i

THE

AMERICAN

JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY OF THE

PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

EDITED BY

WILLIAM PROCTER, Jr.

Professor of Pharmacy in the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.

PUBLISHING COMMITTEE FOR 1859.
PROFESSOR BRIDGES, CHARLES ELLIS,

ALFRED B. TAYLOR, EDWARD PARR1SH.

VOLUME XXXI. , <? 7 /fa A

THIRD SERIES, VOL. VII.

PHILADELPHIA:
MERRIHEW A THOMPSON, PRINTERS,
Lodge Street, North side of Pennsylvania Bank*
1859.

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

JANUARY, 1859.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

By Edward Parrish.

Having, during the past summer, forsaken my usual profes-
sional pursuits to dip into some of the old fountains of pharma-
ceutical knowledge, I proceed to fulfil an implied promise by
contributing some of my acquisitions, to the common stock. On a
review of my notes of travel, I find that many facts which
struck me as most important at the moment of learning them,
have been left entirely to the tenure of a memory over-crowded
with new and strange objects ; while some things which arrested
my attention, as in strong contrast with our home institutions,
are too familiar to the readers of the Journal, through previous
publications, to bear recording.

Having elsewhere contributed some hasty correspondence on
the dispensing shops of London, Edinburgh and Paris, and at
the Pharmaceutical Meetings of our College shown and described
the principal novelties in Materia Medica, collected among the
English and French pharmaceutists, I propose to devote this
essay chiefly to the pharmaceutical organizations and institutions
for instruction, and to the manufacturing establishments wThich,
through the kindness of friends, I was permitted to visit.

At the risk of being too discursive, I shall endeavor, for my own
convenience, to carry the reader to some of the most important
localities visited during the tour, noting the most interesting
items at each, rather than attempt a classification of the subjects
treated of. The essay will thus partake rather of the narrative
than of the didactic style, and if it please the general, more
than the critical reader, be it so.

2

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

I entered England from the south, and so will ask the reader
to go with me directly into the heart of the great Metropolis ;
and having visited the Tower, Saint Paul's, Westminster, the
Tunnel, the Great Eastern, the Parks, Crystal Palace, and
other objects of world-wide interest that absorb the attention of
the astonished stranger, who finds himself for the first time in
London, to accompany me to Bloomsbury Square in search of the
house of the London Pharmaceutical Society. This we shall
find in the immediate neighborhood of the British Museum, on a
retired street, surrounded by dwellings of the better class, oppo-
site a neat private plot of trees, flowers and green grass — off
from the thoroughfares, and yet near enough to Oxford street
for convenient access by omnibus from almost any part of the
Metropolis.

The building, which, at the time of my late visit, was about
being enlarged by the addition of the adjoining house, was origi-
nally a commodious dwelling, three stories high, "rough cast" and
painted ; since its purchase by the Pharmaceutical Society, it
has been adapted to their use by the necessary alterations.

On the first floor is the Museum, which is lighted by two large
windows fronting on the street, and adjoining it is the Council
room. Back of the main stairway is the office of the Secretary
of the Society, who, I understand, after the projected improve-
ments, is to be a resident officer. The lecture room is on the
second floor fronting the street, and back of it the library.

The practical laboratory consists of two divisions ; one in the
basement, which is used for the rougher and heavier operations,
and the other in the third story, devoted to analytical processes,
and the preparation of fine chemicals.

The arrangement of the laboratories struck me favorably,
and the course of instruction, as explained by Professor Bed-
wood, appeared well calculated to train up scientific pharmaceu-
tists. The laboratories are open from 9 o'clock in the morning
till 5 o'clock in the afternoon, every day except one, which is
devoted to study in the Museum. Each pupil has certain arti-
cles of apparatus given him for his use, and is held responsible
for the careful keeping of these. He first enters upon a course
of synthetical operations, making and testing the principal me-
tallic compounds ; then upon metrical manipulations, determina-

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

3

tion of sp. gr., the preparation of test acid and alkaline solutions,
alkalimetry, acidimetry and chlorimetry.

The third series includes pneumatic operations ; a fourth, the
purification and concentration of the inorganic acids, &c; a fifth,
experiments on sugars, starches and gums and some of their deri-
vatives ; a sixth series includes the preparation of various pig-
ments; a seventh, vegetable extracts, infusions and some of their
constituents, such as tannic and gallic acids; an eighth, alcohol
and some of its derivatives and combinations, as ethers, &c; a
ninth, fatty acids, glycerin and a number of difficult phar-
maceutical products ; a tenth series includes the alkaloids and
some other organic principles and products. The analytical course
embraces systematic analysis and toxicological operations.
The whole occupies five months, and costs the student 151. 15s.,
or about $80 ; he may, however, enter upon a portion only
of the course at an expense of 61. 6s., a little over $30, per
month.

A course of oral instruction, by lectures on chemistry and
pharmacy, proceeds simultaneously with the practical course,
the whole being under the direction of Professor Redwood,
whose reputation is a guarantee of the completeness of the in-
struction.

I enjoyed an opportunity of hearing this distinguished teacher
lecture before his class. The subject was alkaloids ; those derived
from plants were classified upon the black board, with reference to
their Botanical origin. Aricine was mentioned among those ex-
isting in Cinchonacese. The termination in ine is preferred by
Prof. R. in designating the alkaloids, instead of ia which has be-
come almost universal with us. The New Granada barks were
said to be almost exclusively used in England in the manufacture
of the cinchona alkaloids.

The process for morphia sounded strangely to our American
ears, so entirely accustomed to the precipitation of the infusion
of opium by ammonia, with alcohol to hold up the coloring mat-
ter, and the subsequent crystallization from alcohol. The English
process as recommended by Prof. Redwood produces the muriate,,
which in England is the principal salt, by treating the opium with
water acidulated with muriatic acid, concentrating, filtering and
precipitating with ammonia ; the precipitate after washing is again

4

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

dissolved in muriatic acid, treated with animal charcoal, filtered,
evaporated and crystallized.

After adverting to urea and its sources, Prof. R. spoke of the
excrement of the boa .constrictor, and other great snakes at the
Zoological gardens, being nearly pure urate of ammonia, and
as furnishing ample supplies of uric acid for laboratory pur-
poses. Guano was also spoken of as an important source of this,
in view of the use now made of Murexide as a pigment in the
arts. At Manchester, I had an opportunity of visiting the ex-
tensive chemical works of Roberts, Dale & Co., and saw this
new and beautiful chemical product, which in its various com-
binations is capable of furnishing a variety of shades of color
not so readily obtainable with any other chemical agent.

Prof. Redwood is an agreeable, though not particularly fluent
lecturer, his style is quiet, almost conversational, and although
entering into details which appeared very complex, he main-
tained an assured manner, which showed a perfect familiarity
with his subject. To those who feel curious about the personal
characteristics of this veteran in pharmaceutical instruction, I
would be glad to give a portraiture which should be satisfactory;
but having no talent for that kind of description, can only say,
that he is a tall, well developed figure, stooping somewhat, with
a grave, though agreeable countenance, and a manner which, to
the stranger who thus ventures to speak of him, will long be
remembered as both dignified and cordial.

The lecture hour at the Pharmaceutical Society is 8, or 8j
o'clock, A. M., a time found very convenient in London, where
business scarcely begins till after 9 o'clock, and especially fa-
vorable, as I have found by some years of observation, to a
wakeful and appreciative condition of mind in both teacher and
learner.

Prof. Bentley is the lecturer at this institution, on Botany
and Materia Medica. The summer months are devoted to Bo-
tany, and I rose early one morning to attend his lecture at the
Botanical Garden, Regent's Park, a delightful morning resort
for the sedentary student, independent of the information de-
rived upon a branch of science so necessary to a full appreciation
of Materia Medica.
Each plant, as it came into view in the course of the Lecture,

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

5

was distributed among the class, which in the height of the
season is quite numerous, and an opportunity was thus afforded
each student to examine the characteristics pointed out by the
lecturer, and to carry home a specimen to be studied at leisure.
The extensive and elegant garden is further traversed by the
students, who at this early hour are not molested by spectators,
who visit it later in the day, and, the class being accompanied
by the Professor to the beds in which the plants are grouped
according to their natural affinities, have further opportunities
of becoming acquainted with practical Botany.

At the period alluded to, the course was near its close, and
many of the students having passed their examinations absented
themselves from the Lectures, those in attendance numbering
about thirty. In the museum of the Society were groups of
young men studying and examining each other in anticipation
of the ordeal which was to determine their fitness for the Pro-
fession of Druggist and Chemist. Their anxious expression of
countenance excited sympathy, not unmixed with a sense of the
ludicrous on witnessing the alarm produced by the anticipation
of the " greenbox."

As is well known, the London Pharmaceutical Society em-
braces all of Great Britain, and being protected by a law which
makes membership in it almost necessary to the Pharmaceutist,
it has a large income and a corresponding influence.

By one of the most remarkable coincidences of the journey, I
happened to call at the rooms for the first time on the very day
of a general meeting of the Society. The occasion was one of
unusual interest, in relation to the "Sale of Poisons, &c. Bill"
before Parliament, and a large number were collected, so that I
could scarcely have had a better opportunity of meeting with the
fraternity than was thus accidentally afforded.

Hon. Jacob Bell, President of the Society, was in the chair, and
first addressed the meeting, detailing the action of the Council
of the Society in regard to the proposed legislation, holding
up the evil consequences which must result if the bill before the
House of Lords should become a law, and urging upon the mem-
bers a combined and vigorous action against it.

The President is a spare man, of about medium height, with a
quick and enthusiastic style of speaking, and a clear and well

6

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

connected course of argument. His assertions were well forti-
fied by an array of facts collected with great industry and per-
severance, and the earnestness of purpose which pervaded his
speech excited a corresponding zeal in his hearers ; this was
evinced at intervals by the exclamation, hear, hear, which, as I
heard it for the first time in a public meeting, excited the liveli-
est enthusiasm.

The noble Lords who had prepared the " Sale of Poisons,
&c. Bill," were not spared in the course of these remarks; they
were spoken of as being wholly unacquainted with the subject,
and as not having endeavored to inform themselves by applying
in the right quarter for aid. If he, the worthy President, had
been called upon to draw a bill for the regulation of shoemakers,
he should not have done so till he had put himself in communi-
cation with persons who understood the trade, so as to qualify
him to draw their bill properly.

The gross blunders in the bill were pointed out in detail ; its
inefficiency to protect the public, and its tendency to weaken the
profession of Pharmacy, by throwing the trade in poisons into
the hands of any who should submit to the insufficient examina-
tion which it proposed as the only qualification for the respon-
sible office now belonging almost exclusively to the druggists
and chemists.

The selection of one physician, one apothecary, and one phar-
maceutist, as the proposed Examiners to determine the fitness
of the shopkeeper to deal in poisons, was also urged as an ob-
jectionable feature ; the old grudge against the graduates of
Apothecaries' Hall was here conspicuous, while no objection was
urged against the College of Physicians occupying the position
they already enjoy in England of censors over our profession.
American pharmaceutists have long since declared their inde-
pendence of the doctors ; and indeed to the attempted inter-
ference of a medical school with the education of pharmaceu-
tists, the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy owes its origin. In
this country the physician enjoys no further right to interfere
with the pharmaceutist in the exercise of his calling, than the
pharmaceutist to determine upon the fitness of the physician.

Among the strongest arguments urged in these remarks against
the proposed new test of fitness for selling poisons, was its in-

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

7

terference with the legitimate objects and duties of the Phar-
maceutical Society. If the bill passed, the effect might be that
parties would go to the Government Board and pass the exami-
nation for half-a-guinea, and thus would the necessary schools of
education be deserted. The President, therefore, urged resistance
to the establishment of a Government Board of Examiners in
whatever shape it might be offered ; if the object was that the
public should not be poisoned, they should confine the sale to the
members of the Pharmaceutical Society ; if the government had
attended to the recommendations of this Society fifteen or
twenty years ago, there would be, at the present time, no ig-
norant men in the business.

Now, all might be called Upon to submit to an examination,
and if they failed in satisfying an irresponsible Board, which
might be influenced by the representations of rival apothecaries,
they would be ruined. This would be exceedingly unjust, and
at variance with precedent, for in the Apothecaries' Act of
1815 every person then in business was exempted from its ope-
ration. In other professions matters were managed differently ;
in abolishing a court of law, for instance, every person inter-
ested had received a pension for life. Now, if all in business as
chemists were offered an adequate pension for life, he thought
many would be glad to retire at once (hear and laughter). With
regard to the registration of the sales of poisons, the Council
had been willing to compromise, but if done as proposed in the
bill, it would take upwards of ten minutes to vend any poisonous
article.

At the close of the President's speech, a spirited discussion
grew up on all the particulars of the bill, which showed on the
part of some of the speakers no little skill in debate. The list
of proscribed poisons was shown to be most incomplete, while it
contained some articles rarely or never used as poisons. Several
speakers from the country towns gave it as their experience dur-
ing a long series of years, that with the ordinary precautions
dictated by prudence in the management of business, accidental
poisoning had rarely or never occurred. The retailing of oxalic
acid by the "pen'orth" seems to be very common with these,
and it was stated, with much reason, that the proposed restric-
ions on the sale of this and other poisons, would lead to the

8

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

purchase of larger quantities at a time and increase the danger
of accidents.

Some differences of sentiment were manifest in regard to the
course of the Council in attempting a modification of the bill,
rather than aiming, from the first, at its total defeat, and the
idea was even thrown out by one, that members of the medical
profession were its secret originators, and that these had too
much influence upon the Council of the Society.

Considerable merriment was produced by the speech of a
broad spoken Scotch member, ridiculing the fogyism of the no-
ble Lords, who having originated nothing of value during the
session, towards its close set themselves about interfering in
this matter for the purpose of gaining a little credit with the
country ; he also adverted to the fact that they had been partial
in limiting the provisions of the bill to England. They had
failed to grasp the thistle, turned aside from the shamrock, and
contented themselves with merely smelling the rose.

The resolutions condemnatory of the act were unanimously
adopted by a show of hands, the English mode of taking the
sense of an assembly, the members rising and holding up both
hands, with the cry, all, all, all, designed to encourage any who
were doubting, to join in the vote.

The reader may imagine with what interest an American phar-
maceutist, accustomed to mingle with the pharmaceutists of his
own country in their convocations, and to hear their relations
to each other, to the medical profession, and to the public, dis-
cussed, would listen to a debate like this, showing the similarity
of trials, of hardships, and of pleasures which attend the ad-
ministration of the same important trusts on opposite sides of
the Atlantic ; and not a few who read this will join in the ex-
ultation which I felt in common with the members of the Lon-
don Pharmaceutical Society, when it was announced that the
obnoxious " Sale of Poisons, &c. bill" was withdrawn without
going into the Commons, in consequence of the outside pres-
sure of the fraternity.

The graduates of Apothecaries' Hall are a very numerous
class in London ; their education, though less comprehensive
and scientific than that of the Medical Colleges, is thorough in
the practical branches ; their examinations are in Latin ; the

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

9

graduates, under the name of apothecaries, practise minor sur-
gery, and prescribe for ordinary diseases, keeping a stock of
medicines, and dispensing these to their own patients and others.

The pharmaceutical chemists, who, in London, number about
six hundred, do not prescribe, but keep shops and dispense
medicines by physicians' prescriptions and otherwise, as with us.
These obtain the diploma of the London Pharmaceutical Society,
by passing an examination conducted by a Board, which is quite
independent of the faculty of the school, nor is an attendance
upon the school requisite before being examined. This arrange-
ment is in strong contrast to the American, which requires at
least two courses of Lectures before the examination is allowed,
and thus keeps up the classes in the schools. A separate Ex-
amining Board exists in Edinburgh, where there ^is no regular
school, though but few applicants present themselves. In
several of the principal cities there are systematic courses of
instruction open to students of pharmacy, facilitating their quali-
fying themselves for these examinations.

In some cases, these are connected with the Medical Schools,
though in others they are conducted with exclusive reference to the
education of Pharmaceutists. In Liverpool, a course of in-
struction is kept up during the winter by Dr. J. B. Edwards, a
competent chemist and pharmaceutist, who has, usually, about
twenty students ; these, after qualifying themselves under his
direction^ may present themselves before the Examining Board
of the parent Society, and obtain the same diploma as the stu-
dents of the London School.

The practical working of the pharmaceutical business was a
subject of so much interest to me, that I lost no opportunity to
acquaint myself with it, and although I feel that it is delicate
ground to tread upon, I shall endeavor to carry the reader a lit-
tle behind the neat exteriors of some of the English shops ; this
I may do with the more freedom, since I saw so much to admire
and approve, and so little that I could wish to suppress.

There is, in London, less show of business in proportion to
the amount done, than with us; some of the most extensive
pharmaceutical establishments will scarcely attract the attention
of a stranger, although many of them have extensive laborato-
ries and storehouses, and arrangements for manufacturing, either
on the same premises with the dispensing shop or elsewhere.

10

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

An American, accustomed to our conspicuous corner stores,
with their large bulk windows, and inviting displays of stock,
would be not a little surprised to visit such an establishment as
that of Allen & Hanburys, Plough Court, Lombard Street.
Entering by a narrow covered passage-way, into a court-yard,
on which are the fronts of several old buildings, built soon after
the great fire of London, which occurred in 1666, in one of
which houses, it is said, Alexander Pope was born, he will find
himself in front of the dispensing shop.

This is furnished with two counters, one on either side, the
longest devoted exclusively to compounding prescriptions, and
the other to the sale of legitimate medicines by retail ; back, is
a small counting-room, and the extensive laboratories, store rooms,
and stairways to the basement and upper stories also communi-
cate with the main shop.

The prescription counter is designed for five or six to be en-
gaged in compounding at one time. To each is appropriated a
certain space, and a separate set of implements, including scales,
which are held by the hand in weighing, and kept in a box when
not in use ; and also a small gas burner for use with sealing
wax, in sealing up packages and vials. The graduated measures,
perhaps twelve in number, were arranged together near a hy-
drant at the end of the counter, and with the other implements
are washed at intervals by a female attendant.

The situation of this store is not in the midst of the dwellings
of the people, but within a few hundred yards of London Bridge,
in the centre of business, among the merchants and bankers,
whose influence extends to the remotest corners of the earth ; and
yet, during the hours of business, from 10 A. M. to 5 P. M.,
the dispensing shop is thronged with customers from all parts of
London and the suburbs, and all hands are busy with prescriptions,
many of which are carried miles to their destination.

The arrangements for dispensing poisons are calculated to se-
cure the public against accident, and to prevent an unfounded
charge of carelessless being established against any of the em-
ployees. All the principal poisons used in compounding pre-
scriptions, are kept in a separate closet adjoining the store, under
lock and key. From this they are to be taken with the cogni-
zance, in each instance, of another of the employees, who com-

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

11

pares the amount weighed or measured with that ordered in the
prescription, so as to be able to testify to the correctness of the
operation. The poisons which, for distinction, are in variously
shaped and colored bottles, are to be immediately afterwards re-
stored to their closet, and it is then locked. In case of an unusual
quantity of a powerful remedy being prescribed, a copy of the
prescription is made in a book, but in ordinary cases no care
of this kind is taken, and the prescription is invariably returned
to the patient, who is considered its owner.

A separate small closet is appropriated to corrosive sublimate,
and to avoid the unnecessary weighing of small quantities, they
keep a concentrated solution of known strength, which is stated
on the label.

On one side of the dispensing shop, and with a separate en-
trance to the court, is a room for the reception of goods, and
for putting up wholesale orders. Into this the purchased arti-
cles are brought daily and placed upon a large counter for exa-
mination by one of the firm, previously to being put away
among the stock. If any article is found deficient in quality, it
is immediately returned to the druggist from whom purchased,
it being in London, as with us, the privilege of the purchaser to
return within a limited time any sophisticated or deteriorated
drug. A private laboratory for the use of the firm in testing
and in experimental research is in the rear of this apartment.
In this and many other large dispensing stores in England, they
make a point of preparing nearly all the preparations, both
chemical and galenical, dispensed at their counters ; a custom
which American pharmaceutists might well imitate. They are
thus able to guarantee more uniformity and excellence in their
medicines than can be secured by those who assume the posi-
tion of ^mere tradesmen, buying and selling preparations of the
quality of which they can have but little certain evidence.

The laboratories of this firm are situated in convenient posi-
tions. One adjoining the dispensing shop is appropriated to in-
fusions ; these are made daily, in the large quantities, generally
half-a-gallon each, which experience has indicated as required by
an ordinary day's business. They are all made by maceration
with hot water.

In the other departments of pharmaceutical manufacture.

12

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

chiefly carried on in the basement, the apparatus used by the
last generation is still employed, and the products issuing from
the old macerating pans, water baths, stills, screw presses, &c,
are good illustrations of the superiority of skill in manipulation
over completeness and perfection in apparatus. Charcoal, and
the bituminous coal so abundant in England, constitute the
fuel, and the heat is, for the most part, applied directly, — not
by the intervention of steam.

