Description. Annulated or Brazilian ipecacuan, as it is named to distinguish it from another kind, called striated or Peruvian ipecacuan, the produce of Psychotria emetica, is in the form of contorted pieces, from two to four inches in length, about the size of a small quill, knotted, having very deep circular fissures extending down to the woody axis or meditullium, and giving the appearance of a series of brownish or ash-coloured rings, strung on a white cord. The odour of ipecacuanha is slight, but disagreeable; the taste bitter, aromatic, and slightly acrid: it breaks easily, with a resinous fracture. The active ingredients chiefly reside in the cortex. The powder of ipecacuan is pale brown.

Prop. & Comp. Ipecacuan contains a feeble alkaloid, emetina (C35 H25 No9 ?), separable as a whitish or yellowish amorphous powder, of a bitter taste, soluble in alcohol, sparingly so in water and ether, and precipitated by tannin; also a peculiar acid, cephaelic or ipecacuanha acid, allied to catechin, formerly thought to be gallic acid, and striking green with the persalts of iron; gum, starch, fatty or oily matter, arc also present in the root. Water, spirit, and wine take up the active part, namely, the salt of emetina.

Off. Prep. Pulvis Ipecacuanhae cum Opio. Powder of Ipecacuan and Opium; formerly Compound Ipecacuanha Powder; Dover's powder. (Powdered ipecacuan, half an ounce; powdered opium, half an ounce; powdered sulphate of potash, four ounces.) One grain of opium and one of ipecacuan are contained in ten grains of this powder.

Trochisci Morphiae et Ipecacuanha. Morphia and Ipeca-cuana Lozenges. [Not officinal in U. S. P.] (Hydrochlorate of morphia, twenty grains; ipecacuan, in fine powder, 60 gr.; tincture of Tolu, sugar, gum arabic, and water, to form a mass to be divided into seven hundred and twenty lozenges. Each lozenge contains 1/36 grain of morphia salt, and 1/12 grain of ipecacuan.)

[Trochisci Ipecacuanhae. Troches of Ipecacuanha. U. S. Ipecacuanha, half a troy ounce; arrow root, four troy ounces; sugar, fourteen troy ounces; mucilage of tragacanth, a sufficient quantity. To be made into a mass and divided into troches, each weighing ten grains.Each troche contains 1/4 of a grain of Ipecacuanha.]

Vinum Ipecacuanhae. Ipecacuanha Wine. (Bruised ipecac-uan, one ounce; sherry wine, twenty fluid ounces. Prepared by maceration.) [U. S. A troy ounce to a pint. Prepared by percolation.]

Therapeutics. Ipecacuan in large medicinal doses acts as an emetic, not so speedy as sulphate of zinc or mustard; at the same time it is more depressing, but less so, however, than tartar emetic: in smaller doses, short of inducing either nausea or vomiting, it becomes absorbed and acts upon the different mucous surfaces, especially of the respiratory passages and of the alimentary canal, and is, therefore, expectorant, and sometimes laxative; it also acts upon the skin as a diaphoretic. Ipecacuan is well suited for an emetic in chest affections accompanied with fever, as in bronchitis, phthisis, and croup, in which the after-expectorant effect is of great service; also to unload the stomach in dyspepsia when of an inflammatory character. ' As an expectorant, it is used in the various forms of bronchitic disease; on account of its action on the alimentary canal, it is of value in chronic dysentery and diarrhoea, for which it was at one time held in great estimation; it is also at times a useful adjunct to purgative medicines. As a diaphoretic in the form of Dover's powder, it is frequently employed in catarrhal affections; the combination with opium appears to increase its sudorific action.

Ipecacuan has also been given in agues before the paroxysm, to prevent or cut it short; and, on account of the sedative effect on the vascular system which follows the nausea, in haemorrhages of various kinds. Some individuals are peculiarly susceptible of the influence of ipecacuan, the effluvia from the powdered drug being sufficient to cause sneezing, cough, and a species of asthma.

Dose. Of ipecacuan (powdered) as an emetic, 15 gr. to 30 gr.; as an expectorant, etc. 1/4 gr. to 2 gr.; of vinum ipecacuanhae, as an emetic, 3 fl. drm. to 6 fl. drm.; as an expectorant, 5 min. to 40 min. The dose of pulv. ipecacuanhae cum opio depends on the amount of opium desirable to administer rather than on the quantity of ipecacuan.

Adulteration. Striated ipecacuan above alluded to, and other roots, have occasionally been mixed with or substituted for ipecacuan.

Caffeine or Theine (not officinal), a principle obtained from coffee, or the berry of Caffea arabica, a plant belonging to the order Cinchonaceae, contained also in tea from Thea viridis, etc, and Paraguay tea from Ilex paraguensis, likewise in Paulinia sorbi-lis, and other plants, used by different nations to form beverages.

When pure, Caffeine or Theine forms beautiful silky prisms, soluble in water, alcohol, and ether; it is precipitated by tannin, and sublimes when heated. Composition (C16 H10 N4 O4 + 2 HO).

Given internally, caffeine or a strong infusion containing it acts powerfully upon the nervous system, producing restlessness, palpitation of the heart, and other nervous symptoms. Caffeine also appears to possess the power of checking, in some measure, the changes or metamorphoses of the animal body, shown by the diminished formation of urea, which takes place under its employment. Coffee and caffeine may be given to relieve stupor from the use of opium or other narcotics, in nervous headaches, also to arrest the paroxysms of spasmodic asthma, in hooping-cough, and in some forms of intermittent affections. The action of caffeine requires further investigation, as in the infusions of coffee and tea a part of the influence may be due to the other constituents which are present.

Pale Catechu, described under Catechu, is derived from Tin-caria gamba, a tree belonging to this order.