NOTE  ON  OLEORESINA  CUBEBiE. 
211 
tion  of  volatile  oil  in  cubebs,  and  to  its  more  or  less  perfect 
freedom  from  the  last  portions  of  the  menstruum  used ;  and  this 
brings  me  to  the  imperfection  alluded  to  in  the  beginning  of  this 
note.    It  has  repeatedly  occurred  that  the  oleoresin  purchased  of 
druggists  has  a  decided  ethereal  odor,  is  quite  thin  in  consistence, 
and  sometimes  has  a  considerable  quantity  of  crystals  of  cubebin  in 
a  separate  state,  either  floating  in  the  liquid  or  adhering  to  the  sides 
and  bottom  of  the  phial.    Now,  the  presence  of  ether  is  objec- 
tionable as  a  dilutant,  as  facilitating  the  crystallization  and  sep- 
aration of  the  cubebin  by  thinning  the  oleoresin,  and  lastly,  from 
altering  its  medical  properties  ;  and  the  apothecary  should  either 
return  the  preparation  as  imperfect,  or,  submitting  to  the  loss,  ex- 
pose it  in  a  capsule  until  the  ether  evaporates.    One  specimen^ 
bought  as  genuine,  when  thus  treated,  lost  three-eighths  of  its 
weight  by  spontaneous  evaporation  in  a  short  time  !    As  regards 
the  separation  of  the  waxy  matter  and  cubebin,  the  former  tends 
to  deposit  first,  and  the  cubebin  afterwards,  with  more  of  the  wax. 
This  occurs  in  the  most  carefully  prepared  specimens,  but  the 
separation  occurs  more  slowly  when  the  concentration  is  perfected 
at  once  in  a  distillatory  apparatus  with  a  regulated  heat,  than 
by  gradual  spontaneous  evaporation.    The  high  price  of  ether 
has  suggested  the  idea  of  using  other  and  cheaper  solvents,  as 
alcohol,  bisulphuret  of  carbon  and  benzole;  and  I  have  recently 
tried  the  purest  commercial  "benzine,"  which,  when  dropped  on 
paper,  left  no  odor  after  a  few  moments  exposure  to  the  air,  and, 
so  far  as  the  quality  of  the  preparation  is  concerned,  it  affords  an 
excellent  preparation,  less  disposed  to  deposit  than  either  the  al- 
coholic or  ethereal  oleoresin.    The  product  is  greatest  by  alco- 
hol, owing  to  the  removal  of  more  extractive  matter  probably. 
The  following  results  were  obtained  with  ordinary  ether  of 
commerce,  sp.  gr.  -750,  with  stronger  alcohol  that  had  been 
shaken  with  carbonate  of  potassa,  and  with  good  benzine  of  sp. 
gr.  -705.  In  each  experiment  1000  grains  of  cubebs  was  packed 
closely  in  a  conical  percolator  arranged  for  volatile  fluids,  and 
the  several  menstrua  poured  on  until  the  bulk  of  1000  grains  of 
water  at  60°  F.  was  obtained;  the  receivers  were  then  changed, 
and  the  percolations  continued  until  an  equal  additional  quantity 
of  percolate  from  each  was  obtained ;  the  specific  gravity  of  the 
several  first  liquids  was  then  taken,  and  afterwards  each  of  them 