In convenient drying closets adjacent to the sources of heat,
and pervaded by a hot atmosphere, I saw opium being dried for
powdering ; colchicum, which is also a leading article, was being
sliced and dried for its various uses. It is not the custom of
this house to make the wine of the fresh corm, as is done by
some ; they believe that it is a more uniform and perfect pre-
paration when the corm has been sliced and properly dried. The
end slices and skins of the corm are not rejected in making this
or the other preparations. The tinctures and wines are kept in
the basement in stone barrels, and drawn off by stop cocks to
fill the shop bottles. Phosphorus is kept in a closet under the
cellar, and the essential oils and acids in appropriate vaults.
Large quantities of cod liver oil were also stowed away in jars ;
this valuable article is one of the important manufactures of this
establishment. It is made from the livers, which are readily ob-
tained in the London market, by placing them in a large 'iron
pan over a coal fire, and heating to about 180p F., stirring
constantly. The oil which exudes is strained and put into the
jars above referred to, and into bottles of various sizes, for sale ;
it is not perfectly clear, nor of so very bright a color as some I
have seen, but enjoys great popularity in London as a reliable
article.

A very superior article of distilled cinnamon water is used in
their dispensing ; the flavor is remarkably fine, from its being
distilled directly from the true cinnamon bark, a drug, of which,
by the bye, we saw many thousands of pounds on storage in the
great spice rooms at the London docks. Aqua Sambuci is
another distilled water very much prescribed and especially
adapted to collyria. In passing through the store rooms, our
attention was arrested by original packages of Jamaica sarsapa-
rilla, which is the kind used exclusively by this house in their

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

13

preparations, — Chiretta, the new East India tonic of the Gen-
tian family, — Sassafras, which is imported in root, instead of the
bark alone which is used with us, — Indian Bael, a new astrin-
gent,— Kamala, the peculiar glandular powder obtained from
Rottleria Tinctoria, upon which D. Hanbury, of this firm, has
written a thoroughly scientific paper; it is a specific remedy for
tape worm, — Lactucarium, which, contrary to my previous ideas,
I find is not made extensively in England, the German arti-
cle being preferred.

The mode of preparing orange peel pursued at this establish-
ment, furnishes a beautiful and very aromatic product ; the fruit
is peeled in a beautiful curled shaving, without taking off the
thick, pulpy, under portion.

Elaterium is made in this establishment, of elegant quality ;
the process employed is nearly that given by Pereira. A large
barrel, almost a hogshead, of confection of senna made by the
process of the London Pharmacopoeia, showed how much greater
demand there is for this preparation in England than with us.
Is not the reason to be found in the inferiority of the article as
produced by our manufacturers ?

Among the antiquities noticed were some old jars, which
have probably been some seventy years in the house ; the labels
on two of them were Biascordium and Ung. Diapomph. (oligos f)

The employees in this establishment are numerous ; perhaps
six " prescription clerks," besides warehousemen, porters and
the female attendant, whose duties include the cooking and ser-
ving of one daily meal, or more, on the premises. Here, as well as
elsewhere, we partook of the generous hospitality of the proprie-
tors,— an opportunity highly prized from the associations which
cluster round Plough Court, and make it classic ground to the
pharmaceutist.

This was long the residence and place of business of the great
and good William Allen, one of the most eminent philanthro-
pists and men of science of his age. A Fellow of the Koyal
Society, and of the Linnsean Society, the friend and co-laborer
of Davy, Dalton, Wollaston, Babington, and that army of ex-
perimental philosophers who gave such an impetus to physical
science at the close of the last and beginning of the present
century,— he was at the same time an active participant with

14

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

Clarkson, Wilberforce, Fox, and others, in those philanthropic
labors which ended in the abolition of the African slave-trade —
with Joseph Lancaster, that pioneer in popular education, in
those enlarged schemes for teaching the masses, to the success
of which society in both hemispheres already owes so much of
progress— with Dr. Jenner, Sir Astley Cooper, and others, in
realizing the beneficent results of the discovery of the antidote
to small pox — and with Elizabeth Fry, and many other ministers
of the Society of Friends, in ameliorating the condition of the
suffering and oppressed, and carrying the consolations of religion
to the abodes of wretchedness and vice.

Plough Court was the scene of William Allen's first efforts as
a lecturer. The Askesian Society, which met here, was in-
tended chiefly for the improvement of its members in philoso-
phical studies, and he soon became a periodical lecturer before
it, chemistry being his theme ; this was followed by an appoint-
ment at Guy's Hospital, and afterwards at the Royal Institu-
tion, in both of which situations he was eminently successful as
a public teacher. To those who are familiar with the origin of
the London Pharmaceutical Society, of which William Allen was
the first President, or who have read the records of his eventful
life, no apology will be necessary for so full a descrip-
tion of the scene of his labors, even though it has occupied
the space which might otherwise have been devoted to some of
the other London pharmaceutical establishments.

Those of Jacob Bell, and Peter Squire, both in Oxford street,
with others in different parts of London, have a reputation on
this side the Atlantic which might call for a similar description
of their arrangements, but in neither case were my opportuni-
ties so ample, and the already unusual length of this paper ad-
monishes me to cut short this part of my subject.

The establishment of Squire is well known in America, as
producing a superior article of extract of Cannabis Indica, a
preparation which has, within a few years, attained a great repu-
tation as an exhilerant narcotic, not liable to the ordinary ob-
jections against this class of remedies. I was informed in Lon-
don, upon the best authority, that this manufacture was deservedly
pre-eminent on account of the facilities of the house for procur-
ing from the East Indies regular supplies of fresh and reliable

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

15

leaves of the plant; those which reach the London market through
other sources are variable and often nearly worthless. At a manu-
facturing laboratory apart from the dispensing shop, they also pro-
duce a great variety of chemical and galenical preparations ; all
of them that I examined appeared worthy the high reputation
of this house. Although honored with the patronage of Her
Majesty, the Queen, the shop is not an elegant nor a very ex-
tensive one. Neither is that of Jacob Bell, which is in the same
neighborhood ; both bear the marks of age, and of having seen
extensive service.

If the reader will next accompany me to Manchester, the
home of John Dalton, he will perceive that the citizens of this
most enterprising of English manufacturing towns have not been
unmindful of the name and fame of the author of the Atomic
Theory. In front of the City Hospital and Infirmary, on the
principal street, stands his statue, and another in the vestibule
of the Royal Institute, both of which are considered remark-
ably faithful representations.

The pharmacy of Manchester seems to present little to re-
mark. Their organization is not well sustained. The physicians
generally appear to compound their own prescriptions, and as a
consequence the science and art are at a low ebb. I visited the
store of Thomas Standring, a member of the Council of the Lon-
don Society, and one of the most eminent of our profession.
This is the only pharmaceutical store I visited in England
having a mineral water drawing apparatus on the counter ;
it is little used, however, and has no ice-box attached. The
principal manufacture of soda water is for bottling ; this is
done on the old plan of a force pump, worked by hand. The
quality of the article produced is, however, represented as ex-
cellent, and a great deal is sold by wholesale as well as drawn
from bottles at the counter. Some elegant « galenical" pre-
parations were shown me at this establishment, and I observed that
the process of displacement is thoroughly understood and prac-
tised. None of the remedies put up for sale are labelled with
a description of the diseases for which they are prescribed,
the reason of which is, that government imposes a tax, assessed
in the shape of a stamp, on all medicines so recommended.

Among the numerous manufactories visited at Manchester,

16 PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

none had a more practical interest for me than the chemical
works of Roberts, Dale & Co., Cornbrook Holme. The chief
products of this establishment are connected with dyeing and
calico printing ; in addition to murexide already spoken off the
following are remembered as interesting : —

The protochloride and perchloride of tin were made in large
earthen vessels adjoining each other ; the N05 used for perox-
idizing the metal in preparing the perchloride being decom-
posed and given off, as N02 was passed into the other to ac-
complish its deoxidation. Oxalic acid is made under their own
patent, by calcining together wood and caustic alkali, which
produces oxalate of the alkali, a very soluble salt, easily ob-
tained in solution, decomposed, and the acid separated and crys-
tallized.

Nitric acid is distilled in the usual way, liberated from ni-
trate of soda by sulphuric acid, and the refuse sulphate of soda
is conveyed to another v^orks, where it is converted into carbonate
of soda ; the apparatus for distillation is of stone, the receivers
being arranged like Woulf's bottles. Large quantities of soap are
made in this establishment ; I observed nothing peculiar, how-
ever, in the process. An arrangement for the distillation of
acetic acid, which they make from acetate of lime of commerce
by muriatic acid, struck me as economical of space and very
convenient ; from the still, which is near one corner of the room,
rises a tube, which passes round the entire wall near the ceiling,
at a slight inclination, being surrounded by a closed trough of
cold running water, by which the acid is effectually condensed, and
poured out at a suitable position into the vessels provided. The
acid requires further rectification.

The manufacture of starch and British gum is on a large
scale. Wheat is the material employed for producing the better
qualities of starch ; the flour is fermented, mixed with a large
body of water, and transferred to shallow vats, slightly inclined
so as to run off the refuse, and allow the pure starch to deposit.
The refuse is used as a size by calico printers.

Inferior qualities of starch are made from rice and a crude
sago found in the London market; the latter requires only bleach-
ing ; they are said to lose their gloss more readily by moisture.
Blueing starch, which is accomplished by diffusing in it a minute
quantity of ultra-marine, improves it for laundry uses.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES ON TRAVEL.

17

British gum is made by pouring a very thin layer of dry starch
into a highly heated iron cylinder, twenty feet long by about
one foot in diameter, inclined downwards towards the lower ex-
tremity, and revolving rapidly so as to prevent charring ; the
product which drops out at the lower end, after traversing a sin-
gle length of the cylinder, has acquired the properties of a gum,
and is extensively employed in finishing textile fabrics. Great
quantities of flake white are also produced in these works ; this
is a mixture of alum and chalk, and when thrown down with red
color, extracted from Brazil wood, constitutes rose pink.

Large displacement cylinders are used for extracting oak bark
and dye woods; they are connected with the boilers so as to have
the advantage of steam pressure, and the decoctions are passed
successively through different cylinders filled with the ground
wood. The yield of extract by this process was stated to be
very large.

Before leaving the subject of the last few pages, it becomes
me to acknowledge my obligations to a member of this firm, to
whom I am indebted for much valuable information, and whose
high scientific attainments and practical skill are only equalled
by his liberality and freedom from that niggardly reserve so
often met with among those who avail themselves of the practi-
cal uses of science.

Manchester is a great hive of manufacturing industry ; no-
where have the applications of science to the wants of civilized
man been more thoroughly manifested than in her laboratories
and work-shops. These contribute immensely to swell the
aggregate of the nation's wealth, and through a prosperous com-
merce, to link the Mother Country in lasting friendship with
her American offspring. Long may this continue, and long may
the people of both nations co-operate in the cause of science and
humanity.

We now leave Manchester, and having reached a convenient
stopping-place, must reserve for a future essay, our Pharmaceuti-
cal Notes of Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the far-famed
French Capital.

18

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.

ON ELIXIR CINCHONA, OR ELIXIR OF CALISAYA BARK,
By Alfred B. Taylor.

Prof. Procter: — According to your desire I herewith send
you for publication the Formula for " Elixir Cinchonae," a pre-
paration for which we have recently had a considerable demand.
Take of Best Calisaya Bark, . . 3iv.

Fresh Orange Peel, . . ^ij.
Ceylon Cinnamon,

Coriander seed, aa . 3j.
Anise seed,
Caraway seed,
Cardamom seed,

Cochineal, aa . . . gij.

Brandy, .... Oiiss.
Having bruised the articles well, and allowed them to mace-
rate for 24 hours in sufficient of the brandy to moisten thorough-
ly, transfer to a displacement apparatus, and add the rest of the
brandy ; then displace carefully with a mixture of three parts
of water and one part of alcohol, until six and a half pints of
Tincture are obtained ; to this add two and one half pints of
simple syrup, and mix thoroughly.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.
By Charles A. Bannvart.

Glycerin Water Being frequently requested to make a

preparation of glycerin which could not be objected to on ac-
count of its adhesive character, I found that a mixture of one
drachm of glycerin, with one ounce of rose water, presented
an admirable preparation, possessing all the emollient and sooth-
ing properties so much needed in excoriations. Its worth is
well known to all gentlemen who use it after shaving, and as a
cure for chapped hands it is invaluable.

Powder to roll pills in. — To the question, " What is the best
powder or compound of powders, uniformly to be used in rolling
pills, not required to be masked or coated with sugar, gelatin,
or other substances," I would answer that all inodorous pills are

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.

19

best rolled in lycopodium, because, being very light, extremely
fine and smooth, it gives the pills a uniform appearance, and its
tasteless and inodorous property is very desirable. Where the
bitterness of a pill will be objected to by the palate, it is
well to roll them in a mixture of one part of powdered liquorice
root, to two parts of lycopodium, which will also give an even
surface or coating to the pill, while its taste will be somewhat
disguised.

For quinine pills, however, finely sifted arrow-root ought to
be employed, as it preserves their original white color.

Podophyllin. — What is the correct chemical history of Podo-
phyllin, as regards its solubility in menstrua, its relations to the
alkalies, and other agents, &c, and why may it not be advan-
tageously substituted for extract of jalap in the compound
cathartic pills, and for scammony in the compound extract of
colocynth ?

To this question I would say, that Podophyllin is neutral to
acid and alkalies ; and as to its solubility, its properties are im-
parted to some extent to alcohol, diluted alcohol, water and
ether ; but by combining these menstrua and forming a fluid ex-
tract, of which I will speak presently, a more satisfactory result
is arrived at.

Podophyllin, in its effects, acts as an alterative and cathartic,
and is especially useful where the idiosyncrasy of a patient's
constitution forbids the use of mercurial preparations. It
rouses the liver to vigorous action, stimulates the kidneys, pro-
motes expectoration, augments the glandular functions, and
cleanses the canal of all irritating substances. Its dose, in sub-
stance, as a cathartic, is from one to three grains for a grown
person ; as an alterative, one-fourth of a grain. I may as well
state, that it is entirely from observation that I speak, and
several physicians have kindly given it a trial at my request,
and in all cases with most satisfactory results.

The fluid extract above referred to, was prepared as follows :
— Podophyllin, two ounces, ether, alcohol, sp. gr. »848, water,
syrup of orange peel aa q. s.

1st. — Displace the Podophyllin, previously mixed with an
equal bulk of sand, with ether, until it comes through colorless,
and evaporate it spontaneously.

20

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.

2d.— Exhaust with alcohol and evaporate by water-bath to a
thin syrupy consistence.

3d. — Next displace to exhaustion with the water, and evapo-
rate to a syrupy consistence.

Mix these products, decant, in order to leave behind the inert
waxy matter, filter, and add enough syrup of orange peel to make
the whole measure twelve fluid ounces. Its color is brown, its
taste is somewhat acidulous, acrid, its odor like ipecacuanha,
and its dose as a cathartic is from half to one fluid drachm ; as an
alterative, from ten to twenty drops. Two drachms of it acted
with great energy, producing vomiting and active purging.
The fluid preparations of Podophyllin, on account of their un-
pleasant taste and odor, will never come much into vogue, as
the pillular form presents a more desirable mode of administra-
tion. Its substitution for scammony in the compound

Extract of Oolocynth. — It can readily be substituted, but
being stronger in its effects than scammony, one-half of it will
answer the same purpose as the whole quantity of the scammony
ordered in the formula.

While its cost would remain unchanged, its strength would
be more uniform, which is not always the case when scammony
is employed, owing to the inferior qualities of it used, in the
manufacture of this extract.

The formula is as follows :

Take of Colocynth, sliced and deprived of seeds, six ounces.

Aloes, in powder, twelve "

Podophyllin, two "

Cardamon, in powder, one "

Castile soap, three "

Diluted alcohol, one gallon.

Proceed in the manner directed by the U. S. Ph. Its dose
is, like the old extract, from five to thirty grains, according to
the constitution of the patient.

Podophyllin can likewise be substituted for extract of jalap,
in the preparation of the compound cathartic pills ; and while
it reduces their size three-fourths of a grain each, their cost will
not be augmented, as three drachms of the extract of jalap
amounts to as much as the forty five grains of Podophyllin
which takes its place. (Only one fourth of Podophyllin is used

Oc

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES. A* - 21

in substituting it for extract of jalap, as its remedial strenj
is greater than that of jalap.)

The following is the formula : —
Take of Comp. Ext. of Colocynth, in powder, half an ounce ;

Podophyllin, forty-five grains ;

Calomel, three drachms ;

Gamboge, in powder, forty grains.

Mix them together ; then with water form a mass, to be
divided into one hundred and eighty pills.

These two preparations, unlike the former, will certainly com-
mend themselves to the profession, as the advantage derived
from them is apparent, owing to their uniform strength.

Two or. three pills administered to an adult, will invariably
produce from three to six evacuations, and their operation is
perfectly free from any griping. They operate in from three
to five hours.

Allopathic Sugar Pellets. — Acting upon the suggestion of
Mr. Stearns, in his valuable paper published in the last pro-
ceedings, I present to the Association the following pellets, not
prepared according to so many homoeopathic attenuations, but
containing in a compact, agreeable form, the full dose of the
different valuable remedies they represent.

Aconitia globules, one-hundredth of a grain each.
Atropia, « one-fiftieth, "
Conia, " one-twentieth, "

Digitalin, " one-fiftieth, "
Strychnia, " one-thirty- second, "
Veratria, " one-sixteenth. "
The simple pellets were medicated by saturating them for
twenty-four hours in an alcoholic solution of the respective prin-
ciples, and agitating them in a shallow capsule until the alco-
hol evaporates.

Globules may be prepared thus, from all the different active
principles, and they would certainly be of great service to the
physician, as he could carry, in a small space, all the important
drugs he is now obliged to have in large, cumbersome bottles.
My reason for employing active principles instead of saturated
tinctures or fluid extracts was, to preserve as much as possible

22

WILD CHERRY PASTILS.

the white color of the globules, thus making them pleasing to
the eye.

Note.— In their administration, the physician should be very
careful to note their progress. One is the dose to begin with,
which may be gradually increased, according to the nature of
the case.

Harrisburg, Pa., Nov. 1858.

WILD CHERRY PASTILS.

Ustee?ned Editor, — Below I give a formula for wild cherry lo-
zenges as I have prepared them, which may perhaps be accept-
able to readers of the Journal. I think they will be found
possessed of no pretended merit, nor need they be regarded as
a confection, or as an excuse for a remedy, as lozenges of the
kind usually are.

R>. — Cortex Pruni Virginians, ibj.

Amygdalae Dulcis, ^iij.

Ext. Scillae Acet., gij.

Tinct Tolu, f.gi.

Pulv. Acaciae, 3iv.
Aquae, )

Sp. Vin. Beet, \ m ^ S"

Reduce the wild cherry to a coarse powder, and extract by
percolation, with a sufficiency of the alcoholic menstruum ; the
resulting alcoholic tincture evaporate carefully by a gentle heat
to a syrupy consistence, in which dissolve the ext. squills. Add
the tinct. tolu to the sugar, intimately mix, expose it to a
moderate heat to expel the alcohol ; blanch the almonds, and
reduce in a mortar to a uniform pasty consistence ; add the
gum and the sugar, to which the balsam tolu has previously
been added, and lastly, with this, thoroughly mix the ext, of
wild cherry and squills, and water sufficient to make the proper
consistency. Make pastils, each to contain fifteen grains.

In this preparation we have associated with the squill and
tolu all the valuable constituents of the wild cherry bark in a
concentrated form, without any of the inert matter. In the

CITRATE OP IRON AND STRYCHNIA.

23

process is involved Prof. Procter's suggestion for the development
of the hydrocyanic acid of the bark, by the reaction between the
emulsin of the almonds and the alcoholic extract, and thus we are
enabled to obtain a concentrated medicine of the valuable wild
cherry. Each pastil contains the equivalent of seven and a half
grains of the wild cherry bark, one-half grain of squill and tolu,
equal, or more, to the proportion contained by the ordinary
syrup of tolu. A simple pastil may be prepared by omitting the
squill and tolu.

Wm. R. Warner,
Phila. Nov. 2, 1858. 2d and Girard Avenue.

CITRATE OF IRON AND STRYCHNIA.

By the Editor. j

At a former page of this Journal, we suggested a formula for
citrate of iron and strychnia, in which the proportion of strych-
nia was to the citrate of iron as one to forty-eight. Since
then, Messrs. Rosengarten & Sons have been supplying this
empyrically constituted salt to the trade. In appearance this
salt is the same as the citrate of iron, but in taste, beside the pe-
culiar, slightly ferruginous taste of that salt, is a moderate bit-
terness, due to the strychnia, not, however, so decided as one
would be led to suppose. One reason for again alluding to this
subject, is to bring forward the following letter from a sub-
scriber, and to suggest, that in a preparation containing strych-
nia there should be no variation of strength, as made by one
manufacturer and another. Our readers will perceive that
Mr. Heinitsh makes the salt of just one-half the strychnia
strength, on the ground that a larger proportional dose of iron
is considered more desirable in the cases to which the salt is
applied, which would make the dose of one-sixteenth of a grain
of strychnia in about six grains of the salt. We should be pleased
to hear the opinions of our medical cotemporaries on this thera-
peutic point, that it may decide the course of apothecaries who
may be called on to prepare the salt. The remarks of Mr.
Heinitsh corroborate those of Dr. O'Connor, in the paper to
which our first notice was appended.

24 SOLUBILITY OF STRYCHNIA IN WATER, ETC.

Lancaster, December 13th, 1858.
To the Editor of the American Joxirnal of Pharmacy. '

Dear Sir : — In the May number of the Journal, p. 276, (1858) you
suggest a formula for citrate of iron and strychnia, the ratio of 1 to 48.

1 have since August last prepared a considerable quantity, which
has been used by Dr. Charles L. Baker, with very great success, in the
treatment of chlorosis, especially when dependent on mental emotions,
or where there has been a total suppression of the menses from any ex-
citement.

