206 
ON  CASTOR  OIL  BEANS. 
the  ingredients  being  much  greater  than  that  resulting  from  the 
use  of  preparations  made  from  either  of  them  separately. 
Truly  yours, 
Frederick  Stearns,  Pharmaceutist. 
Detroit,  Michigan,  March  25th,  1856. 
ON  CASTOR  OIL  BEANS. 
By  George  J.  Scattergood. 
(An  Inaugural  Essay,  presented  to  the  Philadelphia  College  of  Pharmacy.') 
The  following  experiments  with  castor  oil  beans  were  conduct- 
ed chiefly  with  the  view  of  examining  the  similarity  which  was 
suggested  might  exist  between  their  constitution  and  that  of  the 
kernels  cf  the  almond,  (H.  C.  Bowers'  Essay,  Journ.  Pharmacy, 
vol.  xxvi.  No.  3.)  A  few  experiments  were  also  tried  to  ascer- 
tain the  existence  of  gummy  matter  and  resin,  as  usually  stated. 
When  2  ounces  of  dry  beans  were  percolated  by  alcohol  and 
the  tincture  evaporated,  a  turbid  oil  weighing  813  grs.  was  ob- 
tained. The  dried  marc  afterwards  }delded  to  ether  154  grs., 
making  a  total  of  467  grains,  or  53  per  cent,  of  impure  oil. 
The  dried  marc  from  the  ethereal  tincture,  percolated  by  water, 
yielded  after  evaporation  and  subsequent  treatment  with  boiling 
alcohol,  a  substance  of  a  hard  consistence,  breaking  with  a  con- 
choidal  fracture,  and  readily  soluble  in  water,  from  which  it  was 
precipitated  by  alcohol  and  sub-acetate  of  lead,  of  a  light  color 
thus  indicating  gummy  matter. 
A  portion  of  oil  obtained  by  strong  alcohol  was  mixed  with 
alcohol,  ether  and  liquor  potass?e,  and  agitated.  The  liquid 
separated  into  two  portions;  the  lighter,  of  a  whitish  and  soapy 
appearance;  the  heavier,  of  a  reddish  color.  The  former,  upon 
standing,  deposited  a  dark-looking  and  resinous  substance,  which 
was  insoluble  in  ether. 
By  agitating  an  emulsion  of  the  beans  with  ether,  separating 
the  heavier  liquid  and  mixing  this  with  alcohol,  a  precipitate  of 
emulsin  gradually  fell.  In  solution  this  impure  emulsin  had 
an  acid  reaction,  and  produced  the  bitter  almond  odor  after  three 
days  contact  with  amygdalin. 
The  beans  previously  percolated  by  ether  were  treated  with 
boiling  alcohol.    This  tincture,  after  evaporation,  was  mixed 
