pure  emulsin. 
I  prepare  a  smooth  paste  of  almonds,  not  necessarily  blanched,  and' 
mix  with  it,  in  the  mortar  in  which  it  has  been  beaten,  sufficient  ben- 
zin  to  make  a  fluid  mass,  transfer  to  a  long  cylindrical  percolator  anal 
treat  with  benzin  until  the  drops  falling  from  the  percolator  contain^ 
no  fixed  oil. 
The  powder  remaining  in  the  percolator  is  then  turned  out,  and? 
laid  by  to  dry  in  a  warm  place,  where  the  temperature  does  not  ex- 
ceed 100°,  until  the  odor  of  benzin  has  entirely  disappeared.  One 
troy-ounce  of  almonds,  when  treated  in  this  manner,  yielded  160 
grains. 
I  next  treat  the  powder  with  water  by  percolation.  It  is  soon  ex- 
hausted, as  the  drops  from  the  percolator  soon  fail  to  give  a  precipi- 
tate when  added  to  alcohol.  A  dense  solution  results,  which  consists, 
largely  of  emulsin,  and  contains  small  proportions  of  gum  and  sugar*. 
This  dense  aqueous  solution  is  then  added  to  some  properly  concen- 
trated fluid  extract  of  wild  cherry,  and  put  aside  for  twenty-four 
hours.    It  is  then  filtered,  and  finally  sugar  or  glycerin  added. 
This  process  may  seem  more  troublesome  or  difficult  than  the  one* 
of  the  old  Pharmacopoeia,  but  such  has  not  been  my  experience. 
The  preparation  of  the  emulsin  solution  can  be  effected  while  the^ 