I, however, prepare it in the ratio of 1 to 100, and it is prescribed in
conjunction with Tr. Chiretta, or Tr. Chiretta and Fluid Ext. Valerian;
the minimum dose of the citrate being 3 grains, which can be increased
to 5 or 6, or perhaps further, should there be a necessity for more iron,
without giving too large a quantity of the strychnia.

Not knowing whether the next number of the Journal will contain
any articles on this new and I believe very excellent therapeutic re-
medy, may I as& whether you will prepare an article for publication ?
If so, it will be received with great pleasure and profit by the numerous
readers of the Journal, and by

Yours truly, Charles Heinjtsh.

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF STEYCHNIA IN WATER AND ALCOHOL.

Ed Am. Journal of Pharmacy : — Respected Friend,

After considerable hesitation, and lapse of time since the ex-
periments were commenced, we have concluded to call attention,
through the columns of your Journal, to a seeming discrepancy
between the statements of Wood & Bache, page U95, U. S. D.,
upon the solubility of Strychnia, and the results of some expe-
riments instituted to substantiate those statements.

During a conversation upon the properties of Strychnia, Dr.
Haughton, of this city, stated upon the authority of a Pharma-
ceutist (?) residing here, that it was readily soluble in both water
and alcohol. (On inquiring into the method the said pharma-
ceutist employed in producing his solutions, we found that he
placed the strychnia in the solvent, permitted it to remain a
few hours, then filtered, and of course had fine, clear solutions(?)
to exhibit.)

Not feeling satisfied to permit our standard authority to be
thus set at nought, we instituted some experiments, resulting as
follows :

1 gr. strychnia in 1 f.g. water, dissolved sufficiently to render
the water somewhat bitter, but as nearly as we can ascertain

SOLUBILITY OF STRYCHNIA IN WATER, ETC.

25

by drying and weighing the residue, no appreciable weight is
lost, (our scales turning readily with one-tenth gr.)

1 gr. cryst. strychnia, in 1 f.^. each of officinal and absolute
alcohol, in from five to eight days.

1 and 4-5ths gr. cryst. strych. in 1 f.3 absolute alcohol dis-
solved entirely in sixteen days.

i gr. in 1 f.^ ether dissolved in two or three days.

1 gr. in 1 f.g glycerin dissolved completely, all without the
friendly aid of filtering paper.

Our experiments seem to indicate that strychnia, in crystals,
without the aid of heat or agitation, is soluble in about 387
parts officinal alcohol ; 179 parts absolute alcohol, and 682 parts
ether.

The U. S. D., page 1195, says, " It is soluble in 6667 parts
water at 50° * * * Boiling officinal alcohol dissolves it
readily, but deposits it on cooling. Absolute alcohol and ether
dissolve it very sparingly."

Do we interpret this language correctly in supposing them
to mean strychnia is insoluble in officinal alcohol, and less solu-
ble in absolute alcohol and ether than in water. If so, then
our experiments and theirs conflict materially, but as we are
young and unknown, we would respectfully ask some of you to
testify in our behalf, if your experiments will bring you to the
same conclusions.

It may be well enough to state that the full solvent powers
of officinal alcohol and glycerin were not ascertained.

Should you deem this worthy of a place in your columns, please
insert it. If our conclusions are false, you will confer a favor
by destroying them. Respectfully,

Plummer & Kelly.*

[ *Note. — This communication was received as we were in press, and too
late to attempt to verify or disprove the statements it contains. We there-
fore reserve any comment until our next issue. — Ed. Am. Journ.Pha.rm.]

26

ON EXTRACTUM FERRI POMATUM.

ON EXTRACTUM FERRI POMATUM.
By J. M. Maisch.

On the continent of Europe, a preparation is officinal in most
Pharmacopoeias, the virtues of which> reside in the malate of iron
which it contains. As many European physicians in this country
habitually employ it, and neither the United States nor any of
the British Pharmacopoeias recognize it, it may perhaps not be
out of place to say a few words here about the mode of prepar-
ing it and its medicinaluse.

Extractum Ferri Pomatum, Extr. Malatis Ferri, or Ext. Ferri
Malici, is prepared by digesting one part of iron with from four to
sixteen parts of unripe very tart apples, mashed to a pulp, or
their expressed juice, for the space of several days, then express-
ing the mass, straining the liquor and evaporating it to the
consistency of an extract. In selecting a method for its prepa-
ration, preference should be given to the employment of the pulp
of apples, as in this case a closer and more continued contact
with the iron is insured ; and on occasionally stirring the mass,
atmospheric air is admitted and retained by the pulp, whereby
the oxidation of the iron is promoted. By most Pharmacopoeias,
pure iron filings are ordered, but that of Prussia, probably fear-
ing a contamination with copper, directs iron wire, though from
the presence of copper in the filings it should hardly be inferred
that this poisonous metal could be retained in solution, as the
large excess of iron must precipitate it during its long contact
with the pulpy mass ; besides, if the neutral liquor is heated to
the boiling point the dissolved copper will be partly precipitated as
an insoluble basic malate of copper. Such an impurity, however,
for the reason stated before, cannot occur if the manipulation has
been conducted right, and the employment of otherwise clean
iron filings is therefore admissible. Another, and the most im-
portant point in which the Pharmacopoeias differ, is the subse-
quent treatment of the expressed and strained liquor during the
process of inspissation. While some Pharmacopoeias direct it to
be conducted in an iron vessel to the thickness of an extract,
others order to boil the liquor for some time in an iron vessel,
strain it and afterwards evaporate it to the proper consistency

a porcelain dish. By the first of these methods it is evident

ON EXTRACTUM EERRI POMATUM.

27

that the iron will be retained in the state of protoxide while the
same object is accomplished by the second method until the
evaporation is carried on in a porcelain dish, when an oxida-
tion of at least a part of the iron to sesquioxide is unavoidable.
The extract is very often given in solution, by itself, and as
an addition to mixtures ; it is therefore desirable to have it in
such a state as to form a perfect solution of such a stability as not
to cause a precipitate of oxide of iron, or otherwise to deteri-
orate. The malate of the protoxide of iron is hardly known yet,
but is said not to be so easily soluble as the same salt of the ses-
quioxide of iron, and in accordance with that chief object of ob-
taining an extract of perfect solubility and stability, it must be
aimed at to get rid of all those constituents of apple juice, which
like albumen, would tend to deterioration, and to obtain much of
the iron in the state of sesquioxide. All this is gained by the
latter part of the process of the Prussian Pharmacopoeia, which
directs an evaporation in a porcelain dish at a temperature which
would coagulate albumen, and a redissolving of the extract, fil-
tering and again evaporating. The extract prepared in this way
is of a greenish black color, is entirely soluble in water, without
forming any precipitate on standing or on exposure to the air ; it
contains both proto- and sesquioxide, probably the magnetic Ox-
ide of iron. The directions of the Prussian Pharmacopoeia may
therefore be followed with some slight modifications, and the pro-
cess will then be as follows :

Take of unripe apples, peeleds'and mashed to a pulp 6 lbs ; clean
iron filings Jib, mix and digest, stirring occasionally until the pulp
has but a slight acid reaction, express the liquor, strain and evap-
orate it at a temperature not exceeding 163° F., stirring con-
stantly to the consistence of an extract ; redissolve this in four
times its weight of distilled water, filter and again evaporate with
the precaution mentioned, to the proper consistence.

The liquid preparation of this extract is called Tinctura Ferr
Pomati s. Pomata, and is obtained by dissolving one part of the ex-
tract in six parts by weight of vinous cinnamon water, which con-
tains nearly J its weight of alcohol. This tincture is of a green-
ish black color, with a brown tinge and of a sweetish, slightly
stiptic taste; it remains clear without separating any sediment.

The active constituent of these preparations is the malate of
iron, mixed with some sugar and extractive matter ; it is one of

28

ON THE MEDICINAL PLANTS OF MICHIGAN.

the very mildest chalybeates, only slightly astringent, easily
digestible and assimilated, and for these reasons has been and
still is highly esteemed in Europe, and is much employed for all
diseases which require a mild ferruginous remedy ; the only draw-
back, if it may be considered as such, and which from the nature
of the preparation cannot be avoided, is the uncertainty of the
amount of iron it contains, as prepared from different apples and
from apples of varying maturation ; this variableness, however,
is partly counteracted by the second dissolving and evaporation
of the extract. The fact of its being a salt of malic acid, which
is an ingredient in many wholesome fruits, might be an induce-
ment to try its effects, inasmuch as the pure acid, and likewise
the salts prepared from it, would command so high a price as to
exclude almost all possibility of making use of the same in medi-
cine.

All those chemical and pharmaceutical preparations which are
incompatible with the iron salts generally, are also incompatible
with the impure malate of iron ; acids, especially the mineral
and stronger organic acids, and their acid salts, set the malic
acid free ; the salts of many of the heavy metals, zinc, lead, mer-
cury, silver, form insoluble precipitates ; remedies containing tan-
nic acid are inadmissible on account of the precipitation of tan-
nate of iron, but caustic alkalies and their carbonates do not pre-
cipitate the oxide of iron, and are therefore chemically not in.
compatible with this preparation.

The dose of the extract is from about 5 to 10 grains ; of the
tinctures from 30 to 60 drops several times a day in the form of
pills and mixture.

Philadelphia, December 1858.

EXTRACTS FROM A REPORT ON THE MEDICAL PLANTS
OF MICHIGAN.
By F. Stearns.
Abies balsamea. Balsam of Fir.
Abies Canadensis. Hemlock, or Hemlock Spruce.
Abies nigra. Black Spruce.
Trees of the order Pinaceae abound in the greatest profusion
throughout both peninsulas, especially in the north ; the A. bal-

ON THE MEDICAL PLANTS OF MICHIGAN.

29

samea forms one of the most beautiful of ornamental shade trees,
from its perfect proportions and graceful form ; its juice, which
is so much employed as a stimulant, expectorant, and vulnery,
is collected in the northern peninsula, by the Ojibway Indians
to some extent, but more profitably by the attachees of the Hud-
son's Bay Co. The Indian method of collecting it is very prim-
itive, and consists of piercing the external hardened coating of
the blister-like exudations of juice, and receiving the contents in
bottles. Prepared in this way, it is of a beautiful, clear, light-
straw color, and of a pleasant, aromatic odor.

The A. Canadensis, besides a valuable timber, yields a bark
important to the tanner, the inner portion of which is often used
in medicine for its astringency, and also the commercial oils of
hemlock and spruce, and hemlock gum, or Canada pitch. The
habitat of this tree is usually near streams, and in swampy spots,
growing with the tamarac, from which it is easily distinguished by
the fact of its losing its leaves in the spring, while the latter
loses them in the fall.

There are two methods of collecting the resin of the hemlock,
one of which consists of cutting cup-like incisions into the body
of the living tree, and removing the soft resin as it exudes ; the
other, and most common one, is to remove the wood and bark
around the knobs or knots of the felled trees, which are rich in
resin ; these being placed in water in a large kettle, the resin is
boiled out, and rising upon the top is skimmed off and further
purified by remeltingand straining. The product of this method
is not so good as that by the former one, the heat to which it is
exposed necessarily driving off much of the essential oil. Not
content, however, with making this gum by an inferior method,
the collectors often put their gums into market sophisticated
with common resin to the extent of seventy per cent. The com.
mercial oils of spruce and hemlock are one and the same thing ;
and are distilled from the boughs of the Abies Canadensis. The
mode of proceeding is as follows, related to me by Mr. David
Bales, of Livingston County, who does a large business in distil-
ling the oil. The trees are cut dowTn and the boughs collected
only ; these are cut up fine and subjected to a distillation with
water, in a portable copper still and worm, capable of holding
about one hundred gallons, which is so arranged that it can be
transported in the woods, and erected quickly upon a temporary

\

30 OF THE MEDICAL PLANTS OF MICHIGAN.

arch ; two pails full of boughs (about 8 lbs.) are calculated to yield
one ounce of oil, or about three pints to one running of the still,
which occupies from thirteen to twenty-four hours, according to
circumstances, (fuel, wind, etc.) The distilling is done only in
winter, when the tree is richest in oil, and labor is cheapest ;
the price which the oil brings in market, is from twenty-five to
forty cents per pound, upon the average. I understand that
large quantities of hemlock oil are distilled in Madison Co.,
New York ; I believe the Association a year or so ago asked in-
formation upon the manufacture of hemlock oil without success.
The younger branches of the hemlock spruce are employed in
domestic practice for making stimulating fomentations. From
the A. nigra is made the essence of spruce, from which spruce
beer was formerly made ; I believe the leaves can be used for
the same purpose.

Carya amara. Bitter-nut Hickory.

" poroina. Pig-nut Hicory.

" sulcata. Shellbark Hickory.
Ind.; abundant in S. of L. P.* Besides the value of this genus
as timber, the leaves are aromatic and astringent, and the bark
contains evidently a valuable bitter (tonic) principle, as may be
inferred from the following. Mr. Caflinbury, of Constantine,
St. Joseph Co., in a communication to me upon another subject,
states as follows : " I think I have discovered that the inner
bark of the common wild hickory (probably C. amara, F. S.)
possesses an active stimulant and tonic virtue, that may be
U3ed successfully as a febrifuge. But not being a physician or
pharmaceutist, and never having had an opportunity of making
a scientific analysis of its chemical nature, I am not prepared to
speak with certainty, and base my opinion upon experience, a
few incidents of which I will present. Ten years ago I was af-
flicted with indigestion, attended with its usual concomitants,
acidity of the stomach, morbid appetite, flatulency, diarrhoea,
etc. I attributed this to the habitual use of tobacco, which, if
not the prime cause of the disease, was an agent in its aggrava-
tion. As a substitute for the tobacco I selected the inner bark
of the hickory on account of its pungent, saccharine and drastic
qualities, I soon found my health improving, and that although

*L. P. Lower Peninsular; U, P. Upper Peninsular,

OF THE MEDICAL PLANTS OF MICHIGAN.

31

I resumed and continued the use of tobacco, I was rarely visited
with indigestion ; and if occasionally visited with the symptons,
from having over eaten or having eaten of too rich or unwhole-
some food, that to chew the hickory bark and swallow its juice
it would stimulate the stomach to action and correct the gastric
fluid.

This success led me to prepare a strong fluid tincture of the
bark, by cutting it small and putting it into pale Otard brandy.
My children (three of them) were at the time sick with the dis-
ease then prevalent in this region, arising from malarious at-
mosphere, and known as chill fever. I gave them of this tinc-
ture three times a day, and in two days they were well. The
next year I gave it to them after the first paroxysms, and a se-
cond one did not occur ; since then I have used no other reme-
dy in my family for ague, fever and other bilious diseases, and al-
ways with like success. Upon my recommendation many others
have used it with like success. Many have steeped the bark
and have used the infusion thus obtained, instead of the tincture.
Infusion in water seems to dissolve the active matter, as the tea
thus made produced the same effect as did the tincture.

From this experience, I am led to believe that an extract
might be obtained from the bark of the hickory tree that would
take the place of quinia in the treatment of bilious diseases, re-
sulting from the derangement or morbid action of the liver, and
the digestive system generally.

The genus Carya belongs to the order Juglandacese, of which
the family Juglans are employed in medicine, but the authori-
ties do not give any medical power to the Carya at all, and it
may be that Mr. Caffinbury's experience is valuable to the pro-
fession.

G-aultheria procumbens. Wintergreen.
This beautiful little plant is ind,, and exceedingly abundant
throughout the upper portion of L. P., and the whole of the U.
P. ; so much so, that in many townships it covers the ground al-
most to the exclusion of the ordinary grasses and common wild
plants ; its delicately colored and flavored berry, in spring, forms
the favorite food for a great variety of feathered creatures, and
it is apparent that the distillation of the essential oil could be
most profitably carried on in this State by means of the porta-

32

ON THE MEDICAL PLANTS OF MICHIGAN.

ble still", mentioned under the head of Abies, for distilling oil of
hemlock. Large quantities of the berries are annually offered
for sale in Detroit, and are simply eaten as a relish. The unu-
sual abundance of this plant has occasioned a great variety of
names being applied to it ; one gentleman jokingly stated, that
he seriously thought of publishing a small quarto volume of them.
The following are a few of them, as employed by the people in
the Wintergreen districts : Partridge Berry, Deer Berry, Aro-
matic Wintergreen, Three-leaved Wintergreen, Teaberry, Check-
erberry, Roxberry, Wintergreen, Common Wintergreen, Pigeon
Berry, Mountain Tea, etc.

The berries and leaves are both used for their pleasant aro-
matic, stimulating powers, but the essential oil is the product
most used, and by which only is it known in medicine.

Vlmus fulva. Slippery Elm or Red Elm.

Ind. The U. fulva is very abundant throughout the middle
and south of L. P. Hundreds of tons of the valuable inner
bark of this tree are collected and sent East every year from our
State. The following is a statement of the manner of curing,
etc., this bark, as related by a person who makes it a livelihood*
The Indian name in Michigan is Sharscope ; time to commence
collecting is 15th of May, continuing about six weeks. Best
way to dry the bark is to nail up the large pieces in a room
heated by a stove, or else in the direct sunlight. Must be kept
from rains and dew. Requires about three days to thoroughly
dry in favorable circumstances. The larger trees afford the
most brittle and thick white bark, which if white brings the high-
est price, but which is not best for medicinal use, as the tough,
stringy, thin bark affords the best and most mucilage. About
half the weight of the green bark is wasted in drying. The
Indians are usually paid one cent per pound for collecting the
green bark, and the price of the bark when brought into market
varies from five to ten dollars per cwt. In grinding the tough
bark it yields two-thirds of its weight of superfine flour, and the
balance is coarse ligneous powder suitable for cataplasms. I
believe that considerable slippery elm bark is exported.

Proceedings Am. Pharm. Association. —1^8.

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

33

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.
By Frederick Stearns, of Detroit.

You are all aware how conspicuous a place is occupied in
our list of the Materia Medica by the essential oils, and doubt-
less that, of those largely produced in the United States, the
oil of the Mentha Piperita is the most important, both in its
relation to Medicine and to Commerce ; and I further venture
to say that, among those essential oils, there is no one of them
concerning which so little is generally known of its history, cul-
ture, and production, as of this of which my paper treats.

The Association having invited reports from its members
upon subjects of similar character, I trust that the following
remarks, which relate more particularly to the introduction of
the culture of peppermint into Michigan, the methods there
employed for growing the plant, and the processes of distilling
its oil, may prove of interest and value.

For the last ten years, the largest proportion of the oil of
peppermint produced in the world, has been sent from one
county (St. Joseph) in the south-western part of Michigan.
The plant was cultivated for its oil in New York and in Ohio
for many years previous to its first introduction into this State,
but, from want of sufficient and authentic data, I am unable to
give you any account of its early cultivation in those States,
and will therefore confine my remarks, principally, to that por-
tion of its history and culture which relates to the State in
which I reside.

It was first introduced into St. Joseph County in 1835, by
Calvin Sawyer, who brought the roots from Ohio, and made
the first plantation on Pigeon Prairie, in the township of White
Pigeon. In the spring of 1836, two farmers, named White and
Earl, procuring roots from Calvin Sawyer, made plantations
on the same prairie, and in the same township. In 1837, the
number of plantations was increased by others ; and in 1838,
Marshal Craw and Lewis Ranney commenced its culture on
burr oak soil, in Florence township of the same county. In
the soil of these burr oak openings, as they are termed (being
rich, loamy, and gently undulating, covered here and there
with a scant growth of the burr, or scrub oak), the Mint was

34 THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OP MICHIGAN.

found to produce better than on the prairie soil, where it not
only required more labor to cultivate it, but was often unprofit-
able, from the roots being winter-killed, occasioned by the
snow being blown off the level fields, and thus exposing the
ground to the influence of the frost ; its cultivation being aban-
doned on the prairies, it was thereafter limited to the township
of Florence, where it has principally been cultivated ever since,
there being but little over one hundred acres employed in Mint,
outside of St. Joseph County, in the whole State.

During the first year of its production, the oil was purchased
by the village merchants, and exchanged in New York City for
merchandise suited to their trade. As the product increased,
these merchants acted as agents for eastern dealers, who
bought, sold or exported it, shipping it to Europe, where it
was principally disposed of in the Liverpool market.

The Mint oil being a fancy product, and not a substantial
staple commodity of commerce, the surplus, after our own and the
European market was supplied, was of little value until there
occurred a new demand. Asa natural consequence, competi-
tion in speculation upon its purchase and sale in the City of
New York became hazardous, there being many houses more or
less engaged in the business. At this time (about 1844) the
house of Patterson, Stone & Co., in that city, adopted the fol-
lowing enterprise, with the view of monopolizing the trade in
Mint oil :

This house first sent an agent to Europe, to determine the
amount of the demand in the Liverpool market. This he did,
and ascertained it to be about 12,000 pounds per annum. They
then sent another agent west, to determine the amount of the
product annually. This agent found plantations in Wayne and
other counties in Western New York ; others still larger in the
counties of Ashtabula, Geauga, and Cuyahoga, Ohio ; and final-
ly those of Florence in this State. The plantations in New
York did not produce enough, those in Ohio too much, and
those in Florence just about the quantity required to supply
the Liverpool market. He consequently entered into contract
with the producers in New York and Ohio, whereby he bound
them under heavy penalties to plow up their Mint fields, and
destroy the roots, and not plant any more Mint or sell or give

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

35

away any roots, or produce or sell any Mint oil for the period
of five years, and paid them one dollar and fifty cents per acre
as a bonus for so doing. He then contracted with the produ-
cers of St. Joseph County to pay them two dollars and fifty
cents for their Mint oil, delivered at such agencies as he estab-
lished in the county for that purpose, for a like period of five
years, binding them under heavy forfeitures not to sell roots to
any one, not to extend their own plantations themselves, and to
deliver every ounce of Mint oil produced by them to the agents
under the contract. These contracts continued to be observed
for about three years, by the producers, when the house having
gained the desired end of this monopoly, a large fortune, ceased
to enforce the contracts, which, by this time, were not greatly
regarded or observed by the producers. By this time, also
many of the producers had amassed fortunes from their Mint
product, retired from the business, and seeded down their farms ;
other fields had run out, and new ones converted into Mint
fields; the production of the oil again became general, and has
since continued so, but limited mostly to Florence.

