PROCESS FOR PREPARING CANNABINE. 
39 
ART XL — PROCESS FOR PREPARING CANNABINE (?), OR 
HEMP RESIN. 
By T. and H. Smith, Edinburgh. 
The following method for the preparation of hemp resin, 
among several tried by us successively, is the one to which we 
give the preference ; and, agreeably to promise, we now send 
the details for publication in the Pharmaceutical Journal. 
The plant is, after being bruised, digested in repeated por- 
tions of moderately warm water, pressing out at each time till 
the water comes away colourless. It is then digested in a 
solution of crystallized carbonate of soda, using of this half the 
weight of the quantity of dried gunjah operated on. After 
macerating at a moderate heat for two or three days, the 
liquid is pressed out, and pure water substituted; and this 
is repeated till the water comes away nearly colourless. 
The washing is forthe purpose of removing a large quantity 
of brown colouring matter, which we have found it diffi- 
cult to remove in any other way than this. The alkali re- 
moves a further quantity of colouring matter, along with a 
large quantity of a fatty acid, quite inert, which may be 
got by adding an acid to the alkaline liquid after filtration. 
The plant is now dried till it ceases to lose weight, and then 
macerated or percolated with strong rectified spirit of wine. 
To the spirituous solution a milk of lime, as thick as cream, 
is added, containing one ounce of fresh burnt lime for every 
pound of the plant. The lime removes any of the fatty 
acid andchlorophylle which may have been left t by the soda. 
After filtration, a slight excess of sulphuric acid is added to 
throw down in the state of sulphate the lime left in the 
liquid ; for this purpose, one or two fluid drachms for every 
pound of the dried plant will be quite enough.-^ A little 
pure animal charcoal is now also added, and shaken with 
the liquid for some time. We may mention that the de- 
colourizing action of the charcoal is very limited ; for, after 
acting with one portion and filtering, and repeating the 
