116    PROPOSED  ECONOMY  OF  ALCOHOL  IN  PERCOLATION,  ETC. 
all  redissolved  perfectly,  and  gave  a  clear  solution,  well  repre- 
senting the  entire  two  pints  of  percolate  last  obtained.  This 
management  of  the  precipitate,  which  usually  occurs  in  the 
evaporation  of  the  final  percolate  of  all  drugs,  has  been  often 
adopted  in  the  preparation  of  fluid  extracts  upon  the  large 
scale,  and  is  considered  to  be  an  improvement  upon  the  more 
literal  reading  of  the  formulas  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  since  it 
avoids  the  precipitation  which  occurs  not  unfrequently  from  the 
reserved  percolate  itself  upon  dilution  with  the  one-third  of  its 
volume  of  a  more  watery  solution.  • 
The  results  above  stated  foint  directly  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  sixteen  troyounces  of  the  powdered  seed  can  be  safely  and 
certainly  percolated  to  fourteen  fluidounces,  so  that  this  fourteen 
fluidounces  cannot  represent  less  than  fourteen  troyounces  of 
the  drug,  or  minim  for  grain  in  medicinal  value,  and  this  with 
an  unskilful  manipulation  and  a  good  allowance  against  over- 
statement beside. 
It  was  next  proved  by  experiment,  that  in  order  to  obtain 
this  fourteen  fluidounces  of  percolate,  not  more  than  twenty 
fluidounces  of  menstruum  could  .ever  be  required,  even  by  un- 
skilful management,  whilst  with  good  management  eighteen 
fluidounces  is  sufficient,  the  last  portions  being  pushed  through 
with  water.  Assuming  the  twenty  fluidounces  as  the  quantity 
necessary,  of  the  three  pints  of  menstruum  to  be  used  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  officinal  directions,  one  pint  and  twelve  fluid- 
ounces,  or  58*3  per  cent,  is  saved.  Two-thirds  of  this  saving 
being  alcohol,  at  3*5  cents  per  fluidounce,  it  amounts  to  55  cents 
upon  the  fourteen  fluidounces,  considerably  more  than  the  two 
fluidounces  of  fluid  extract  would  be  worth,  beside  the  saving 
in  evaporating  and  in  the  skill  and  complexity  involved  in  the 
officinal  process,  whilst  the  product  of  this  simple  and  easy 
process  is  transparent,  lighter  in  color,  and  likely  to  be  so  per- 
manently. 
The  prominent  necessity  for  economizing  alcohol  now,  beyond 
what  was  recognized  at  the  last  revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia, 
points  toward  the  closest  possible  scrutiny  of  the  officinal  pro- 
cesses, to  ascertain  if  these,  as  directed,  are  the  best  adapted  to 
the  rapid  and  early  exhaustion  of  the  drugs  by  percolation  ; 