I will now proceed to state the method of culture, and the
minutiae concerning the distillation of the oil.

The Peppermint plant requires a deep, rich, warm soil. The
opening lands of Southern Michigan, which are mixed with
sand, black loam, and some clay, are most productive in oil, if
not in quantity of herb to the acre. The ground is prepared
by deep plowing and harrowing, as for oats, potatoes, or other
summer products, in early spring, say from the middle of April
to the 20th of May, or as soon as an acre or so can be plowed
to commence with, in order to get the roots of the Mint planted
before they begin to sprout. The ground is furrowed as for
potatoes, with the furrows fifteen, eighteen, or twenty-four inches
apart. The roots are prepared by plowing up an old field of
Mint ground, from which they are raked out with rakes, potato
hooks, etc., loaded on a wagon like a load of straw, and drawn
to the new Mint ground. The best roots are taken from fields
planted the preceding year, and it requires about one acre of
such to furnish roots enough to plant ten acres anew. The
planter goes to the stack of Mint-roots in the corner of the field,
or wherever they may have been deposited, fills a bag half full

36

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

of them (which are light), swings it over his neck, and under his
left arm ; taking a bunch of roots from the bag, he holds it in
his left hand, passes along a furrow, tearing off a root, or a
small parcel of the roots, as is most convenient, from the bunch
in his left hand, he drops it, or them, into the furrow, covering
them with his right foot, and stepping on them with his left
one, as he proceeds. It is an object to plant the roots so thick
in the furrow as to form a continuous connection, or chain.
This is called » setting Mint." A man will set from half to
three-quarters of an acre in a day.

As soon as the Mint is seen above ground, usually in three
or four weeks, the horse and cultivator (the common corn culti-
vator) are introduced, and followed by the hoe. This process
is repeated twice or three times. When the Mint has grown
and spread to the size of rows of beach leaves or half grown po-
tatoes, the hoe is again plied for the last time, in the early
part of August, and this completes the culture of the crop.
This keeps down the indigenous weeds, and when the mower
goes into the field, in the latter part of the same month, he finds
the ground nearly, if not entirely, covered with Mint.

The cutting and distilling commences about the 25th of Au-
gust, and continues until the 1st of October, during which period
the plant is in full inflorescence, and the lower leaves begin
to growT sere. If the season has been unusually dry, and there
comes a rain, the Mint is allowed to stand from one to three
weeks longer than if otherwise, as it is rendered more produc-
tive of oil — wet seasons being considered more favorable than
dry ones. It is cut the first year by a cradle with two fingers,
and grass scythe. It is raked together in small cocks, where
it is suffered to wilt ten or twelve hours. If convenient, wilt-
ing the plant, besides increasing the yield of oil slightly,
enables the operator to get it more compactly into a smaller
compass. From the cock, it is taken to the distillery, which
will be hereafter described.

The next year there is nothing to do to the Mint field but to
cut and distill its product. During this (the second year), a
few weeds make their appearance, but not to the injury of the
crop, though the most careful of the Mint-growers go through
their fields, and destroy them as much as possible. The second

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

37

year the stalk or stem of the Mint is coarse, and the leaves not
so abundant as before, so that the second crop is not so produc-
tive as the first.

The third year there is nothing to do but to harvest and dis-
till the Mint. The stem is coarser than before, and the leaves
still less abundant. The weed this year abounds, and if not re-
moved and destroyed (a task involving much labor), half or more
of the product of the field is weed, and the yield of oil and herb
consequently reduced to one-half, or less than one-half, that of
the first year.

The fourth year, the field is plowed up early in the spring.
This, in a measure kills the weed, (this " renewing," as it is
called, is sometimes done the third year, and every following
third year until the field is employed for other crops,) the bro-
ken roots send up new and tender shoots, and a fair crop is
again obtained without any further labor than plowing the
field.

The fifth year, without any further attention, produces a
crop equal to the second ; after which, the field is pastured and
reclaimed for other crops.

The first year produces the best quality of oil, the highest
yield per acre, and the greatest yield to the quantity of
herb.

Some few Mint-farmers raise the plant from the seed, care-
fully cultivating the ground, and protecting the young shoots
from the early frosts, the Mint not being cut until the second
year of its growth from the seed. Those who operate in this
manner, usually re-set their fields every two years, planting
them with new Mint, raised in a nursery, from the seed. Others
still, plant the roots in the fall, after the crop is gathered, cul-
tivate and hoe it in the spring following, until it reaches the
height of a foot or so. After the crop is gathered, the Mint
stubble is again plowed under, and harvested the second season
without cultivating or hoeing.

The weed which has been mentioned is the only one the plan-
ter has to contend with after the first year's cultivation, and
there is no means of entirely subduing it. After the first year,
the Mint roots, which naturally tend to the surface, and the
stems, which naturally tend to seek the earth, and root in it

38 THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

from the joints, form a superficial network over the whole field,
suppressing every other weed, and leaving no means of subduing
this weed, without injuring the crop. This weed is known by
the several names of Horse-tail weed, Qows-tail, Mares-tail,
Fieldbroom, Bitterweed, and Fireweed; its botanical name, Er#ch-
■ thites liieracifolius. It grows throughout the United States
in moist woods, and in the rank soil of recent clearings ; its
odor is peculiar, and somewhat disagreeable, depending upon a
volatile oil. It is employed somewhat in medicine, particularly
by the Eclectics. This plant, after it gains a foothold in the
Mint field, the third year, is accompanied by June grass, both
of which are cut with the Mint and go into the process of dis-
tillation with it. The Fireweed yields an essential oil of no
value, which is pungent and somewhat bitter. It is the only
plant which grows with the Mint that yields an essential oil.
It is somewhat difficult to detect in the Mint oil, unless mixed in
the ratio of more than fifty per cent., except by the specific
gravity of the mixed oil ; the pure Fireweed oil requires eigh-
teen fluid ounces to weigh one pound avoirdupois, L e. a quantity
of weed oil equal to one pound of Mint oil in bulk weighs but
fourteen ounces avoirdupois.

It will be seen from the foregoing that this weed oil finds its
way into a very large proportion of the oil of Peppermint pro-
duced, either by accident or design. It has indeed often been
used by unscrupulous persons and producers in adulterating
their Mint oil ; some have been known to distill it pure, for that
purpose, from the weed gathered in waste fields and fallow
grounds.

The Fireweed oil, spirits of turpentine and high proof alcohol
constitute the only materials known, that are used in adulterat-
ing the pure Mint oil ; though it may be presumed that bland
fixed oils are often used for the same purpose. The odor, and
less specific gravity of the weed oil best serves to detect its
presence in Mint oil, as also that of turpentine. Washing it
with water will remove the greater portion of the alcohol from
oil adulterated with it. Any fixed oil contaminating it, is de-
tected by the greasy stain such mixed oil leaves upon paper, and
is removed by re distillation. The specific gravity of pure oil
Peppermint when fresh is 0-902.

THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN. 39

It is usually of a pale yellow color, sometimes almost white,
or of a slight greenish tint; as it grows old it becomes more or
less oxidized, and assumes a reddish color.

The precautions necessary to produce a superior product,
both as to quantity and quality, are —

1st. To distill, from new or young Mint, the first crop of rich
and well cultivated land.

2d. Tight and well constructed apparatus.

3d. Cutting, wilting, and distilling the plant in still dry
weather, as much oil may escape, on account of its great vola-
tility, before it reaches the still, in windy weather, and before
it can be wilted in damp, cloudy, or rainy weather. The pro-
cess of distilling is facilitated much by wilting the herb, as the
bulk being thereby reduced from one-third to one-half, the
greater quantity can be compressed into the same capacity of
the vessel used in the process of distillation.

4th. Good dry and well-preserved fuel is necessary, which,
from its great combustibility, will generate steam the most ra-
pidly.

The apparatus used in distilling the oil is —

1st. A boiler with a flat bottom of boiler iron, and a circular
top of sheet iron. The boiler is about nine feet in length, and
thirty inches in diameter, with three flues six inches each in di-
ameter. The boiler is set upon a brick arch, which receives the
fuel.

2d. A well and hand-pump to supply the boiler and other ap-
paratus hereinafter described.

3d. A round tub, made of pine or whitewood staves, hooped
with iron bands ; the staves from one and a half to two inches
thick, the tub four feet six inches deep, and six feet in diameter.
This tub is set up from the ground from three to six inches, on
bricks or wooden blocks ; one-half or one-third of the top, or
head, is constructed with the tub — that is, it is set in a groove
in the staves like a barrel head, leaving an aperture of half or
two-thirds of the circumference of the top. To this aperture is
fitted a movable lid, which shuts down tightly, and can be, when
shut down, made steam-tight by means of oakum stuffing.

4th. A cooler ; being a large tub, set two feet from the
ground, filled with water, and containing a worm of tinned-

40 THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

iron, about one hundred feet long, the lower end of which pro-
jects through one side of the cooler, about three inches from
the bottom ; the upper end of the worm connects by a pipe of
similar material, with the top of the first described tub, which
tub is called "the steam tub," or "still."

5th. A receiver of tin, placed under the opening of the lower
end of the worm. The receiver is eighteen inches deep, and ten
inches in diameter ; from the bottom of this there issues a dis-
charging pipe at an angle of about 25°, similar to the spout of
a coffee pot, and extends at that angle to its extremity, which
stands at an elevation of an inch or two below the top of the re-
ceiver. A tube or pipe extends from the top of the boiler to
the bottom of the steam tub, or still.

The whole structure is generally covered with a temporary
shed, for protection against the weather — this covering being
open upon the sides. Underneath the covering is erected a
plank floor, twelve or fifteen feet square, to receive the Mint.
This floor stands at a level with the top of the steam tub, or
still.

After the boiler has been supplied with water, the fire is
started in the arch, the Mint has been drawn in from the cock,
and deposited on the plank floor, from whence it is pitched with
a hay fork into the still, and packed down as it is thrown in,
by one of the hands, who goes into the tub for that purpose, and
packs it with his feet until the still can receive no more. This
is called a "charge." The movable lid is then adjusted, and
the steam applied from the boiler. The essential oil of the Mint
passes with the steam into the worm ; is condensed with it,* and
passes into the receiver, where it rises to the top of the water.
As the receiver gets filled, the water constantly escapes by the
spout, while the oil is dipped off, and placed in cans ready to
receive it. When the charge is exhausted, and yields no more
oil, the steam is shut off ; the lid of the steam tub, or still,
thrown open, and the reeking contents removed with hay forks.
This is called " Mint straw." Horned cattle and sheep are

* By exhausting each charge as rapidly as possible, by using steam under as
high a pressure as the strength of the boiler will warrant, it is found that though
the yield of oil is lessened, it is nearly colorless and of a firm odor.

THE PEPPEEMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN. 41

fond of it, and will subsist upon it through the winter. It is
thrown into large piles about the Mint still, after being dried, or
else drawn into barns, where it lies till fed to the cattle in the
winter.

The oil cans are made of the best tinned-iron, after the model
of the tin powder cans, and contain each twenty pounds of oil.
In these cans the oil is shipped, the small aperture at the top
being soldered. Three, four, or five cans are placed in a case,
the tops of which are sloped like a house roof.

There are now in this State about 2100 acres employed in
producing the Mint plant, all of which, except about one hun-
dred, are in the county of St. Joseph. It produces in oil, per
acre, as follows :

Maximum . . . ♦ . 20 lb. av.

Minimum 2 «

Average . . . 7 "

In England, at Mitcham, where the Mint plant is raised in
richly manured land, the average yield is stated to be 17i lbs. to
the acre. Upon the plantations of the Messrs. Hotchkiss in
Western New York, the average yield is said to be 20 lbs.

The average product per annum in this State has been as fol-
lows, from the commencement to the present time :

Maximum 30,000 lbs.

Minimum 8,000 «

Average 15,000 «

The crops vary, for several reasons. That of 1855 was large,
being 30,000 pounds ; the dry season following, it was reduced
one sixth, i. e. to 25,000 pounds ; and the severe cold of the
winter of '56 and '57, by killing the roots, reduced the crop to

\ one-half that of '55, it being variously estimated from 12,000 to

\ 15,000 pounds.

\ The prices obtained by producers of the oil have been as fol-
lows :

Highest price per lb. ... $4.00
Lowest price per lb. ... 1.25
Average price per lb. . . 2.37

Thve having been as much sold at $1.25 as at $4.00, the ave-
rages taken between $1.75 and $3.00, the usual prices. The

42 THE PEPPERMINT PLANTATIONS OF MICHIGAN.

prices ranged somewhat as following : 1844 to 1847, at $2.50 ;
1847 to 1852, at $1.50 ; 1853, at $2.00 ; 1854, at $4.00 ; 1855 ;
at $3.50 ; 1856, at $2.50 ; 1857, the crop of which is yet par-
tially unsold, from $2.00 to $2.50.

The land, with its improvements, is valued from $30 to $35
per acre. The cost of cultivating a Mint field the first year is
$22 per acre ; and for the succeeding three years, $5 a year
per acre.

The following statement will show an approximation to the
amount of capital invested in this industry in our State, and its
returns :

2100 acres of Land and Improvements are valued at $75,000
Total average value of Oil to producers . . . 37,500
Total cost of Production, including interest upon

$75,000 at 7 per cent 24,000

Profit to producers 13,500

This profit is over one-third the receipts for the oil, and 18 per
cent, upon the capital employed. Assuming that there are 500
acres in Mint plant in Western New York, and 500 acres in
Ohio, which, I presume, is nearly correct, at least a low estimate,
and that the average product of the New York plantations be
12 lbs. of oil to the acre, while that of Ohio is reckoned at 8 lbs.,
the total annual product of these States will be 10,000 lbs.,
valued at $25,000 — making the average value of the whole crop
of oil of Peppermint produced annually in the United States to
be over $63,000 to its producers.

Having in view the general interest felt by our profession in
such matters, I was led to prepare this Report ; and if, gentle-
men, it has served to instruct, or even entertain you, I shall
rest satisfied, only expressing the hope that it may induce mem-
bers who possess the opportunities requisite, to convey to the
Association such information as they can collect relative to those
industries of our country, appertaining to our pursuits, and con-
cerning which the general knowledge is as yet limited and ir
definite.

In conclusion, I desire to express my obligations to those
tlemen interested in the Mint product throughout our State for
the valuable aid they have afforded me ; particularly to M^srs.
S. C. Coffinberry, and Wm. H. Roys, of Constantine.

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES. 43

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF THE MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES OP ALL
ORGANIC MATTER IN ALCOHOL.
By Wm. S. Merrill, A. M.

In presenting my views on the above subject, I feel that I do
it somewhat prematurely ; I had not intended to bring them for-
ward at this meeting of the Association, but to wait till I could
more fully confirm them by experiment and illustrate them by
samples. But learning that the subject of Fluid Extracts was
exciting great interest throughout the medical profession, and
was likely to be made a prominent subject of enquiry here ; and
as the laws which I hold to exist, lie at the foundation of all
correct formulae for making this class of preparations, I have
concluded, since leaving home, to sketch out my views on this
subject and present them for your consideration. I am aware
that the truth of my hypothesis will be questioned, for I have
yet named it to no pharmaceutist who at first gave it his assent ;
perhaps it will be proved false ; but if true, all will admit it to
be of primary importance in the science of pharmacy.

The hypothesis then, which I venture to propose, is this ; that
alcohol, in its solvent power, accurately discriminates between
the medicinal and the nutritive principles of all vegetable sub-
stances, and, for the most part, of all organic matter. That, in
their normal states, all those proximate principles of vegetation
which are medicinal or poisonous, are soluble in pure alcohol,
while all those which are nutritive, or capable of digestion and as-
similation, are insoluble, or at most very sparingly soluble in that
menstruum ; and conversely, all those parts or principles of
vegetables which are soluble in alcohol, are non-nutritious and
incapable of sustaining animal life, and when taken into the
stomach in their isolated state, more or less disturb the normal
action of the animal functions ; while all those parts. or princi-
ples which are insoluble in that fluid, are either assimilative and
nutritious, or else in consequence of the inaction of the gastric
juices upon them, (as lignin, wax, caoutchouc, &c.) are inert, or
act only mechanically on the system. Thus, starch, gum, glu-
ten, pectin, vegetable albumen, glucose, sugar, fixed oils, and
other analogous principles, all those elements which are digest!-

/

44 ON THE SOLUBILITY OF MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES.

bie and capable of sustaining animal life, are insoluble in pure
alcohol, while the resins, alkaloid salts, essential oils and those
fixed oils which are medicinal, are soluble in that menstruum.

It is at once objected to these views, that there are many vege-
table substances from which pure alcohol will not extract the
medicinal virtues ; that for this purpose water, dilute alcohol,
acids, ether or other agents are requisite, and are hence prescrib-
ed in our pharmaceutical formulae. It is true that to eliminate
these principles in the first place from their native combinations
in the plant, such agents are necessary, not because such medi-
cinal principles are not themselves soluble in alcohol, but be-
cause they are so enveloped in and shielded by other principles
which are not soluble in that menstruum that it cannot reach
them.

If we dissolve a mixture of gum acacia and muriate of mor-
phia, and reduce the solution to dryness and a coarse powder,
strong alcohol will not dissolve out the morphia from that pow-
der ; not because it is not soluble in the alcohol, but because it
is protected by the insoluble gum. But, if now we re-dissolve
this mass and pour the solution into a proper quantity of strong
alcohol, the gum will be precipitated, and the morphia remain in
solution, and may thus be recovered and isolated.

So in extracting the virtues of most plants it is necessary, or
at least expedient, to use other agents besides alcohol to bring
into solution all their elements, and thus disengage the principles
we seek. In most cases water is necessary as one of these
agents, for the purpose of dissolving the nutritive principles and
expanding the vegetable fibre. In some cases the medicinal
elements are found enveloped in others which are not soluble
either in water or alcohol, as wax, caoutchouc, and the fatty oils.
Then we require ether, benzole or camphene, for their perfect
and speedy elimination, but when once freed from such shield-
ing substances the medicinal elements are all found to be solu-
ble in alcohol alone. When the principle sought is a fixed medi-
cinal oil, we find ether to be used to great advantage, because it
dissolves that principle to the exclusion of most others, and thus
presents the medicine in a very pure and concentrated form, as
in the ethereal extract of ergot, capsicum, filix mas, &c, but

ON THE SOLUBILITY OE MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES.

45

when so obtained, the ether may be replaced by alcohol and all
that is medicinal held in solution by that grand solvent.

But while alcohol is the specific solvent of all the medicinal
elements of vegetation, they are most of them while in their
native combinations soluble in water also ; this is the most uni-
versal solvent in nature. This alone will probably extract all
the virtues of jalap and podophyllum and leave little but the in-
ert vegetable fibre. For the resinous principles of these roots,
in their natural state, are held in such intimate combination with
the other elements that they are dissolved out and held in solu-
tion with them. Thus the watery extracts of such roots actually
contain their medicinal virtues although greatly diluted with
other non-medicinal principles. But, if that native combination
is once broken up or disturbed, those resinous principles separate
and are not again soluble in that menstruum. When obtained,
however, by this or other injudicious processes, these resinoid
principles and perhaps others originally medicinal, are liable to
become so changed in their original constitution by the action of
heat, water and oxygen, as to be no longer soluble in alcohol,
and just so far as this is the case their medicinal properties are
destroyed and they become inert. Thus the medicinal value of
jalapin, podophyllin, leptandrin and the other resinoids may be
correctly estimated by their solubility in alcohol, for so far as
they are thus insoluble they are worthless.

Many vegetables which we habitually use as wholesome escu-
lents, contain some elements soluble in alcohol, but these when
separated and concentrated will be found to be active medicines
or poison. In themselves they are not nutritious but medicinal,
but in the small proportions in which they are found in our food,
they may, like the pepper, and ginger and cayenne, and common
salt, which we use as condiments, serve as healthful stimulants
to the digestive organs, and thus aid in the assimilation of those
substances which are really nutritive.

I have above advocated the truth of this hypothesis as applied
to vegetable substances only ; but if the bone phosphate of lime,
(which I believe is not soluble in alcohol), is entirely inert, as
is the opinion of Prof. Wood, then I know of no exception to
its application to the whole animal kingdom also.

I wish it to be understood, however, that I contend for the

46 ON THE SOLUBILITY OF MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES.

application of this law only to those proximate principles of
organic matter which are properly the products of vegetable
and animal life. Among the multifarious combinations of the
primary elements which are the results of the destructive de-
composition of vegetable and animal matter, there may be found
exceptions to this rule ; some preparations may be found which
are medicinal or poisonous, and yet not soluble in alcohol ; but
that is foreign to our present enquiry.

