Fenner's Complete Formulary - Southwest School of Botanical ...

the neck of the percolator for this purpose, as is directed in the
pharmacopoeia process. By raising or lowering the percolator or the
receiving bottle the flow of the percolate can be made more or less rapid,
as it works on the principle of the syphon. The receiving bottle may be
made of any wide-mouth bottle, holes being bored in the cork for the
insertion of the tubes to which the rubber tubing is attached.
E, shows the perforated diaphragm of the percolator.
With this simple arrangement percolation or filtration can be carried on
for any length of time without exposure or loss by evaporation.
WATER-BATH PERCOLATION.
The process of water-bath percolation consists in subjecting the powder
contained in a percolator, surrounded by water, to the action of a warm
menstruum during the entire process of maceration and percolation. By
the means of the water-bath the menstruum and powder are kept at
any desired degree of heat for any length of time.
It is claimed for this process, that the heat employed is of great aid in
effecting the solution of the soluble constituents of the substance or
substances which are being exhausted, and therefore, that it is much
more rapid, efficient and economical than the ordinary method of
percolation.
By consulting the solubility tables, which may be found in the
pharmacopoeia and other standard works, it will be seen that the
medicinal principles of vegetable drugs (especially the alkaloids and
other substances in which their value chiefly consists), are from several
to several hundred times more soluble in boiling water or alcohol than
Fenner’s Complete Formulary - Part I-II - MISCELLANEOUS FORMULA - Page 46
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