Infusion Apparatus

INFUNDIBULAR APPARATUS, an apparatus for the preparation of infusions (infusa), consisting of a water (steam) bath and a so-called infundirka (fig. 1). Pharmacy infundirkas are usually made of tin or porcelain; porcelain infundirkas must be used for extractions from materials containing free acids or tannins. In order that

Fig. 2.

essential oils should not evaporate as much as possible during infusion (see Infusum), the infundirka must be closed with a tight lid. In pharmacies, a distillation apparatus is usually used as a water bath, for which holes or depressions called nests (fig. 3) are made in the lid of the cube, into which the infundirkas are placed. With the nesting system, the water of the distillation cube remains uncontaminated. Special water baths with a small amount of water are shown in fig. 2. The water evaporating in these baths during boiling condenses and flows back into the reservoir, which has the shape of a ring; the water level in the bath therefore remains almost constant. To heat the infundirkas, ordinary laboratory-type water baths can also

Fig. 3.

be used. A rather simple infusion apparatus is also a double-walled vessel (fig. 4) with a heavy lid and an opening (O) at the edge. Into the interwall space (A) ³/₄ of water is poured, into the inner vessel (B) the required amount of distilled water. The entire vessel is placed directly on the fire, the interwall space serving as a water bath. The material to be extracted is introduced into the inner vessel when the water in it heats up to boiling.

Figure 4.

be used. A rather simple infusion apparatus is also a double-walled vessel (fig. 4) with a heavy lid and an opening (O) at the edge. Into the interwall space (A) ³/₄ of water is poured, into the inner vessel (B) the required amount of distilled water. The entire vessel is placed directly on the fire, the interwall space serving as a water bath. The material to be extracted is introduced into the inner vessel when the water in it heats up to boiling.