To prove this hypothesis affirmatively would require the enu-
meration of every article of the vegetable Materia Medica, with
testimony to the solubility of its medicinal principle in alcohol ;
we can therefore only offer the negative proof of challenging
the production of facts that militate against it. These we be-
lieve, if any, will be found so few that the exceptions will but
establish the rule.

The importance and application of this law will be readily ap-
preciated. The particular modes of manipulation must be left
to the judgment of the pharmaceutist, and must be greatly va-
ried, according to the nature of the substance operated on.

The general rule of operation will be this : In the first place,
extract from the crude material all its soluble elements, or at
least be sure that we have reached and eliminated all those medi-
cinal principles which we seek. For this purpose we may em-
ploy water, alcohol, ether, or other agents, or these combined
or in succession, as experience and pharmaceutical knowledge
may indicate. Then, from this primary tincture or solution,
draw off, by the still or the vacuum pan, the menstruum used,
and reduce the extract to a semi-fluid or syrupy consistence,
leaving as little fluid as practicable to dilute the alcohol to be used,
and yet retain sufficient fluidity to allow all the particles to
come fully in contact with this solvent. Next weaken this semi-
fluid extract with absolute alcohol, or, at least, with that of such
strength as will not dissolve the nutritive and inert principles.
In doing this, use, in the first place, about two-thirds or three-
fourths the quantity for the proposed volume of the finished
tincture, and after sufficient agitation and digestion in this, de-
cant or filter off the clear liquid and set it aside. Treat the re-
maining precipitate with repeated portions of alcohol till no-
thing more is dissolved, and distil off the spirit from these

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES. 47

weaker solutions, till the quantity left, when added to the for-
mer strong solution, will make up the measure proposed. If
this, from inferiority of the materials used, is not of the specific
gravity adopted, it may be further concentrated.

If the material to be extracted contains any essential oil or
other volatile principle, this must first be drawn off and set
aside, to be added at the close of the process, or to be used as
part of the menstruum in the second part of the process. This
is best done, not by distilling over, but by displacing down-
wards by the vapor or alcohol in the vapor displacement appa-
ratus, an improvement which we now employ. But as my ob-
ject now is to develop a general law and its uses, and not to
give particular formulae, I will not dwell longer on these mani-
pulations.

In this way alcoholic solutions may be obtained of almost any
desired degree of concentration, for as the solvent power of the
menstruum is no longer diminished by the presence of water or
foreign matters, it becomes, in regard to many substances, lim-
ited only by the consistence of the solution. In general, how-
ever, the concentration now generally adopted for the fluid ex-
tracts, in which each fluid-drachm represents the strength of 60
grains of the material, is a convenient one, and is easily attain-
able with almost every plant, but other standards may be
adopted, as found expedient.

We believe that pharmaceutical preparations made in accord-
ance with the above hypothesis will be found superior in most
cases, to those now in use.

In all the formulae now in use, or which I have seen recom-
mended for fluid extracts, much of the volatile principles of the
plant are dissipated in the concentration and lost ; by this plan
all are preserved. In those formulae, the removal of the alco-
hol necessarily results in the precipitation of the resinous prin-
ciples which, when such principles predominate, as in the jalap
and leptandra, the amount of sugar recommended will not keep
suspended, nor the addition of one-fifth or one-fourth of alcohol,
as practised by later manufacturers, hold in solution. These
must therefore be removed at the expense of the medicinal
power of the preparation, or else give to it a turbid and disgust-
ing appearance. In our proposed tinctures, on the contrary,

48

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF MEDICINAL PRINCIPLES.

all such principles are held in perfect and permanent solution,
and they are not like the old fluid extracts, liable to change from
fermentation or loss by freezing.

Such essential tinctures may be made much more perfect and
definite representatives of the material from which they are pre-
pared, than the common officinal tinctures, and may be dis-
pensed with the greatest precision, while they are vastly supe-
rior to those old preparations, in occupying but one-eighth to
one-fourth the space, and especially in their containing so small
an amount of stimulant, in proportion to their medicinal power,
that this ceases to be an objection to their administration.
Should cases occur, which may in one out of fifty, in which the
physician apprehends that the few minims contained in the pre-
scribed dose would unfavorably affect the patient, he has only
to drop the tincture on a little sugar in a tea-cup, and pour
on to it a spoonful of hot water, and by the time it is well mixed
and cool, all the alcohol will be dissipated, and the medicine left
diffused in the sweetened water.

And here I will observe in passing, that no medicine, and
especially those of an active character, should be thrown naked
into the stomach in their concentrated forms. Such forms are
exceedingly convenient for carrying, and for definite dispensing,
and, I may add, for exhibiting to the patient as small and deli-
cate doses ; but in administering them, they should almost always
be diffused in syrup, gruel, or other bland liquid. Or if in pills,
they should be so combined as to render the solution in the sto-
mach gradual and diffusive.

I may further remark, that if tinctures of the officinal strength
are required, they may be instantly prepared from these concen-
trated solutions, by the simplest formulae and in the greatest pro-
portion. Or by adding them in proper quantity to warm simple
syrup, beautiful medicinal syrups of any desired strength may
be cheaply produced.

But it is not to the preparation of fluid extracts or concen-
trated tinctures only, that the law and the processes I propose
are applicable. If we pour such tinctures into water, the resi-
noid principles will be precipitated ; thus, jalapin, podophyllin,
macrotin, &c, may be obtained in their purest form. If such
tinctures be evaporated to the pillular consistence, they form

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

49

true alcoholic extracts, which are more active, more definite,
more uniform, and more permanent, than any that can be other-
wise prepared. Or again, if they do not contain fixed oils or
oleo-resins, the evaporation may be carried to dryness, and the
powdered extracts form convenient, definite, and powerful agents;
such indeed, as are some of the so-called " concentrated medi-
cines " now oifered to the medical profession, and approved as
valuable preparations.

Indeed, preparations formed in accordance with these views,
will, in many cases, be found superior to the fine crystallized
chemicals which have been considered the climax of pharmaceu-
tic skill, inasmuch as in these latter the normal constitution of
the medicine is always broken up, and new and artificial combi-
nations formed, which do not act on the system precisely as the
original organic salts as they exist in the plant; while in these
alcoholic extracts, whether fluid, pillular, or powdered, the medi-
cinal principles exist in combination with their own native acids
or bases, arid thus truly represent the plant in substance ; and if
our theory be true, will contain only those elements which are
more or less medicinal, to the exclusion of the inert matter.

But I have extended my paper already, I fear, beyond its ac-
ceptable limits, and will therefore leave the above suggestions
to the consideration and criticism of whom they may concern.

Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 18 58.

EXTRACTS FROM PR. SQUIBB' S PAPER ON THE REVISION OF
THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.
(From the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 1858.)

Argenti Nitras Fusus.

With regard to this preparation the writer has only to sug-
gest that the number and simplicity of the tests be amended.

Lunar caustic when quite pure is not white, as usually de-
scribed, but rather colorless and translucent at a point of re-
cent fracture, and greyish externally from the action of light
and organic matter. It is often but little more opaque than the
crystals of similar thickness. It is crystalline and radiating
from the center, upon fracture, and sometimes a little grey in-
ternally from a small proportion of reduced silver. When of

4

50 ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

granular or homogeneous fine grained fracture, and when of an
opaque or porcelanic whiteness, it may be strongly suspected of
impurity. As a general rule, that presenting the handsomest
appearance is most to be distrusted, or most clearly indicates the
necessity of examination. It is, perhaps, better known in the
pharmaceutical than in the medical profession, that a lunar caus-
tic " No. 2 " is very commonly made and sold, and is, as far as
the writer has been able to ascertain, quoted upon the prices
current of every manufacturing chemist in the United States.
This preparation is commonly made up of 66 to 75 per cent, of
nitrate of silver, and 33 to 25 per cent, of nitrate of potassa.
It is put up precisely as the so-called pure or " No. 1 " prepara-
tion, with the exception of a shade of color in the tint of the
paper with which it is wrapped, or in the wax with which it is
sealed. The bottle containing half a pound or more is often
marked "No. 2 " upon the wrapper or label, and this sometimes
with lead pencil. But the sticks carry with them, on being dis-
pensed and used, no indication of adulteration, and since " the
trade," or the initiated only, know the slight distinctions men-
tioned, the preparation is liable to be sold and used as a pure
article. Whatever may be the object of this half-masked adul-
teration, its effect and drift are unmistakably bad, and therefore
the means of detection and control should be so simple and easy
of application, as to insure their use as far as practicable.

The writer believes he has been fortunate enough to find a
test just applicable to this necessity, and which in point of sim-
plicity, and easy application, must leave little to be desired. A
small fragment of nitrate of silver, crushed to powder with a
knife blade upon a piece of paper, the powder spread out over
the paper, and the paper and powder then rolled up into a small
match-like roll, twisted, set on fire and burned, leaves a tasteless
residue of pure silver. But if the nitrate contains even one per
cent, of any saline impurity, the residue, instead of being taste-
less, will have the sharp alkaline taste of the base of the adul-
terating salt. The little match burns rapidly with deflagration,
as may be seen by those near, the carbon of the paper serving
perfectly to reduce the silver, and in great measure the base of
the adulterating salt also. With this test no one need be de-
ceived by "No. 2" lunar caustic, nor by the adulteration of
the crystallized nitrate with chlorate of potassa, &c, and even

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA. 51

the small proportion of sal prunelle that is often added to the
so-called pure or "No. 1 caustic" to make it run well, is de-
tected in a minute with equal certainty.

A solution of nitrate of silver precipitated by hydrochloric
acid in excess yields a precipitate entirely soluble in ammonia.
The clear supernatant liquid evaporated to dryness yields no
residue whatever.

It has been ascertained by Prof. J. Lawrence Smith, of Lou-
isville, Ky., that the addition of a small proportion of chloride
of silver to the nitrate renders the sticks very tough and hard,
and thus remedies a defect long felt in the use of pure lunar
caustic.

He adds, before fusing, such a proportion of chloride of so-
dium that the fused nitrate may contain about 8 per cent, of
chloride of silver, and considers this proportion as best adapted
to the object in view. But this method has the serious objection
of introducing a very considerable proportion of nitrate of soda
into the preparation, and of diminishing its available strength
by the percentage of chloride of silver, plus the percentage of
nitrate of soda formed. The writer prefers to add a given quan-
tity of hydrochloric acid to the nitrate before fusing, or while
in solution ; and thinks that such an addition as will give to the
nitrate 5 per cent, of the chloride of silver, will be found suf-
ficient for all useful purposes. The chloride of silver formed is
entirely soluble in the concentrated solution of the nitrate, and
is therefore of course perfectly disseminated through the whole
quantity. So hard and tough does this admixture render the
sticks of fused nitrate, that the writer believes that they might
be made of two- thirds the usual thickness, and yet be sufficiently
3trong for all practical purposes.

The formula proposed for this preparation is as follows :

Take of Nitrate of Silver, two ounces.

Muriatic Acid, forty grains.

Distilled Water, half a fluid ounce.

Mix the acid and distilled water in a suitable vessel, add the
nitrate of silver, and by means of a sand bath or gas flame evap-
orate to dryness, fuse, and cast the fused mixture in suitable
moulds.

The characteristics and tests for this preparation are the same

52

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

as for thai which contains no chloride. If the hydrochloric
acid be of full officinal strength, it will contain just about 5 per
cent, of chloride of silver.

The specimens presented are, first, that made by Dr. Smith
containing 8 per cent, of chloride of silver added in the form of
chloride of silver. And second, that made by the writer by the
above formula.

Ferri Iodidum.

In the management of this preparation, the writer greatly pre-
fers a modification of the process of Messrs. Smith, of Edin-
burgh, as given in the U. S. Dispensatory. This process as
now used by the writer, reduced to the scale of the Pharmaco-
poeia, is as follows:

Take of Iodine, two ounces.

Iron Wire, five drachms.

Distilled Water, three fluid-ounces.

To the iodine and water, contained in a glass-stoppered bottle
of eight ounces capacity, add the iron, and shake the mixture
till it has assumed a purely green color, free from brown tinge.
Then having placed a flask of proper capacity over a spirit
lamp, or gas-burner which is just ready for lighting, filter the
solution through a moistened filter into the flask, allowing the
funnel which holds the filter to rest upon the rim of the flask
neck. As soon as the filtration has commenced, light the flame
beneath, and boil the solution. When the solution has all passed
the filter, and the filter has been washed by the water condensed
from the boiling solution, remove the funnel and filter,
and introduce a long piece of clean iron wire. Boil ac-
tively till the iodide begins to thicken, and then gradually re-
duce the flame, and continue the heating gently till iodine vapor
appears in the remaining portions of watery vapors passing off.
Then extinguish the flame, and allow the flask to stand loosely
stopped for half an hour to cool. Finally, break the flask over
a warm dry mortar, carefully excluding the fragments of glass,
break up the iodide and transfer it to small bottles with good
stoppers. The net yield is 1212 grains.

Some of the advantages obtained by this management are as
follows : By using so much less iron, though still a sufficient

\

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA. 53

excess, the violence of the first reaction is controlled, the stir-
ring avoided, and by the use of a bottle the air is excluded, and
the loss of iodine diminished. By the use of a smaller propor-
tion of water the filtration and evaporation are materially short-
ened and smaller' vessels are required. By affecting the com-
bination without artificial heat, less risk is involved, while the
operation is equally simple and easy, and more convenient. Af-
ter the first active reaction subsides, the stopper may be firmly
fixed, and then five or ten minutes shaking produces the charac-
teristic clear green color, while the bottle remains entirely
free from the brown stains that mark the commencement of de-
composition. By filtering into the flask in the manner described,
the whole solution in the flask and filter is protected during the
greater part of the time by an atmosphere of steam, and the
filter is washed and drained in the same atmosphere by the
water condensed in and upon it, this water with the iodide fall-
ing back into the flask. The long iron wire stuck into the flask
after the funnel is removed serves mainly to render the boiling
equable, and prevent bumping.

The finished preparation is in bright, dry, metallic looking
masses, somewhat crystalline in fracture, and wholly soluble in
water. It still contains a little water that might be driven off
by more protracted and more gentle heating ; but as the remain-
der of the process would involve protracted contact of air, the
resulting decomposition would more than counterbalance any
advantage sought in this direction.

As sesquioxide of iron forms no combination with iodine, it
might be supposed that rusty wire or filings would be as good as
clean iron, and for some time the writer acted upon this suppo-
sition. Afterwards, however, he became convinced that clean
iron is necessary for a good preparation.

Since it has been pretty conclusively shown that the presence
of metallic iron does not prevent the separation of sesquioxide,
but only serves to recombine the iodine of the original compound,
it seems desirable rather to avoid the decomposition that occurs
from contact of the air, than to have iron present during the
evaporation. In operating on a larger scale the writer, there-
fore, performs the filtration, and finishes the evaporation in an
atmosphere of carbonic acid, and is thus enabled to dry the pre-

54 ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

paration rather more thoroughly by means of a saline bath, pro-
curing a nicer as well as a practically better result. The drying
is then continued till the iodide weighs about the sum of its con-
stituents. Without any positive knowledge from experiment
upon the subject, the writer thinks that the* decomposition is
always the greater, the farther the drying is carried.

Liquor Ferri lodidi.

Here, again the writer suggests that the very large excess of
iron be reduced, as in the foregoing formula. When the com-
bination is so rapid, easy and complete, as between these two
elements, it is quite useless to have so great an excess of iron.

Another objection to the officinal process for this preparation
is, that in filtering the solution of the iodide into the sugar, and
then shaking them till the sugar is dissolved, a bright clear so-
lution is rarely obtained. This arises from the circumstance
that almost all sugar contains particles of dust and insoluble
matters, and from the practical fact that it is almost impossible
to make a bright syrup without a boiling temperature, or a most
tedious filtration. Almost all sugar within ordinary reach con-
tains something that renders cold-made syrups more or less
cloudy and very difficult to filter.

In view of these circumstances the writer suggests the follow-
ing formula. It has now stood the test of three years experi-
ence, and produces a preparation of which those present can
judge in some measure by the specimens of various ages pre-
sented. A specimen made exactly in accordance with the offici-
nal directions is also presented for comparison. Before travel-
ling with it, it was bright and clear enough, but had a sediment
at the bottom from which the others are free, and its color is
not so good, probably for reasons to be noticed farther on.
These specimens have not been exposed to the light.

Take of Iodine two ounces.

Iron Wire five drachms.

Distilled Water, a sufficient quantity.

Sugar twelve ounces. -

Dissolve the sugar, by means of heat, in eight fluid-ounces of
boiling distilled water, and filter the syrup through paper into a
tared flask of the capacity of twenty fluid-ounces or more

\

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA. 55

Then put the iodine and iron into a bottle with three fluid-
ounces of distilled water, and after the active reaction has sub-
sided, shake the bottle vigorously until a bright clear green so-
lution, free from brown tint, is obtained. By this time the solu-
tion of the sugar will nearly all have passed through the filter.
Perforate the syrup filter over the bottle containing the solution of
iodide of iron, and allow the remaining unfiltered portion of the
syrup to run into the solution of the iodide, and shake the mix-
ture well. Arrange a funnel, containing a small moistened paper
filter, over the flask of filtered syrup, so that the point of the
funnel enters the syrup, and then filter the solution of the iodide
into the syrup, keeping but a small portion of the solution in
the filter, and maintaining a constant level till all has been
poured in. Allow the filter to drain, without rinsing it, and finally
add distilled water to the preparation till it measures, if cool,
twenty fluid-ounces, or till it weighs twenty-five and a quarter
ounces, shake it well, and keep it in small bottles well filled and
well stopped. The process requires three hours, and yields a
bright pale green solution of a s. g. of 1.348 containing a little
over seven grains of iodide of iron in each fluid-drachm.

This preparation, in the few instances in which the writer has
seen it in the wholesale market, has been colorless or very near-
ly so, or of a brown tint, and of the consistence of syrup. He
therefore judges that in the wholesale market it is commonly
made by the cheaper formula of the foreign Pharmacopoeia, and
contains only about five grains of the iodide in each fluid-drachm,
with a larger proportion of sugar. This larger proportion of
sugar is inconvenient and unnecessary, since with proper ordi-
nary precautions the product of our officinal formula is not liable
to deterioration. The writer deprecates the too common prac-
tice of making this preparation rather carelessly, and then set-
ting it in the sun light to improve the color and appearance,
since Mr. Maisch has shown that this treatment probably pro-
duces an iodate of the sesquioxide of iron.

From the facility with which chemical reactions take place in
spongy or porous textures, whose pores contain air or gases
often in a condensed state, the writer was easily led to a theoret-
.cal objection to filtering the hot solution of iodide of iron into
he sugar, as in the officinal process ; and he has since regarded

56 ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S PHARMACOPOEIA.

the circumstance of the color of this preparation being better
when the solution is filtered into syrup, from which the air has
been expelled by the heat in making it, as confirmation of the
fact that there is far less air contact and far less consequent de-
composition when the syrup is made beforehand.

When solutions of chloride, iodide or bromide of iron, with
the chlorine, iodine or bromine, in minimum combining propor-
tions, are brought in contact with organic matter, a portion of
the haloid salt is always decomposed with separation of sesqui-
oxide of iron. The extent of the decomposition is determined
chiefly by the presence of oxygen or air, but also by the extent
of the contact, by the dilution of the solution, and by the tem-
perature of the reacting substances. Hence the writer would
have as small a quantity of solution to filter as possible, — would
filter this through as small a filter as possible, — would filter it
cold, or cool, and with the least possible exposure to the air, —
and would abstain from washing the last portions out of the
filter. This last portion, if washed through, is always of a brown
color, and if washed through with water containing the usual
proportion of air, is very brown.

Fortunately, the solution, when not embarrassed by the de-
bris of a large excess of iron passes through a filter very readily,
and very rapidly ; so that by ordinary care and precaution, a
very perfect, and so to speak, a very chemical preparation may
be easily obtained, in which the beginnings of evil have been
successfully opposed.

The writer is disposed to resume or re-incorporate the direc-
tion to preserve this preparation from the light, since by long ex-
posure to light it loses its fine pale-green color and becomes color-
less, with probably a material change of composition, and possi-
bly of medicinal effect. Indeed, as a general rule, medicinal
substances should be excluded from light to a far greater de-
gree than at present obtains in practice ; and it would be an
important step in the right direction, to have some of the white
painted shelves of dispensing establishments replaced by closets.
Concentrated ether, exposed to sunlight for an hour of each day,
soon acquires a strong, disagreeable, pungent, and often empy-
reumatic odor, becomes acid, and altogether unfit for use,
through partial decomposition. Chloroform, under similar cir-

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

5T

cumstances, gives an odor of chlorine and muriatic acid, and
produces a yellow, oily liquid, which collects around the edges
of the surface in contact with the bottle. Spirit of nitre be-
comes colorless-'and acid in a few hours. Hoffmann's anodyne be-
comes quite acid, and many tinctures and powders change their
sensible properties materially.

Hydrargyri lodidum.

