AMju«eBi',i87A3RM'}         Hydrastis  Canadensis,  etc.  2i7 
percolation  of  the  bark  and  the  evaporation  of  the  tincture  is  going 
on,  and  the  solution  can  be  added  as  soon  as  the  reduction  of  the 
tincture  is  accomplished.  The  preparation  of  the  emulsin  is  an  easy 
one,  the  greatest  care  to  be  observed  is  in  the  reduction  of  the  al- 
monds to  a  smooth  paste,  so  that  there  may  be  no  large  pieces  left 
to  retain  any  oil,  which  might  interfere  with  the  subsequent  aqueous 
solution. 
The  final  filtration  is  easily  made,  the  small  portions  of  emulsin 
and  the  gum  which  are  precipitated  by  the  tannin  of  the  fluid  extract 
do  not  clog  the  filter  in  the  least  appreciable  degree.  The  use  of  ben- 
zin  instead  of  ether  is  simply  a  matter  of  economy.  It  serves  the 
purpose  as  well  if  of  good  quality,  and  is  invariably  kept  in  the  shops. 
The  formula  I  have  worked  by  is  as  follows  : 
Take  of  wild  cherry  bark,  in  fine  powder,  sixteen  troy-ounces ;  gly- 
cerin, eight  fluid-ounces ;  stronger  alcohol  and  water,  of  each,  a  suf- 
ficient quantity  ;  sweet  almonds,  two  troy-ounces ;  benzin,  a  sufficient 
quantity  ;  moisten  the  bark  with  eight  fluid-ounces  of  alcohol,  and 
pack  carefully  in  a  percolator ;  add  alcohol  until  three  pints  of  tinc- 
ture is  obtained,  from  this  distil  two  pints  and  a  half  of  alcohol,  mix 
the  residue  with  twenty  fluid-ounces  of  water,  evaporate  to  twenty- 
two  fluid-ounces,  pour  into  a  bottle,  and  add  the  solution  of  emulsin 
prepared  from  two  troy-ounces  of  almonds  by  the  process  above  de- 
scribed. Allow  the  mixture  to  stand  for  twenty-four  hours,  filter 
through  paper,  and  add  the  glycerin. 
IS  THERE  A  THIRD  ALKALOID  IN  HYDRASTIS  CANADENSIS? 
By  A.  K.  Hale. 
After  removing  the  berberina  from  the  watery  percolate  as  a  hy- 
drochlorate,  and  precipitating  hydrastia  by  careful  neutralization  with 
ammonia,  I  find  that  excess  of  ammonia  throws  down  another  pre- 
cipitate, more  resembling  berberina  than  hydrastia,  but  decidedly  dif- 
ferent from  the  former.  My  investigation  upon  this  question  has 
been  as  follows,  and  I  should  be  very  glad  to  receive  further  informa- 
tion or  explanation  of  the  results. 
I  treated  the  powdered  root  of  Hydrastis  Canadensis  in  a  percola- 
tor with  distilled  water  until  the  strength  seemed  to  be  exhausted, 
then  I  proceeded  to  remove  the  berberina  as  a  hydrochlorate  by  the 
addition  of  hydrochloric  acid.  Removing  this  precipitate  of  hydro- 
chlorate  of  berberina  by  filtration,  I  then  proceeded  to  obtain  the 
