490  The  Resin  of  Leptandra,  {"^"^  fcs^o"'"" 
above  named.  This  has  a  deep  black  color  and  breaks  with  a  shiny 
fracture.  It  resembles  much  in  appearance  asphaltum.  The  powder 
produced  from  it  varies  in  color  in  accordance  with  its  fineness,  becom- 
ing of  lighter  shade  as  comminution  progresses.  This  is  the  main 
reason  for  the  difference  in  the  color  of  the  resin  (by  resin  is  understood 
the  precipitate  before  mentioned),  and  it  may  cause  powders  from  the 
same  lump  to  vary  considerably.^ 
Sensible  Properties. — If  the  precipitate  of  which  I  have  been  speaking 
were  "  Leptandrin  of  commerce!'  there  would  be  no  very  remarkable 
difference  in  the  appearance  of  the  various  lots.  The  odor  would  be 
the  same  and. all  specimens  tasteless,  or  nearly  so.  There  is  no  officinal' 
process  for  making  "  Resin  of  leptandra."  Tnere  is  no  preparation 
recognized  by  the  Pharmacopoeia  under  the  name  of  leptandrin.  The 
question  arises :  Is  leptandrin  of  commerce  the  powdered  resin  to 
which  article  the  name  was  originally  applied  by  Wm.  S.  Merrell  ?  In 
my  opinion  the  majority  of  physicians  who  use  "  leptandrin"  do  not 
recognize  the  resin  as  the  active  principle  of  the  root.  Why  should 
we  take  it  for  granted  that  manufacturers  prepare  the  article,  labeled 
leptandrin.^  by  precipitation  of  the  resinous  substances  ?  Prof.  John 
King  did  not  make  his  original  preparation  from  the  root  of  Leptandra' 
Virginica  in  this  manner.  He  informs  me  that  he  forms  his  opinion  of 
the  therapeutical  value  of  Leptandra  Virginica  from  the  use  of  a  mix- 
ture, dried  of  aqueous  and  of  alcoholic  extracts. 
Resin  (?)  of  Leptandra.^  or  leptandrin,  was  discovered  by  Wm.  S.. 
Merrell  about  1850.  We  may  well  suppose  that  the  value  of  podo- 
phyllum resin  (podophyllin)  and  the  object  of  improvement  led  Mr. 
Merrell  to  the  precipitation  of  the  resin  of  leptandra  and  to  the  suppo- 
sition that  it  (the  resin)  would  prove  to  be  the  medicinal  principle  of 
Leptandra  Virginica.  This  latter  is  admitted  to  have  been  a  mistake, 
for  very  few  eclectic  physicians  desire  the  resin,  and  the  best  authorities 
have  decided  against  it. 
I  am  of  the  opinion,  furthermore,  that  very  little  of  the  "Leptandrin 
of  commerce"  is  the  resin,  and  that  the  difference  in  "sensible  proper- 
ties" of  various  lots  may  be  ascribed  to  difference  of  composition. 
Manufacturers  desire  to  prepare  the  best  representative  of  the  root,  and 
as  the  resin  fails  to  answer,  they  seek  for  other  principles  and  other 
^  Seven  samples,  powdered  from  one  piece  and  sifted  through  sieves  of  different 
fineness,  were  exhibited. 