In a chemical point of view, this preparation may be regarded
as one of the most indefinite and uncertain of the Materia Me-
dica ; whilst therapeutically it is certainly very far from being
what is desired. From being mild and manageable at times, it
varies so that harsh and even violent effects are not unfrequently
encountered from its use. As prepared strictly in accordance
with the Pharmacopoeia, it always contains the red iodide, and
this in various proportions, according to slight variations in the
management. So that it must have been an oversight in those
who constructed the present formula, that a careful washing
with str5ng alcohol was omitted. When made by the officinal
formula, in the dark, or by artificial light, carefully and tho-
roughly washed by digestion and decantation with strong alco-
hol, dried in the dark, and then carefully preserved from the
light, it is probably in its best condition for therapeutic appli-
cation. But even then, though free from red iodide it contains a
large preportion of the yellow or subiodide, and of metallic mer-
cury. And these proportions vary, probably, every time it is
made, even though made by the same person from the same
materials. The writer has occasionally seen it so free from me-
tallic mercury that it would but slightly amalgamate a surface
of gold foil when rubbed upon it, but has never seen a specimen,
however carefully made, or by whatever process, that would not
very sensibly affect the gold when rubbed upon it ; whilst two
specimens made as far as practicable in the same manner, would
affect the gold differently. The proportion of yellow iodide
must of course vary with the proportion of metallic mercury,
and thus the color of the preparation, as commonly met with, is
almost always different. It is generally described as being
green or yellowish green, but when well washed it is, though
of varying tint, always of a greenish yellow color ; the brighter

58 ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA.

and more lively in color the better, provided it be thoroughly
dry. That which has a dead color, approaching to a dull olive,
always contains largely of metallic mercury, and iodides that
have been subjected to the action of light and moisture.

The preparation should never be dispensed without the most
careful testing, and it is fortunate that this testing is very sim-
ply and easily performed. A small quantity of iodide of mer-
cury rubbed in a mortar with a little strong alcohol, if it con-
tains any red iodide, will invariably exhibit a red coloration in
the track of the pestle as the alcohol evaporates from the sur-
face of the mortar. Or, if a portion to be examined be shaken
in a test tube with alcohol, and the alcohol evaporated from a
porcelain or glass surface, the most minute proportion of red
iodide becomes visible. If it be desired to estimate the quan-
tity,— or rather to establish the presence of metallic mercury, —
the iodide should be rubbed with a moderate degree of pressure
upon any surface of gold.

In concluding the unsatisfactory notice of this preparation,
the writer submits the opinion that, unless some discriminating
solvent can be found for the separation of these lower iodides of
mercury, it is adapted to medical use.

Hydrargyri Iodidum Rubrum.

Some years ago Dublanc proposed to prepare this iodide by
a process of direct combination through the intervention of al-
cohol, and the writer has found a slight modification of M. Du-
blanc's process much more easy, convenient, and economical
than the officinal one, while it is only liable to the objection that
it necessarily contains the insoluble impurities of the materials ;
an objection of but little practical weight, since it has never
been urged in the case of the green iodide, though that is given
in much larger doses.

Take of Mercury, one ounce.

Iodine, ten drachms.

Alcohol, four fluid-ounces.

Introduce the mercury, iodine, and half the alcohol into a
four-ounce vial, and shake the mixture occasionally during two
days, or until the combination is effected. Should the alcohol
become colorless during the process, iodine in minute portions

ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPOEIA. 59

should be added until the alcohol retains a brown color after
shaking and digestion. Transfer the contents of the bottle to a
paper filter, and when the colored alcohol has drained off wash the
iodide with the remainder of the alcohol, and dry it by a gen-
tle heat. The yield is ten hundred and sixty-two grains.

It is thought that the simplicity and convenience of this for.
mula adapt it better to the practice of the pharmaceutist than
any yet tried, whilst it yields a preparation not inferior to that
of the officinal formula.

Morphice Sulphas.

Upon a comparison of the medicinal activity of this prepara-
tion as made by the officinal formula, and as found in the market
from the largest manufacturers, it becomes evident that a much
larger dose of the latter is required to produce similar effects.
This same deficiency in the commercial preparation is indicated
by the circumstance that of late years very much larger doses
are commonly prescribed. The dose indicated by authoritative
works on therapeutics is one-sixth to one-third of a grain, this
being medicinally equivalent to one and two grains of opium.
But whilst opium itself has been reduced in medicinal value
by the various new expedients, such as yolks of eggs, &c, till
the effective dose has been very materially augmented, sulphate
of morphia is now rarely prescribed in less than quarter grain
doses, often in doses of three quarters of a grain, and some-
times in one grain doses, to obtain its legitimate sedative effect ;
and this exclusive of those cases wherein, from habitual use or
idiosyncrasy, large quantities are required. There must be some
reason for this, and the subject is referred to in order to suggest
investigation and research. The author having made no re-
search, must rest satisfied with stating the fact, upon his own
and his professional friends' observation, that the preparation of
the Pharmacopoeia is more active than that of commerce ; and
farther, that he believes that the deficiency of the latter in ef-
fective value is not due to fraudulent admixture or adulteration,
but to faulty manipulation, whereby a portion of soluble but in-
ert, and for the most part uncrystallizable matter, is entangled
in the crystals with the mother liquors, and dried and sold with
them, thus increasing the percentage yield. Within the past seven

60 ON THE REVISION OF THE U. S. PHARMACOPCEIA.

years the writer has examined some twelve samples of opium,
ten of which were purchased for the army and navy, where profits
were not at stake, and price a secondary object. In four in-
stances the portion examined was from the powder resulting
from the careful drying and powdering of half a case ; while in
all the remainder, the samples were selected with care from va-
rious lumps, whenever such selection was possible. Several other
examinations were made where no selection was possible, but the
results were all below those now to be given. In no instance of
these examinations did the yield of crude morphia exceed 8.1
per cent., whilst the average of the specimens was scarcely above
7.6 per cent. If this may be taken as expressing the condi-
tion of the general market for this drug, the common statement
of authoritative writers, that good opium contains from ten to
twelve per cent, of morphia, now needs re-examination and re-
vision.

The relative expense of opium and salts of morphia taken in
connection with the troublesome and expensive process of ex-
traction and manufacture leads to the inference that manufac-
turers, to be able to sell the preparation at fair profits, must ob-
tain much greater yields than would be indicated by the exami-
nation of any opium the writer has ever met with.

Zinci Qhloridwm.

The writer agrees with Dr. Bache, (see U. S* Dispensatory,
11th eel. p. 1351,) that the fused chloride is by far the most
eligible preparation, for many reasons. First, it is a matter of
some difficulty to dry the salt as directed in the Pharmacopoeia,
since a portion of it is very liable to fuse before other portions are
dry. Again, after fusion it is much more easily managed, col-
lected and preserved without material deliquescence ; and finally,
it is far more easily applied to the ordinary purposes for which
it is used, and occupies much less space. The fusion is easily
effected in the evaporating basin in which the solution has been
concentrated, and requires only a gas or lamp flame to effect it.
With proper care, therefore, it becomes quite useless to transfer
it to a crucible.

Should the chloride become colored from the organic matter
of filters, from dust or other like causes, as it is very liable to do

MELEZITOSE, A NEW SPECIES OF SUGAR.

61

during the rather tedious evaporation, a few drops of nitric acid
stirred into the fusing salt clears it at once, by converting all
the carbonaceous matters into carbonic acid, which latter, of
course, flies off with the excess of nitric acid.

The writer has never used the officinal process for this prepara-
tion, having at first given a preference, upon theoretical grounds,
to that wherein the iron is precipitated by freshly prepared
oxide of zinc and chlorine, and from having been well satisfied
with the results obtained.

ON MELEZITOSE, A NEW SPECIES OF SUGAR.
By M. Berthelot.

In pursuing the study of the saccharine matters, I found,
some years ago, in the manna of Brian gon — a saccharine exu-
dation produced by the larch (meleze) and formerly employed
in pharmacy—a new sugar analogous to cane sugar, but of
which I was unable to follow up the study, from want of matter.
Having since then succeeded in procuring a sufficient sample of
this manna, thanks to the kindness of M. Meissas, formerly
Professor of Mathematics at the Lyce*e Napoleon, I resumed
the study of it, and I succeeded in isolating and characterising
the sugar which it contains ; it is a new substance, very inter-
esting from its analogy to cane sugar ; I shall designate it by
the name of melezitose.

To extract it, the manna of Briancon is treated with boiling
alcohol, evaporated to the consistence of an extract, and left to
itself for some weeks. Melezitose crystallises in a syrupy
mother-liquor; it .is compressed, washed with warm alcohol,
and re-crystallised in boiling alcohol; very small, hard and bril-
liant crystals are thus obtained : examined in the microscope,
they appeared to be oblique rhomboidal prisms, analogous to
those of cane sugar. I could not obtain them of sufficient size
to measure their angles. These crystals, viewed in the mass,
present an opaque appearance, which isolated crystals do not.
Their taste is sweet, analogous to that of glucose, and conse-
quently much weaker than that of cane sugar. They are very
soluble in water, almost insoluble in cold alcohol, sparingly sol-

62

ON MELEZITOSE, A NEW SPECIES OF SUGAR.

uble in boiling ordinary alcohol. Absolute alcohol added to a
concentrated aqueous solution of melezitose, precipitates it slowly
under the crystallised form ; its aqueous solution left to spon-
taneous evaporation becomes syrupy and remains for a long time
without crystallising.

Melezitose, dried at 110° C. (230° F.) presents the same
composition as cane sugar, and corresponds to the formula
Q12H11Q11. Below 140p C. (284° F.), it fuses into a trans-
parent liquid, without undergoing any appreciable alteration.
Its reactions are like those of cane sugar. It does not percep-
tibly reduce the potassio-tartrate of copper, and is not destroyed
at 100° C. (212° F,), by the alkalies ; but concentrated sul-
phuric acid carbonises it cold ; under the influence of boiling
hydrochloric acid, it rapidly turns brown. Dilute sulphuric
acid metamorphoses it at 100° C. (212° F.) into a sugar
analogous to, or identical with, glucose, capable of reducing the
potassio-tartrate of copper, and destructible at 100° C. (212P F.)
by the alkalies. Nitric acid converts it into oxalic acid,
without mucic acid. Ammonio-acetate of lead precipitates
it. Melezitose, treated with yeast, ferments only slowly and
incompletely, and sometimes does not do so at all ; but when
it has been modified by sulphuric acid, it ferments immediately,
and is almost entirely converted into alcohol and carbonic acid.

Its rotary power, at 20° C. (68° F.), deduced from a solution
of l-5th, and brought to the tint of passage, is equal to -j-90°«3.
A solution containing 1-1 00th of sulphuric acid deviated -|-1707',
heated to 100Q C. (212° F.) for ten minutes, +12°2'; for an
hour, +9°'8; two hours, 9°8 .

Thus, the rotary power of melezitose is higher by one-fourth
than that of cane sugar ; under the influence of sulphuric acid,
it diminishes more slowly than that of cane sugar, and does not
change in sign, whereas cane sugar is interverted; this remark
is essential. The rotary power of modified melezitose is almost
identical with that of glucose.

These characters, added to the feebler saccharine taste and
the much greater difficulty of fermentation, distinguish melezi-
tose from cane sugar.

Trehalose is distinguished from melezitose by its rotary power,

4

ON MELEZITOSE A NEW SPECIES OF SUGAR.

63

which is equal to 4-208 degrees, and especially by a greater
stability.

As regards melitose, it possesses a rotary power scarcely
differing from that of melezitose, and which varies in the same
way under the influence of sulphuric acid. But melitose fer-
ments much more easily, and with a special character, for it
ferments only by half ; moreover, it furnishes mucic acid.

From these facts, we see that cane sugar, long isolated by its
character, becomes the type of a category of saccharine bo-
dies, whose number goes on always multiplying. The same re-
mark also applies to grape sugar.

Indeed, the word glucose, formerly applied to grape sugar
only, now designates a whole series of distinct saccharine prin-
ciples, such as grape glucose, malt glucose, the glucose of fruits,
of ligneous matter, lactic glucose, and perhaps the glucose of
gum, &c. ; all these glucoses are saccharine bodies, directly fer-
mentable, alterable by the alkalies, capable of reducing potas-
sio-tartrate of copper, &c.

In the same way, by the side of cane sugar, are grouped va-
rious difficultly fermentable sugars, unalterable at 100° C.
(212° F.) by the alkalies and by potassio- tartrate of copper,
represented at 130° C. (266<> F.) by the formula C12HnOn,
modified by the acids, and converted into new sugars belonging
to the category of the glucoses.

I found some years ago the first example of this new series
of sugars analogous to cane sugar, melitose ; last year, I pub-
lished a second example, trehalose. The mycose of Mitscher-
lich, since discovered, and melezitose, increase the number of
sugars of this group.

It will henceforth be essential to take account of these re-
sults in analytical researches relating to the study of saccha-
rine matters, and no longer to confound with cane sugar analo-
gous sugars, as doubtless has been done more than once, or re-
lying only on the general reactions which their solutions present,
and without seeking to isolate the sugars themselves in the pure
state.

These results merit attention no less in a synthetical point of
view ; they prove that the artificial formation of cane sugar is

64

CITROMEL AND TARTROMEL OF IODIDE OP IRON.

a more complicated problem than was supposed so long as no
isomeric sugar was known. Indeed, the processes by which such
a sugar might be produced, unless they are discovered by chance
and by accident, must rest on the comparative study of these
different isomeric principles, and furnish the general law of their
formation — London Chemist, Oct., 1858, from Comptes Bendus,
Aug. 2, 1858,

CITllOMEL AND TARTEOMEL OF IODIDE OF IRON.
By Mr. John Horncastle.

So many able experimentalists have been engaged in the pro-
duction and improvement of the preparations of iodide of iron,
that I feel some diffidence in inviting attention to two new com-
binations, fearing I might lay myself open to the charge of
wishing to increase their number, without adequate advantage
in the improvement of their quality. But as all the prepara-
tions at present in use are in some respects defective, especially
as regards their stability, I feel confident that my investigations
have been directed to a useful object, and hope the results will
be interesting to the Members of the Pharmaceutical Society.

About six years ago I was informed by Mr. C. F. Palmer, of
Birmingham, that citric acid would prevent the spontaneous de-
composition of solutions of iodide of iron. Conceiving that this
property of the acid might be made available for preserving so-
lutions for officinal use, I commenced a series of experiments, to
ascertain the extent of its preservative powers, and likewise
whether the other common vegetable acids, viz., the tartaric and
acetic, possessed similar properties.

Six solutions were made, each containing five grains of iodide
of iron in a fluid ounce of distilled water, and to five of them
citric acid was added, in proportions varying from one to five
grains. All the solutions were perfectly clear and colorless —
They were put into ounce-and-half phials, not corked, but the
mouths covered with paper, to keep out the dust, and placed in
a window where they were freely exposed to the light, though
usually shaded by a blind from the direct rays of the sun. They
were examined and tested with starch paper at intervals of a
few days. The solution which contained no citric acid had de-

CITROMEL AND TARTROMEL OF IODIDE OF IRON. 65

posited a considerable quantity of brownish-yellow powder, and
exhibited other signs of being in an advanced stage of decom-
position at the end of a week ; whereas, no indication of decom-
position could be detected in the other solutions till the follow-
ing periods :

Solution with 1 grain of citric acid, 21 days.
" 2 grains « 30 «

u 3 « « 60 «

u 4 << « 74 <;

« 5 « " 93 "

With much stronger solutions (one part to two, four, &c, of
water), citric acid was found to hasten rather than retard de-
composition.

Similar courses of experiments were tried with acetic and tar-
taric acids. The former prevented the deposition of oxide of
iron, but not the separation of free iodine, and therefore failed
to fulfil the most important requirement. The latter answered
even better than citric acid. Solutions were prepared in the
same manner as above, substituting tartaric for citric acid, and
exposed to the same rigid test of their stability. The solution
containing one grain of acid gave no indication of decomposi-
tion till after the lapse of ninety-four days, and the others not
till from seven to eight months, when they began to change
almost simultaneously. The length of time these solutions were
preserved, was not so regularly proportionate to the quantities
of acid as in the experiments with citric acid. In strong solu-
tions tartaric acid exerted no preservative influence.

It appears, then, that citric and tartaric acids would be use-
ful additions to weak solutions of iodide of iron intended to be
kept for only a moderate period, as is usually the case with the
medicines supplied to patients ; but for preserving stronger so-
lutions, such as would be adapted for officinal use, they are quite
ineffectual. I have therefore tried them in conjunction with
saccharine matter, and on account of the liability of cane sugar
to be converted into the less soluble grape sugar, I selected clar-
ified honey, and found the combination a very perfect vehicle for
iodide of iron. The following are the formulas I have adop-
ted :

5

66

CITROMEL AND TARTROMEL OF IODIDE OF IRON.

Citromel Ferri lodidi.
R. - Liq. Ferri lodidi, f.^j.
Mellis, ^xij.
Acidi Citrici, £vj.

Aquae Distill. Bullient., f.gj. vel q. s.
Liquify the honey by means of heat, and add, first the citric
acid previously dissolved in the water, then the solution of iodide of
iron; mix well together, making up f-^xij. with distilled water,
and filter.

Tartromel Ferri lodidi.
R. Liq. Ferri lodidi, f.gj.'
Mellis, gxij.
Acidi Tartarici, §ss.
Aquae Distillat. Bullient,, f.^j. vel q. s„
Proceed as directed for the Citromel.

These preparations are about the same strength as the syrup
of the Pharmacopoeia.

The Liquor Ferri lodidi indicated contains an ounce of iodide
in a fluid ounce, and may be conveniently made as follows : —
Take of Purified Iodine, givss.

Iron Wire or Filings, ^iss.
Distilled W ater, q. s,
Put the iron into a flask with three ounces of distilled water,
and add the iodine a little at a time, allowing the solution to
cool after each addition. When the whole has been added, set
aside for a day or two and then filter, washing the insoluble resi-
due with sufficient recently boiled distilled water to make up
five fluid ounces and a half of clear solution.

The Citromel and Tartromel Ferri lodidi will keep for an
almost unlimited period, even in bottles that are frequently open-
ed to take out small quantities. They will also keep well when
diluted, and in this respect they have a remarkable superiority
over the syrup of iodide of iron. The following mixture has
been kept more than a year without any particular care, and did
not manifest the slightest tendency to decomposition : —
R. Citromellis Ferri lodidi, f.3j.
Tinct. Gentianae Com., i.z'y
Aquae Distillate, f.^xiv. M.
I shall not attempt to explain the modus operandi of the citric

PREPARATION OF PURE SULPHATES.

67

and tartaric acids, but will merely observe that they do not ap-
pear to enter into chemical combination with the iodide, as their
effect is not dependent upon any definite proportions.

Having stated the results of my own experiments, I must
leave it to the judgment and experience of others to decide
whether these preparations are worthy of a place in the catalogue
of remedial agents. They will require the test of longer and
more extensive employment to establish their claim, but I feel
assured they will be found to possess some valuable character-
istics that will recommend them to both the Pharmaceutical and
Medical professions. — London Pharm. Journ. Nov. 1858.

ON THE PREPARATION OF SOME PURE SULPHATES, AND
PARTICULARLY SULPHATE OF COPPER.

Br Henry Wurtz, Prof. Chem. Med. Coll., Washington.

Commercial blue vitriol always contains sulphate of protoxyd
of iron, which cannot be separated by crystallization, owing to
the fact, determined by Mitscherlich, that ferrous sulphate,
when crystallizing with sulphate of copper, assumes the pente-
hydrated composition and triclinic form of the latter, and forms
with it homogeneous crystals. It has appeared to me desirable,
therefore, that some special method be devised for the separation
of the iron, both in order that the chemist may possess a source
of pure compounds of copper, and because the prescence of iron
must be injurious in those processes of dyeing, calico-printing,
etc., in which blue vitriol is used, and in the preparation of the
cupriferous pigments, verdigris, Paris green, etc.

In undertaking this, my aim has been to produce a method by
which the iron may be directly separated or abstracted from the
solution without the permanent introduction of any foreign sub-
stance. My process consists essentially of two steps ; the first of
which is the conversion of the ferrous into ferric sulphate, by
boiling with a little deutoxyd of lead ; and the second is the com-
plete precipitation of the ferric sulphate, by boiling with a little
carbonate of baryta. The hot solution is then filtered and
allowed to crystallize, when large crystals of beautiful form and

68

PREPARATION OF PURE SULPHATES.

color are obtained, containing no trace of iron. Deutoxyd of
lead is prepared for this purpose by boiling minium with dilute
nitric or acetic acid in the usual way, but minium itself, if free
from soluble impurities, may be used directly in ordinary cases,
although a portion of the oxyde of copper also is thereby precipi-
tated. Deutoxyd of barium is of course also applicable.

In cases where the presence of a little lime in the product is
of no moment, as for the use of the calico-printer and manufac-
turer of pigments, carbonate of lime may be substituted for that
of baryta.

In addition, it may be remarked that if the blue vitriol con-
tains traces of manganese, as is extremely liable to occur, this
contamination, as would appear from the observations of Schon-
bein and Wolcott Gibbs, must also be entirely removed.

The same treatment is evidently applicable to some other sul-
phates, and I therefore present it as a general method for the re-
moval of iron from the sulphates of bases precipitated with dif-
ficulty by carbonate of baryta, namely, those of the alkalies,
magnesia, manganese, zinc, cadmium, mercury, nickel, cobalt and
protoxyd of iron. Of these the most important one practically
is the sulphate of magnesia. The mode of proceeding with this
would be precisely similar to that with the copper salt, as it
would be also with the sulphates of zinc, cadmium, mercury, nickel
and the alkalies. With regard to the manganous sulphate it
must be remembered that deutoxyd of lead, as observed by Schon-
bein, wholly precipitates sulphate of manganese from its boiling
solution ; so that the deutoxyd must be used only in small excess
over the necessary quantity. The same precaution applies, in
a modified manner, to the treatment of the cobaltous sulphate,
because Gibbs states that the salts of this metal are also partial-
ly precipitated by long boiling with an excess of the deutoxyd,
passing first to a higher state of oxydation.

