170 
ILoss  yiucilages  as  Emidsifiers. 
'  Am.  Jour.  Phaniu 
;       April.  1888. 
The  water  extract  of  the  drug  coDtained  mucilage,  albuminoids,  an 
organic  acid,  etc.,  and  yielded  an  ash  weighing  nearly  seven  per  cent, 
of  its  weight.  Diluted  alkali  took  up  from  the  drug  mucilage,  albumi- 
noids.phlobapheue  and  other  principles ;  and  in  the  extract  made  with 
dilute  acid  parabin  was  found,  but  no  calcium  oxalate. 
Starch,  resin  and  mucilage  were  also  recognized  microchemically  in 
the  drug. 
A  portion  of  the  drug  was  carefully  sej^arated  into  wood  and  bark ; 
the  latter  weighed  62.25  percent,  of  the  weight  of  the  drug,  and  yielded 
notably  larger  amounts  of  extract  than  the  entire  root,  with  both  ether 
and  alcohol. 
MOSS  MLXILAGES  AS  EMULSIFIERS. 
By  Albert  John  Staiidt.  Ph.  G. 
From  an  inaugural  essay. 
The  new  National  Formulary,  which  is  in  course  of  preparation 
under  the  direction  of  the  National  Formulary  Committee,  appointed 
by  the  American  Pharmaceutical  Association,  having  adopted  asemulsi- 
fer  for  fixed  oils  the  mucilage  obtained  from  Irish  moss,  a  species  of 
algae,  which  yields  a  mucilaginous  jelly  with  water,  it  was  thought  not 
inappropriate  to  investigate  the  subject  of  so  called  moss  mucilages  and 
determine  their  value  for  the  dispensing  pharmacist  as  a  substitute  for 
the  well  known  gum  acacia.  This  mucilage  is  present  in  certain  thal- 
lophytes,  like  the  officinal  Chondrus  or  Irish  moss,  and  Cetraria  or  Ice- 
land moss. 
The  last  recorded  examination  of  Irish  moss  was  made  by  Church* 
in  1877,  who  found  its  composition  to  be  as  follows :  Mucilage,  55.4;. 
water.l 8.8  ;  mineral  matter.  14.2  ;  albuminoids,  9.4  ;  and  cellulose^ 
2.2.  As  may  be  seen  the  principal  constituent  is  mucilage,  which  may 
be  obtained  bv  boilincr  the  druo:  with  water,  straining:  and  allo^ino;  to- 
cool.  Although  the  mucilage  thus  formed,  in  comparison  with  other 
mucilages,  keeps  fairly  well,  it  in  time,  becomes  mouldy  on  top  and 
no  longer  fit  for  use,  hence  it  is  scarcely  appropriate  for  the  dispensing 
pharmacist  to  use  except  when  freshly  made  :  and  to  the  manufacturer 
who  could  use  a  large  quantity  of  the  fresh  mucilage  it  would  serve 
admirably  as  an  emulsifier. 
Mr.  Emlen  Painter,  of  Xew  York,  thinking  it  would  be  very  de- 
sirable if  this  mucilage  could  in  some  way  be  preserved,  made  a  few 
