A™'ju°y%87h"n  '}  Preparation  of  Syrup  of  Ipecacuanha.  34^ 
adding  a  solution  of  lead  acetate,  sulphuretted  hydrogen  was  passed 
through  the  liquid,  the  light-green  filtrate  was  evaporated  to  a  soft 
extract  and  exhausted  by  boiling  alcohol.  This,  when  allowed  to  evapo- 
rate spontaneously,  left  merely  green  extract.  The  extract  was  again 
treated  with  boiling  water,  allowed  to  cool  and  then  passed  through 
animal  charcoal  to  separate  coloring  matter.  On  evaporating,  tabular 
crystals  were  produced,  corresponding  in  appearance  and  behavior  to 
those  obtained  from  the  beans.  The  green  coloring  matter  was 
extracted  from  the  charcoal  by  boiling  alcohol  and  allowed  to  evaporate. 
The  extract  left  was  insoluble  in  cold  and  boiling  water,  in  ether  and 
sparingly  soluble  in  cold  alcohol.  The  remaining  4  ounces  of  the 
leaves  were  boiled  with  water.  The  greenish-brown  decoctions  were 
strained  and  evaporated  to  a  soft  extract.  This  was  exhausted  by  boil- 
ing alcohol,  which  immediately  caused  a  deposit  of  a  green  extractive 
matter  similar  to  that  obtained  from  the  beans  and  having  the  same 
solubilities.  The  light-green  alcoholic  filtrate  was  condensed  and 
allowed  to  evaporate.  As  no  crystals  appeared,  the  extract  was  treated 
with  cold  alcohol  and  the  filtrate  heated  to  the  boiling  point  and  allowed 
to  evaporate  spontaneously,  when  beautiful  tabular  prisms  were  obtained 
of  a  greenish  hue.  After  solution  in  alcohol,  filtration  through  animal 
charcoal  and  subsequent  concentration,  the  substance  was  deposited  in 
white  needle-shaped  crystals. 
Applying  the  tests  enumerated  by  Prof.  Wayne  to  these  crystals, 
identical  results  were  obtained  in  every  case. 
ON  THE  PREPARATION  of  SYRUP  of  IPECACUANHA. 
By  E.  G,  Bissell,  Ph.G. 
Read  before  the  Ne-iv  York  State  Pharmaceutical  Association,  May  22,  1879. 
Having  long  been  dissatisfied  with  the  syrup  of  ipecac,  produced  by 
the  present  officinal  formula,  I  have  made  an  attempt  to  so  modify  the 
process  as  to  produce  a  better  result,  and  take  pleasure  in  presenting 
my  experiments  in  the  hope  that  I  may  call  out  discussion  and  further 
experiment  by  others. 
There  seem  to  be  two  great  objections  to  the  present  article  :  First, 
soon  after  making  it  separates  quite  a  large  flocculent  precipitate,  giving 
the  syrup  a  very  inelegant  and  suspicious  appearance,  and,  secondly,  this 
precipitate  carries  down  with  it  a  portion  of  emetia,  thus  materially 