As to the protosulphate of iron, I have already (New York
Jour. Pharmacy, i. 229) recommended the use of carbonate of
baryta for the removal from it of sesquioxyd of iron. In the
same paper (which has, I believe, entirely escaped notice from
other Journals, owing to the irregularity with which the ex-
changes of that publication were effected) I have given, among
other observations upon the purification of copperas, another

ALUM IN CHINA.

69

method of obtaining its solution free from ferric sulphate, name-
ly, by acidulation with sulphuric acid and agitation with a little
pulverized protosulphid of iron, by which the sesquioxyd is im-
mediately reduced to protoxyd.

To return again to the sulphate of magnesia, before leaving
the subject, I must add that the treatment with carbonate of
baryta, according to a former observation of my own, must re-
move also entirely the sulphate of lime which usually contami-
nates commercial Epsom salts ; for, as I have there stated, car-
bonate of baryta totally precipitates gypsum from its solution,
even in the cold ; and I have there proposed it as a means of re-
moving the gypsum from spring or sea water which is to be used
in steam boilers, (thus preventing incrustations,) as well as
from the salt works. I have since found that carbonate of lead
has the same power of precipitating gypsum, and may possibly
be a cheaper agent for the purpose than carbonate of baryta, con-
sidering the facility with which the lead may be recovered from
the resulting mixture of sulphate of lead and carbonate of lime,
in a metallic form.— -Am. Jour. Science and Arts, Nov. 1858.

ALUM IX CHINA.
By Dr. Macgowan.
About eleven hundred tons of alum have been exported within
a short period, chiefly to India. This mineral is largely em-
ployed by the Chinese in dyeing, and to some extent in paper-
making as with us. Surgeons apply it variously after depriving
it of its water of crystallization, and in domestic life it is used
for precipitating vegetable substances suspended in potable wa-
ter. It is used also by the Chinese in a manner peculiar to them-
selves. Fishermen are usually provided with it, and when they
take one of those huge Thizostoma which abound on the coast,
they rub the animal with the pulverized stypic to give a degree
of coherence to the gelatinous mass. Architects employ it as a
cement in those airy bridges which span the watercourses. It
is poured in a molten state into the interstices of the stones ;
and in structures not exposed to constant moisture the cohesion
is perfect, but in damp situations it becomes a hydrate and crum-
bles, a fact of which the whole empire was officially informed by
the government about thirty years ago. It was discovered that

70

ALUM IN CHINA.

water had percolated into the mausoleum of Kiaking ; having
"been built too near to the mountain side, the alum cement im-
bibed moisture, segregated, and opened the way for it to enter the
tomb. In those peaceful days such an event was of so great im-
portance as to call forth edicts and rescripts, memorials and re-
ports in succession for several months. The son-in-law of the
deceased monarch, to whose care the construction of the edifice
had been entrusted, was fined and degraded, and a statesman
from Fohkien, acquainted with the properties of alum, was ap-
pointed to remove it a short distance from the mountain.

Alum was first introduced into China from the west, and until
a comparatively recent period the best kind, called sometimes
Persian, and at others, Roman Alum, was brought from Western
Asia. Numerous localities where an inferior article is manu-
factured, are mentioned in the Pharmacopoeia- — viz ; Shan-tung,
Shan- see, Kiang-su, Hu-kwang, Sz'-cheun, and also in the south
western frontier and in Thibet. That from Sz'cheun, is repre-
sented as having the property of converting iron into copper, or
of coating iron with copper, by placing the former metal in a
solution of rice-liquor, and alum the stone of that province. The
most recent editions of works of materia medica contain no refer-
ence to the mines in this province, the products of which have
surpassed in quality the foreign, and rendered its importation
unnecessary. From this and from other circumstances, it is
certain that the works which we shall now describe have not
been long in operation. They are in the Sung-yang hills bor-
dering on Foh-kien in the district of Ping-yang, Wan-chau pre-
fecture, and in close proximity to Peh-kwan harbor (27° 9' 10"
K, 120° 32' 6" E.)

The locality has been visited by one foreigner only, to whom
we are indebted for the following particulars. About two
months ago he started from Chi-k'i bight in Lannai harbor, to
which Ningpo boats resort for this commodity, to the northward
of Peh-kwan. Three hour's hard walking over a succession of
precipitous hills crossed by stone steps and pathways brought
him to the mines. Ten alum-making establishments were in
operation, which, with the exception of one on a hill opposite,
occupied about a mile of the side of a lofty hill. The works

ALUM IN CHINA.

71

were adjacent to the quarries from which the alum-stone seemed
to crop out of decomposed rock of the same lithological charac-
ter. The stones were thrown into a fire of brushwood, where
they were burnt with a slight lambent flame, and as they cracked,
the fragments were raked out, broken into small pieces, and
macerated in vats. Subsequently the disintegrated mineral was
thrown with water into a vessel having an iron bottom and sides
of wood, and boiled for a short time. The lixivium was then
poured into large reservoirs, where it crystallized into a solid
mass. Blocks of alum, weighing about fifty catties each, were
hewn out of the reservoir and carried in this state in bamboo
frames, one on each end of a porter's pole to the place of ship-
ment, where it is broken into fragments. When not designed
for immediate exportation the blocks are stored away for dry-
ing. On reaching the depot the alum is found charged with a
double quantity of moisture ; the porters being obliged to deliver
a certain weight, they slip their burdens in the mountain streams
which they pass in the journey.

Judging from the number of laborers engaged in transporting
the mineral on the day of our informant's visit, the quantity
brought from the works could not be less than eighteen tons.
This was represented as less than an average day's work, as
labor was in such demand just then for agricultural purposes,
that double pay was given ; — and aged men, and women, with
boys and girls were pressed into the service. Assuming that
day's product as a basis for calculation, and making an allow-
ance for rainy days, we may safely estimate the annual supply
as between five and six thousand tons. The quantity consumed
by the dyers of Ningpo prefecture alone, being nearly twenty-
two tons per annum is corroborative of this estimate. The
supply is literally inexhaustible. Five dollars and a quarter a
ton at the landing would afford the manufacturer a fair profit.
It often fetches much more, as there has been an increasing de-
mand for the article, owing to the greater facilities afforded for
exportation from Ningpo in foreign vessels. — American Journal
of Science and Arts, November, 1858.

72

NEW RESEARCHES ON ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION.

NEW RESEARCHES ON ALCOHOLIC FERMENTATION.
By M. L. Pasteur.

Contrary to the opinion generally held, I am able to affirm that
not the smallest quantity of lactic acid is found in alcoholic
fermentation ; and whenever this acid is found, two very dis-
tinct fermentations are accomplished simultaneously. Alco-
holic fermentation is accompanied by lactic acid only in rare
and exceptional circumstances, and when peculiar conditions,
susceptible of being reproduced at pleasure, gave rise to the
yeast which I have made known as lactic yeast.

This new yeast being formed of much smaller globules than
that of beer yeast, it is easy to ascertain by means of the mi-
croscope, if there is a mixture of the two yeasts, and thus to
anticipate the presence or absence of lactic acid.

One question naturally presents itself: we have known, from
the time of Lavoisier, that, in alcoholic fermentation, the liquor
always assumes an acid reaction. If lactic acid is found excep-
tionally by the means which I have just pointed out, what is the
cause of the acidity of the liquor ?

Numerous experiments have enabled me to ascertain that it is
to succinic acid alone that the acidity of the liquor in alcoholic
fermentation is due. The presence of this acid is not accident-
al, but constant, and with the exception of the volatile acids
which are formed in infinitely small quantities, it may be said
that succinic acid is the only normal acid of alcoholic fermenta-
tion. In whatever conditions I have hitherto operated, I have
found succinic acid and glycerin, as uniformly as carbonic acid
and alcohol, as regards their existence as products of alcoholic
fermentation.

The immediate consequences of these results will be compre-
hended by every one. But I must be more reserved than any one
in their discussion. — London Chemist, Oct. 1858, from Compter
Mendus, August 23 1 858.

ON THE CAMPHENIC SERIES.

73

ON THE CAMPHENIC SERIES.
By M. Berthelot.

The relations which exist between the formula of the camphor
of Borneo, or camphol, C20H18O2, that of ordinary camphor
C20H16O2, and that of the insomeric carburets, C20H16, and the
artificial formation of ordinary camphor by means of Borneo
camphor realised by M. Pelouze, have led me to try the inverse
experiments, and to form these substances with each other.
I have followed up this attempt not in relying on approxima-
tions of formulae, which are too frequently fruitless, but on
considerations relative to the similitude of molecular states.

Indeed, if camphol and ordinary camphor are comparable as
regards their physical properties, it is not the same with the
carburets, C20H16. None of these bodies at present known ef-
fects the solid state or the physical properties so characteristic
of camphors. But several of these carburets, if not all, and
especially essence of turpentine, may form a crystallised hydro-
chlorate, C20H16HC1, endowed with the general properties of the
camphors, and often designated, on account of this fact, by the
improper denomination of artificial camphor. It is this hydro-
chlorate which I have taken as a starting point. Although my
researches are not yet concluded, I have already obtained a cer-
tain number of results, which I think useful to indicate briefly.

I have decomposed the solid hydrochlorate C20H16HC1 in
special and proper conditions for preventing all molecular mod-
ifications, which had not hitherto been done, and I obtained a
carburet of hydrogen of the formula C20H16, endowed with the
rotatory power, volatile towards 160° C- (320° F.), crystallisa-
ble and fusible at 46° C. (114° 8' F.) quite similar to the cam-
phors properly so called: this was true camphene. Hydrochloric
acid changes it entirely into solid hydrochlorate.

This camphene, oxidised under the influence of platinum
black, is metamorphosed into a volatile and crystalline matter,
with the odor and appearance of ordinary camphor, and pro-
bably identical with it ; I have not yet completed the study of it.

Finally, ordinary camphor, G20H16O2, was heated between
180° and 200° C. (356° and 392Q F.) with an alcoholic solution

'74 ON THE CAMPHENIC SERIES.

of soda, conformably to M. Cannizaro's method of converting
the aldehydes into alcohols. It furnished camphol, C20H18O2.

The following is the way in which I isolated this last sub-
stance. After having opened the tubes in which the reaction
was operated, I precipitated with water* the camphory matter.
I compressed it, purified it by sublimation, then heated it to
200° C. (302° F.) with stearic acid. In these conditions ordi-
nary camphor does not form a neutral combination in apprecia-
ble proportion, whilst camphol forms a great quantity of stearic
camphol, which is easily isolated and purified. The body thus
prepared possesses the normal composition of C56H52Q4. De-
composed by soda lime at 120° C. (248° F.) it readily regener-
ates camphol, C20H18O2, with its composition and its most es-
sential physical properties. The camphol thus regenerated con-
tains : — ■

0=77-6
H=11.8
The formula C20H18O2, requires :—
C = 77-9
H=1L7

These results, which it is necessary to complete by the study of
the rotatory powers and by that of the product of the oxida-
tion of camphene, will establish between the various camphors
and the natural carburets of hydrogen a collection of experi-
mental relations founded essentially on the comparative study of
the corresponding molecular states. — Chemist, from Oomptes Men-
dus, August 6, 1858.

ON HAUTLE, OR ANIMAL BREAD OF THE MEXICANS,
By M. Guerin-Meneville.
In the Bulletin de la Societe Imperiale Zoologique d' 'Accli-
mation, M. Guerin-Me'neville has published a very interesting
paper on a sort of bread which the Mexicans call Hautle, and
which is made of the eggs of three species of hemipterous in-
sects belonging to the group of water-bugs.

* Water retains in solution the soda salt of a peculiar acid, camphic
acid, C20H16O4l.

ANIMAL BREAD OF THE MEXICANS.

75

According to M. Craveri, by whom some of the Mexican
bread, and of the insects yielding it, were brought to Europe,
these insects and their eggs are very common in the fresh waters
of the lagunes of Mexico. The natives cultivate in the lagune
of Chalco, a sort of carex called toule, on which the insects
readily deposit their eggs. Numerous bundles of these plants
are made, which are taken to a lagune, the Tescuco, where they
float in great numbers on the water. The insects soon come and
deposit their eggs on the plants, and in about a month the bun-
dles are removed from the water, dried, and then beaten over a
large cloth to separate the myriads of eggs with which the in-
sects had covered them. Those eggs are then cleaned and sifted,
put in sacks like flour, and sold to the people for making a sort
of cake or biscuit, called hautle, which forms a tolerably good
food, but has a fleshy taste, and is slightly acid. The bundles of
carex are replaced in the lake and afford a fresh supply of eggs,
which process may be repeated for an indefinite number of
times.

Moreover, says M. Craveri, the Mexicans collect quantities
of these insects from the surface of the water by means of
hooped nets, and these are dried and sold as food for birds. In
Mexico, these dried insects are sold in the streets and markets,
the dealers crying u Moschitos, Mosehitos" just as in Europe
they cry " Food for your singing birds"

It appears that these insects have been used from an early
period, for Thomas Gage, a religionist, who sailed to Mexico in
1625, says, in speaking of articles sold in the markets, that they
had cakes made of a sort of scum collected from the lakes of
Mexico, and that this was also sold in other towns.

Brantz Mayer, in his work on Mexico {Mexico as it Was and
as it Is, 1844), says, "On the lake of Tescuco, I saw men occu-
pied in collecting the eggs of flies from the surface of plants
and cloths arranged in long rows as places of resort for the
insects. These eggs, called Agayacath, formed a favorite food
of the Indians long before the conquest, and when made into
cakes resemble the roe of fish, having a similar taste and ap-
pearance. After the use of frogs in France, and birds' nests
in China, I think these eggs may be considered a delicacy, and

76

SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN ETC. IN TOBACCO SMOKE.

I found that they are not rejected from the tables of the fash-
ionable inhabitants of the capital."

The more recent observation of Messrs. Saussure, Salle', Valet
D'Aoust, &c, have confirmed the facts already stated, at least
in the most essential particulars.

The insects which principally produce this animal farina of
Mexico, are two species of the genus Qorixa of Geoffroy, he-
mipterous insects of the family of water-bugs. One of these
species has been described by M. Guerin-Me'neville as new, and
has been named by him Corixa fermorata. The other, identi-
fied in 1831 by Thomas Say, as one of those sold in the mar-
ket at Mexico, bears the name of Corixa mercenaria.

The eggs of these two species are attached in innumerable
quantities to the triangular leaves of the carex forming the bun-
dles which are deposited in the water. They are of an oval
form, with a protuberance at one end and a pedicle at the other
extremity, by means of which they are fixed to a small round
disc, which the mother cements to the leaf.

Among these eggs, which are grouped closely together, and
sometimes fixed one over another, there are found others, which
are larger, of a long and cylindrical form, and which are fixed
to the same leaves. These belong to another larger insect, a
species of Notonecta, which M. Guerin-Meneville has named

Notonecta imifasciata London Pharm. Journ., Sept., 1858,

from Journal de Pharmacie.

ON THE AMOUNTS OF SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN AND
HYDROCYANIC ACID IN TOBACCO SMOKE.

By A. Vogel, Jun. and C. Reischauer.

If tobacco smoke be passed through an alcoholic solution of
neutral or basic acetate of lead, the incurrent tube soon becomes
blackened in a remarkable manner, whilst in the fluid itself a
precipitate of carbonate of lead rendered brown by sulphuret of
lead is deposited. To obtain the sulphuret of lead uncontamin-
ated with carbonate of lead in the following quantitative investi-
gations, the tobacco smoke was passed through an alcoholic
solution of acetate of lead strongly acidified with acid. The

SULPHURETTED HYDROGEN", ETC., IN TOBACCO SMOKE. 7T

precipitate of sulphuret of lead was dried and weighed, after
washing with alcohol.

1. Turkish tobacco, 3-4 grms. gave 7 milligrms. of sulphuret of lead.

2. " " 3*7 " u 7-5 u u "

3. German cigars, 3 " " 9 " " "

Hence the presence of sulphuretted hydrogen in tobacco smoke
is unmistakably proved. The presence of sulphuretted hydrogen
in tobacco smoke may, however, be proved in a still more simple
manner, by blowing the smoke through the cigar upon a piece
of paper moistened with acetate of lead, when a brown color is
immediately produced on the spot touched by the smoke.

The well-known reaction of sulphuretted hydrogen upon nitro-
prusside of sodium is exhibited most characteristically when a
few drops of a solution of that salt mixed with ammonia are put
into a test-tube and the tobacco smoke is introduced by a tube,
which does not reach quite to the bottom of the test-tube. The
walls of the glass moistened with the solution of nitroprusside of
sodium, by shaking acquire a deep violet-red color by the action
of the sulphuretted hydrogen of the tobacco smoke. The above
data show at the same time what influence the incineration of
the parts of plants must have upon the accuracy of the deter-
mination of the sulphuric acid in the ashes.

In order to determine directly the loss of sulphuric acid in the
ashes caused by the incineration, the amount of sulphuric acid
in the tobacco ashes produced in experiment I was ascertained.
From this it appeared that of 100 parts of sulphuric acid in the
tobacco, 12-63 were evolved in the smoke in the form of sul-
phuretted hydrogen. This circumstance is consequently of im-
portance in the determination of the sulphuric acid in incinerated
parts of plants, and the more as a portion of the sulphuretted
hydrogen also escapes observation in the upper part of the smoke
of the burning tobacco.

After cyanogen compounds had been sought in vain, even in
large quantities of the ashes of tobacco, the tobacco smoke it-
self was examined for cyanogen. The method of detecting
hydrocyanic acid in the smoke is as follows: — Tobacco smoke is
passed through a concentrated solution of caustic potash. The
solution by this means acquires a slight brownish color, and
when a turbidity is produced by dilution with water, it must be

-

78 PERMANGANATE OF POTASH AS AN OXIDIZING AGENT.

filtered. The solution is then mixed with protopersulphate of
iron and heated. It is necessary to employ a spacious vessel
for this purpose, as a strong evolution of carbonic acid takes
place, especially at the boiling-point. The precipitate obtained
is treated with an excess of chemically pure muriatic acid, when
the precipitated oxide of iron is dissolved, leaving behind it
Prussian blue.

The separation of the Prussian blue is facilitated by heating
the solution ; after filtration and complete washing with hot
water, and afterwards with alcohol, it usually remains upon the
filter of a dark blue color. If, however, it be of a dingy green
color from the presence of empyreumatic constituents of the
tobacco smoke, it must be freed from this impurity by agitation
with ether and alcohol, when it always remains with its charac-
teristic color.

It is obtained most beautiful, when, after it has been washed
as much as possible upon the filter, it is decomposed by solution
of potash, and a protopersalt of iron is added to the solution
filtered from the peroxide of iron, by which it is regenerated,
freed from foreign intermixtures, after treatment with muriatic
acid.

Two cigars, weighing together 10-6 grms., furnished 0-018 of
Prussian blue ; and two cigars of another kind, weighing together
8-5 grms., gave 0 010 of Prussian blue.

Amongst all the samples of tobacco investigated in the above
manner by the authors, there was only one which gave an im-
ponderable trace of Prussian blue from 5 grms. This was a very
old tobacco. All the rest distinctly showed the presence of
Prussian blue. The mode of smoking tobacco, whether in the
form of a cigar or in a pipe, in fact, the mode of combustion in
general, appears to have an influence upon the formation of
hydrocyanic acid in the smoke. — Chem. G-az., Oct. 1858, from
Dingier § Polyt. Journal.

ON THE EMPLOYMENT OF PERMANGANATE OF POTASH AS
AN OXIDIZING AGENT.
By S. Cloez and E. Guignet.

To determine the sulphur contained in a sulphuretted mate-
rial, the most exact process consists in converting the sulphur

PERMANGANATE OF POTASH AS AN OXIDIZING AGENT. 79

into sulphuric acid, which is then precipitated by a soluble salt
of baryta. Nitric acid is usually employed for the oxidation of
the sulphur, but its action is slow and difficult. It only be-
comes complete by long boiling with concentrated nitric acid,
and in operating upon sulphuretted organic matters, we have to
fear either an imperfect oxidation or a loss of sulphuric acid by
volatilization. The action of nitric acid is therefore often re-
placed by that of a mixture of nitrate of potash and an alka-
line carbonate in fusion, into which the matter to be analysed is
thrown in small portions. This process is inconvenient in ope-
rating upon gunpowder, which must be mixed with several times
its weight of chloride of sodium, in order to moderate the re-
action.

The authors propose to effect the conversion of sulphur into
sulphuric acid by means of permanganate of potash. For this
purpose crystallized permanganate, containing no appreciable
traces of sulphate, must be employed. To ascertain that the
salt contains no sulphate of potash, a small quantity may be
boiled with pure muriatic acid until it is completely decomposed ;
the liquid should not precipitate chloride of barium.

The operation is performed as follows, taking gunpowder as
an example of the material to be analysed : — About 1 grm0 of
powder is weighed very accurately, and dried in a stove or a
current of dry air at 112° F. until it no longer loses its weight, ;
in this way the quantity of water is determined. The dried
material is then put into a small glass matrass with a saturated
solution of permanganate of potash ; and the liquid is boiled,
with the addition of permanganate from time to time, until the
mixture has a persistent violet tint.

