The Chemical Constituents of Piper Methysticum

The fresh rhizome was chopped up and then ground up by means of a meat chopper. In the preliminary work the material was dried in a vacuum oven at a temperature not exceeding forty degrees Centigrade. In the later work the material was rapidly dried in the sun. This operation required about two days time. After being thoroughly dried, the material was finely powdered, and then extracted with ether. The following continuous extraction apparatus was used. Due to the extreme rapidity with which the ether evaporated, it was necessary to surround the coils with ice so as to keep the condensers cold.