264 
Extract  of  Jalap. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
June,  1876. 
and,  after  some  time,  all  of  the  water  will  be  saturated,  whereupon, 
the  root  must  be  suspended  in  a  fresh  quantity  of  menstruum,  and  this 
repeated  until  it  is  exhausted.  Now  the  root  is  superficially  dried, 
pounded  into  a  fine  mass,  packed  moderately  firm  in  a  percolator,  and 
displaced  with  alcohol.  For  one  pound  of  root  4  pints  of  alcohol  will 
be  found  amply  sufficient.  When  percolation  ceases,  the  alcoholic 
tincture  remaining  in  the  mass  is  displaced  by  water,  which  only 
takes  a  short  time.  The  yield  by  this  process  was  found  to  be  9 
ounces  of  extract  from  one  pound  of  root,  or  56  per  cent. 
Passing  the  three  different  methods  in  review,  the  conclusion  is  ar- 
rived at,  that,  although  the  product  by  the  first  process  is  satisfactory  in 
amount,  still  the  last  mentioned  is  superior  on  account  of  the  greatest 
yield  of  extract,  and  the  least  difficulty  in  handling  the  ingredients. 
There  is  one  fact  in  regard  to  extract  of  jalap  to  which  I  wish  to 
draw  particular  attention,  viz.  :  the  great  difference  in  the  price  be- 
tween it  and  the  root.  The  former  is  quoted  at  from  $4.50  to  $5.00, 
and  the  latter  can  be  bought  for  $0.30  a  pound.  If  it  is  taken  into 
consideration,  that  from  two  pounds  of  the  root  one  pound  of  extract 
is  easily  obtained — the  disproportion  in  price  is  at  once  apparent.  The 
following  accounts  will  explain  this  more  minutely  :  In  account  No. 
1,  7  pints  of  alcohol  is  regained  by  distillation;  in  No.  2,  all  the  alco- 
hol is  lost  by  evaporation. 
No.  II. 
Wholesale  price  of  one  pound  of 
extract,  $4-5° 
Cost  of  Material. 
2  lbs.  Jalap  root,  @  $0.30,  .  #0.60 
1  gal.  alcohol,  2.30 
Fire  cost  of  15 
Total,  $3.05 
Difference,  $3-464  Leaves  difference,  $1-45 
The  above  shows  that  when  the  alcohol  is  regained  by  distillation, 
one  pound  of  extract  can  be  made  for  $1.03 J,  and,  when  it  is  lost,  for 
$3,05,  leaving  in  the  former  case  $3.40^,  and  in  the  latter  $1.45  net 
profit,  as  compared  with  the  wholesale  price. 
Lowell,  N.  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
No.  I. 
Wholesale  price  of  one  pound  of 
extract,  #4-5° 
Cost  of  Material. 
2  lbs.  Jalap  root,  @  #0.30,  $0.60 
1  pt.  lost  alcohol,  (a)  $2.30,  .  o.28| 
Fire,  15 
Total,  $i-°3f 