All the sulphur in the powder is then converted into sulphu-
ric acid, and the carbon into carbonic acid ; the liquid holds
oxide of manganese in suspension ; concentrated muriatic acid
is added, and the whole is boiled until the oxide is completely
dissolved, which only requires a few minutes. If the solution
of the oxide be slow, the liquid is too dilute, and must be con-
centrated by evaporation ; after which pure muriatic acid is
again added ; a slight excess of chloride of barium is then poured
into the balloon, so as to precipitate all the sulphuric acid, a lit-
tle nitric acid is added, and the whole is boiled so as to give co-

80 PERMANGANATE OF POTASH AS AN OXIDIZING AGENT.

iierence to the precipitate of sulphate of baryta. The lat-
ter is then washed with distilled water on the filter until the
washing-water produces no turbidity in nitrate of silver. The
filter is calcined with its contents in a platinum capsule, and
weighed, deducting the weight of the ashes of the filter in the
ordinary way.

In a laboratory where numerous determinations of sulphur
have to be made daily, instead of collecting and weighing the
sulphate of baryta, the liquid might be precipitated by a nor-
mal solution of chloride of barium by the method of successive
approximations. The results are very exact, and the whole
operation does not last more than a quarter of an hour.

The finely divided carbon contained in powder being readily
and completely oxidized by permanganate of potash, the authors
think it possible that this reagent may be applied to the deter-
mination of the carbon contained in animal charcoal, or in other
matters containing finely divided carbon.

The analysis of the saline compounds of sulphur is very easi-
ly effected by permanganate of potash. Hyposulphite of soda
reduces the solution of permanganate immediately in the cold,
and by adopting the same course as with gunpowder, the authors
obtained the following results : — 1-000 gr. of commercial crys-
tallized hyposulphite of soda gave 1-850 gr. of sulphate of
baryta, containing 0-254 gr. of sulphur. Calculation from the
formula S202, NaO, 5HO requires 0-258 gr.

The authors have ascertained that this method does not apply
only to bodies which attract oxygen with avidity, but that the
most stable sulphuretted compounds are completely oxidized by
permanganate of potash, the sulphur being entirely converted
into sulphuric acid ; thus sulphuret of carbon, which resists ebul-
lition with fuming nitric acid, and dissolves hyponitric acid with-
out being decomposed, becomes completely changed into sul-
phate of potash and carbonic acid when boiled with a solution
of permanganate of potash.

Different organic sulphuretted compounds, especially hydro-
sulphate of sulphuret of benzyole, behave in the same way. The
authors therefore hope that this method will advantageously re-
place the oxidation of sulphuretted matters by the mixture cf

ON PERMANGANATE OF POTASH, ETC.

81

carbonate of soda and chlorate of potash, or by oxide of cop-
per in a current of oxygen.

For certain sulphuretted compounds the employment of the
permanganate presents peculiar advantages. In the analysis of
the alkaline polysulphurets and hydrosulphates there is never
any fear of loss of sulphur by evolution of hydrosulphuric acid,
as the liquid is constantly alkaline.

In the course of their experiments the authors have observed
some facts regarding the action of permanganate of potash upon
various organic matters. The hydrocarbons of a low equiva-
lent, such as benzine, reduce the permanganate in the cold with
great facility, only furnishing carbonate or bicarbonate of pot-
ash. But the higher hydrocarbons furnish, together with the
carbonate, some well-defined products of oxidation. Thus naph-
thaline furnishes naphthalic acid, a product which is difficult to
prepare by the methods hitherto known.

Camphor reduces the permanganate by the aid of a prolonged
ebullition ; camphorate of potash is formed.

Alcohol does not act very speedily upon the solid, pulverized
permanganate, in consequence of the slight solubility of this salt
in alcohol ; acetate of potash is produced. Under the same cir-
cumstances wood-spirit furnishes carbonate and formiate. Se-
bacic acid is converted into succinate of potash.

Stearic acid only gives a mixture of stearate and carbonate ;
benzoic acid has an analogous action, a portion of it forming
benzoate of potash, whilst the rest is completely oxidized, form-
ing water and carbonic acid.

Aniline reduces the solution of the permanganate in the cold ;
oxalate and carbonate of potash are formed.

Lastly, ammonia decomposes the solution of the reagent in
the cold, nitrogen being evolved. No nitrate is formed. — Qhem.
Graz., Oct. 15, 1858, from Comptes Rendus, June 7, 1858.

6

82

VARIETIES.

fcarte ties.

Binocular Vision. — Of the thousands who gaze with delight upon the
magical effects produced by that small instrument known as the stereo-
scope, how few there are who comprehend, or attempt to assign reasons
for, the extraordinary optical illusions experienced through its instrumen-
tality.

It is with the view of, in some degree, elucidating the principles of vi-
sion upon which these are founded, that the following article is written.

It will in the first place be well to consider the difference between mo-
nocular and binocular vision. Nature has furnished us with several means
of determining the distance of objects which may happen to come within
reach of our visual organs. One is that of distinctness ; a greater or less
degree of which — other things being equal — gives an idea of greater or
lesser distance in the object viewed. The second is through the change of
focus required in the lens of the eye in refracting to a point on the retina,
rays of light entering it with a greater or lesser degree of parallelism,
thus producing in the brain a consciousness of unequal distances in the
objects from which they emanate.

The means above alluded to, it is evident, are enjoyed in almost the
same degree, when viewing with one eye as where both are used.

By far, however, the greatest power with which nature has endowed us
of discriminating distances, is through the agency of binocular vision ; or
in other words, in the sensation produced in the brain by the different de-
grees of convergency of the optic axes required in obtaining distinct vi-
sion of the differently distant points of objects upon which they are di-
rected. It is to this faculty that we are indebted for our most palpable
evidence of differential distances, and for that consciousness of solidity and
relief so remarkably experienced in the stereoscope.

It is evident, for example, when we are looking at a house or other ob-
ject that has depth as well as breadth, from such a point of view as to ena-
ble us to see two sides of it at once, that we receive a differently perspec-
tive image upon the retina of either eye, or that we must see more of one
side and less of the other with the right eye than with the left, or vice
versa. Thus accomplishing with one view what a person with but one eye
would require two views at positions two and a half inches apart — the dis-
ance between the eyes — to accomplish. These are the different perspec-
tive views of the stereoscopic cards, and it is the effort to reconcile these
dissimilar pictures by converging the optic axes at points differently dis-
tant from the eyes which produces the wonderful effects above alluded to,

\

VARIETIES.

83

and which enables us to experience all the sensations of delight which
would be produced by the contemplation of the landscape itself.

The stereoscopic pictures will of course never quite correspond. They
are taken simultaneously with a camera constructed with two lenses, or
consecutively with a camera with one movable lens.

The lenses of the stereoscope, besides magnifying the pictures, are so
placed as to unite certain similar points of them, thus relieving the eyes of
too great effort by uniting them entirely by convergency of the axes.

The means above alluded to, by which we are enabled to judge of differ-
ential distances, are of course much diminished by the distance that the
objects viewed are removed from us.

Our consciousness of different distances by distinctness is diminished
through decrease of light.

Our judgment, through change of focus, is diminished in consequence of
the parallelism of rays from distant objects being so nearly the same as to
require but little change in refracting them to a point on the retina. And
lastly, the binocular effect is in a great degree impaired through the iden-
tity of distant views when seen from positions only separated by a base of
two and a half inches.

Nature has thus observed her usual economy in providing for our neces-
sities alone. It being of little comparative importance to us generally, to
be acquainted with the relative positions of distant objects, whereas our
personal convenience and even safety depend greatly on our knowledge of
those near at hand. We are therefore provided with much more ample
means of determining the latter than the former.

It may not be out of place here to allude to another subject immediately
connected with vision.

Sir David Brewster says, in allusion to the cause of erect vision from an
inverted image, " That it has long been a problem among the learned."
And further remarks, " That it is perfectly explained by the law of visible
direction." Now, although it is evidently a consequence of that law, the
question arises, why should we see objects in a direction perpendicular to
the retina at the point where their image meets it?

In truth, it is one of those facts that , requires no explanation, as there
is nothing inconsistent or irrational in it.

There is no more reason that an inverted image should give us the idea
of an inverted object, than that the reverse should be the case, cr that it
should give the idea of a horizontal one. There is no unity necessary be-
tween the direction of an object and the direction of its image upon the
retina. Nature has so associated impressions upon the retina with im-
pressions on the brain, that an inverted image on the former is evidence
of an erect object to the latter. And we have no consciousness of anything
to the contrary, — Jour. Frank. Ins. Dec. 1858. W.

84

PHARMACEUTICAL MEETINGS.

Eleventh month 9th, 1858.

At a Pharmaceutical Meeting of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy,
donations to the Cabinet were presented by Dr. Bridges, in the name of
Mr. Kobinson, of Newport, being specimens of Chinese dyes, one known
as Henny Lok, the other used to change the blue color produced by the first
to a green.

S. S. Garrigues presented specimens of genuine Sumatra Camphor,
known also as Borneo Camphor, (Dryobalanops Camphora, Colebr.) This
camphor is obtained in small masses from the longitudinal cavities of the
trees, and commands in the Chinese market from twenty to forty dol-
dollars per pound. Also a specimen of Liquid Socotrine Aloes from Daniel
Hanbury, of London.

Prof. W. Procter, Jr., presented specimens of Fluid Extracts of Squills,
Butternut, Calisaya Bark, Ipecac, Mandrake, Conium, &c, as prepared by
H. Thayer, of Boston, also a specimen of White Huckleberry (Gaylussacia
resinosa, Gray) from Huntington County, Pennsylvania ; also a specimen of
Kaolin from South Carolina.

Donations to the library were received from Wilson H. Pile.

W. Procter, Jr., presented a photographic view of the American Phar-
maceutical Association, as taken during their late visit to the tomb of Wash-
ington at Mount Vernon.

Dr. Bridges exhibited a quantity of Sulphate of Magnesia, as obtained
in the form of an inflorescence from the side of a flue, formed by the de-
composition of the mortar, through the action of the acid fumes from the
coal fires ; it appears that a large portion of the limestone from the neigh-
boring localities used for making the mortar, contain quite a consider-
able amount of magnesian ores, thus accounting for its presence in the
wall.

Prof. Procter, Jr., then read some extracts from the proof sheets of
a paper by S. M. Colcord, of Boston, " On the Professional Intercourse be-
tween Physicians and Pharmaceutists, which produced some general re-
marks from many of the members present ; after which, adjourned.

S. S. Garrigues, Sec.

Twelfth month 7th, 1858.

Quite a large attendance of members and others interested in the pro-
gress of Pharmacy. E. S. Wayne, of Cincinnati, was introduced to the mem -
bers present.

The committee on the library reported the following donations and de-
posits of books since the last Pharmaceutical Meeting.

PHARMACEUTICAL MEETINGS.

85

From Edward Parrish, 7 volumes ; Samuel F. Troth, 10 do.; Thomas P.
James, 21 do.; Samuel N. James, 28 do.; Total 66.

Deposited by Samuel F. Troth, 19 volumes ; Publication Committee, 6 do.;
Total 25,

A copy of the Proceedings of the Seventh Annual Meeting of the
American Pharmaceutical Association, was presented by S. S. Garrigues
in the name of the Association.

Donations to the Cabinet.
From F. L. Johns, specimen of Chinese sac musk; the interior of this
being nearly filled up with pieces of leather, lead, &c. In fact, the getting
up of the sac was well calculated to deceive the best judges, and it has no
doubt been prepared in China; also two varieties of Chinese fly (Mylabris
cichorii.)

C. Bullock, presented a specimen of a cinchona bark from Prof. Aikin,
of Baltimore, it having been found in an invoice of cinchona barks ; on com-
paring it with a specimen in the College Cabinet, it proved to be Cinchona
bicolorata.

William Procter, Jr., exhibited a specimen of the Botany Bay Kino, being
the concrete juice of the Eucalyptus resinifera ; also the juice of the same
tree in a liquid form. These specimens are from S. W. Osgood, formerly of
New York, now of Davenport, Iowa, and are described in a note to the
Eleventh Edition of Wood and Bache's Dispensatory. According to Prof.
Procter, it is entirely soluble in alcohol, and contains 67 per cent, of matter
soluble in water.

E. Parrish exhibited quite a number of chemical and pharmaceutical
products, such as pulverulent extract of Nux Vomica, Belladonna, &c, oil of
cumin, oil of eggs, oil of European wormseed, (Artemisia Vahliana, Kost,)
Quinium, Asparagin, Kamala (Rottlera tinctoria,) Oxalate of Cerium, and
a superior article of genuine Elaterium made by Allen & Hanburys.

He also exhibited and explained the working of a neat French apparatus
for making carbonic acid water in small quantities.

He also called attention to the metallic foil on the corks of Blanchard's
pill bottles, used to prove the impervious coating of the pills. In a bottle
in his p >ssession, the coating being cracked, displayed the characteristic re-
action of iodine on metallic surfaces. This fact appeared more important
as disproving the asserted protection of the foil by a varnish, preventing
its being attacked by the iodized vapor.

One of the firm of Z. Locke & Co. made an exhibition of the so called
non-explosive burning fluid, showing that it is quite as explosive as the burn-
ing fluid made in the usual way. In his experiments before the meeting,
the exhibitor expressed his opinion that the only protection against the
explosions of burning fluid was to use the safety can, in which the openings
were protected by wire gauze, thus preventing the flame from passing into
the can.

86

EDITORIAL.

E. S. Wayne being invited, exhibited some very interesting specimens of
the products of distillation of cannel coal, as also that from the Seneca oil.
All these oils are hydrocarbons, and are finding extensive use in the west
for illuminating and lubricating purposes. The paraffine exhibited by him,
as obtained from the same coal, was very fine, and it is supposed will at
some future time take the place of white wax for many of the pharmaceutical
purposes in which that article is now used. Paraffine is now being exten-
sively employed, with the addition of a small per centage of stearin, in mak-
ing candles. It specific gravity in a pure state is 0.850 to 0.890.

After various remarks from those present, then adjourned.

S. S. Garrigues, Sec.

(Ebitorinl Department.

Tilden & Co. and the Medical Journals. — There was a period within
the recollection of many, when a large proportion of the vegetable ex-
tracts consumed in the United States were made with so little regard
to the rules which should guide the manufacturer in their preparation,
that they but illy represented, in many instances, the drugs from which
they were prepared. About ten or twelve years ago, the Tildens, acci-
dentally becoming possessed of the shop and material of a seceder from
the Shaker community, at New Lebanon, N. Y., after considering what
was the best disposition to make of it, determined to continue the business
of cultivating medicinal plants for the supply of pharmaceutists and drug-
gists, and preparing vegetable extracts from the same. They soon saw
the advantages that would arise to the medical profession, and conse-
quently to their firm, if, for the crude processes then employed by the
Shakers, they could substitute the vacuum pan, and after considerable
outlay and exertions, succeeded in producing extracts by this process
greatly superior to those by the old process. The example thus set by
T. & Co. was soon followed by the Shakers and others, and there is no
doubt at all that the general character of this class of preparations is
much better than it was fifteen years ago, largely through their agency.

The enterprise of Messrs. Tilden did not find sufficient scope to satisfy
it in the class of preparations to which we have alluded. Fluid extracts
coming into use, they seized the idea of supplying these too, made by their
vacuum apparatus, and have manufactured them in great variety. Here
has been one source of trouble. The indiscriminate application of a par-
ticular process to a great variety of drugs of varied constitution, requires
an intimate acquaintance with the constituents of these drugs, and their
relation to menstrua and preservative agents, so as not only to extract the

m

EDITORIAL.

87

drugs effectually, but to preserve the important active ingredients in solu-
tion with the least possible tendency to change in keeping, by variation
in season and climate. Some of the preparations of Tilden & Co., who
chiefly employ sugar as an antiseptic for these fluid extracts, have, it
appears, proved unequal to resist the unfavorable influence of tropical
heat, and the editors of the " New Orleans News and Hospital Gazette,"
having become cognizant of some of these, have commented on them with
more severity than justice, more bitterness than truth.

Urged on by the ambition of enterprize, this house, having earned a
character for good preparations, determined to enlarge yet more the scope
of its productions ; not satisfied with getting a large share of the business
of making extracts for the supply of pharmaceutists, they go further, and
claim to divide these extracts into doses, and sugar-coat them, thus strip-
ping from the business of pharmacy one of its most legitimate functions.
It is the misfortune of such enterprizes that they cannot remain stationary.
They must retrograde or advance by an increasing production of novelties ;
more and more complex and unwieldy becomes the machinery of business,
till some of its distant movements get clogged by accidents flowing from its
complexity. Such has been the experience of the Messrs. Tilden. An
accidental substitution of pills containing tartar emetic for Plummer's pills,
having occasioned some inconvenience to a patient, it was followed by an
analysis and exposure. This house admits its custom of making up special
formulae, varying from officinal usage, to meet special demands, and in this
instance some of the modified Plummer's pills containing an equivalent of
tartar emetic became accidentally substituted for true Plummer's pills. This
result should be a lesson and caution to all such manufacturers to confine
their operations to legimate channels. The New Orleans editor, and some
others who have commented on the operations of this house, have taken
special offence at their announcement of an improved compound cathartic
pill without calomel. The compound cathartic pill is strictly an officinal
preparation. Without calomel it ceases to be " the compound cathartic
pill," and Tilden & Co. have no just right to assume the name of this
valuable preparation to get into use a substitute, when it must be
apparent to every one who reflects, that it tends to sanction that
strong prejudice that exists throughout sections of this country against
mercurial preparations, and especially among the numerous botanic and
Eclectic doctors and their patrons. If the legitimate demand of their
commerce requires the production of such a pill, let them supply it, but
give it a proper name. If there is any manufacturing house in this country
which owes its success to the countenance of the medical profession, it is
Tilden & Co. ; though to their own enterprize in bringing their preparations
to the notice of physicians, this recognition is mainly due ; hence none
should be more conscientiously careful to keep to the well defined path
of pharmaceutical rectitude in making their products. We wonder that

88

EDITORIAL.

they should be willing to run the risk incurred by engaging in so many
petty items, when the regularly recognized preparations of the Pharma-
copoeia and dispensatories afford them so wide a scope. They have had,
and still have, an admirable opportunity to take a firm and unflinching
stand in upholding the purity and perfection of pharmaceutical products
and manipulations, and on their true assumption of this position will de-
pend their future success.

There is one point on which we feel called to offer a caution. It is
this : although unjust censure will not destroy the virtue of good extracts,
no amount of praise or of puffing will make bad preparations good ; nor
will it prevent their ultimate condemnation by physicians, though it may
retard the discovery. Tilden & Company have had the confidence of the
medical and pharmaceutical professions to a degree that it merits their
utmost endeavors to retain. Let them keep to the strict letter of phar-
maceutical authority in their manufactures. Let them refuse to issue
imperfect preparations under any pretence of use for special applications:
Let them give more attention to the manipulation of their laboratory, and
less to the influence of the press, and their house will possess a basis of ex-
cellence so broad and pyramidal, that editorial censures will prove as
harmless as they are undeserved.

Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association at the Seventh
Annual Meeting, held in Washington, D. C, September, 1858, with the
Constitution and list of members. Philadelphia, 1858, pp. 488 octavo.
The Executive Committee have, after much expenditure of labor, owing
to the imperfections of several of the MSS. submitted to them, issued the
volume of " Proceedings." As a whole, with a proper allowance for the
circumstances under which it was produced, it is a production creditable
to the Association and to the Executive Committee. We propose to give
a sketchy outline of the papers it includes. These are divided into two
sections, 1st. Reports of Committees, 2d. Scientific Reports and Essays;
premising that the record of minutes is nearly the same as that already
published in the November number of this Journal.

The Report on the Progress of Pharmacy, by Frederick Stearns, occu-
pies fifty-two pages and embraces a bird's-eye view of the leading observa-
tions and discoveries in chemistry, organic and inorganic, having a phar-
maceutical bearing, Practical Pharmacy, Materia Medica, Toxicology,
Pharmaceutical Institutions, and the Sale of Poisons. It concludes with a
catalogue of the literary publications of the past year bearing on pharmacy,
and a list of the quantities of Drugs imported into New York during 1858.
The chief value of this Report will be as an index to the subjects investi-
gated during the year, references being made to the journals.

The Syllabus of a Course of Study, intended as an aid to students of phar-
macy, being a special report by Wm. Procter, Jr., occupies 66 pages, one-half

EDITORIAL.

89

of which are in small type. It is well to state that the author of this report
deemed the task so imperfectly accomplished, owing to the necessity of
condensation to get it within reasonable limits, that he doubted the pro-
priety of its publication by the Association, and suggested its reference to
a committee. This committee reported in favor of its publication.

The report on the Revision of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia occupies 44
pages, and is composed of sub-reports from Messrs. Carney, Meakim,
Stearns, Melvin and Graham, which embrace many valuable suggestions
that are now in a form to facilitate their study by all the revising com-
mittees who are, or will shortly be, appointed by various medical or phar-
maceutical bodies. It will be well for apothecaries who feel an interest in
the improvement of pharmaceutical processes to try many of these sugges-
tions, and give, either through the journals or to the committee appointed
to revise these reports, the results of their examination.

The report on Home Adulterations, by Prof. Guthrie, was noticed in our
last number. « That on Local Unofficinal Formulae" is brief compared with
the report of last year.

The paper of Frederick Stearns on " the Medicinal Plants of Michigan,"
exhibits great industry on the part of the writer, and the great richness of
the flora of Michigan. We have made a few extracts from this report,
which will be found at page 28 of this number, on Abies canadensis,
Carya amara, Gaultheria procumbens and Ulmus fulva.

The remarks of Prof. