210 
NOTE  ON  OLEORESINA  CUBEBiE. 
that  relative  to  the  influence  of  altitude,  temperature  and  soil  on 
the  spontaneous  development  of  the  true  jalap.  But,  in.  refer- 
ence to  the  exaltation  of  the  value  of  fusiform  jalap,  M.  Marais 
believes  it  premature,  and  that  such  results  should  only  be 
recognized  after  new  and  thorough  analytical  essays  and  thera- 
peutic trials.  On  the  whole,  however,  the  Committee  consider 
the  thesis  of  M.  Andouard,  in  the  arrangement  of  its  several 
parts,  and  in  the  compilation  of  the  whole,  exhibits  a  practiced 
hand  beyond  that  of  a  beginner,  and  which,  they  hope,  will  yet 
render  more  than  one  service  to  Pharmacy. 
In  consequence  of  this  report,  the  "  Societie  de  Pharmacie  cle 
Paris"  has  decided  that  the  author  has  merited  the  thesis  prize 
for  the  year  1865,  and  expresses  its  satisfaction  with  his  labors, 
hoping  they  will  prove  an  encouragement  to  young  men  to 
prosecute  the  study  of  the  natural  sciences,  too  much  neglected 
at  this  time. 
NOTE  ON  OLEORESINA  CUBEBiE. 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
The  purpose  of  this  note  is  two-fold, — to  point  out  an  imperfec- 
tion that  occurs  in  some  of  the  commercial  specimens,  and 
which  materially  injures  the  value  of  the  preparation,  and  to 
offer  a  few  remarks  in  reference  to  its  manufacture.  By  the  of- 
ficinal process  the  powdered  cubebs  is  exhausted  by  percolation 
with  ether,  that  is  to  say,  for  every  12  troyounces  of  cubebs 
24  fluidounces  of  percolate  is  obtained.  The  percolate  is  then 
made  to  yield  eighteen  fluidounces  of  ether,  by  means  of  a 
water-bath  still  and  a  good. refrigeratory,  after  which  the  residue 
is  exposed  in  a  capsule  until  the  remaining  ether  has  evaporated. 
It  will  be  proper  to  remark,  by  way  of  illustration,  that  cubebs 
contain  volatile  oil,  soft  resin,  cubebin  and  waxy  matter,  that  are 
soluble  in  ether,  and  all  of  these,  except  the  latter,  are  more  or 
less  active.  When  carefully  made,  oleoresin  of  cubebs  has  a 
dark  green  color,  varying  from  dull  green  to  deep  grass  green, 
according  to  the  condition  of  the  cubebs  treated,  that  is  to  say, 
according  as  the  berries  contain  more  or  less  chlorophylle,  due  to 
their  greater  or  less  ripeness  when  collected.  The  specific  gravi- 
ty of  the  oleoresin  is  not  uniform,  owing  to  the  variable  propor- 
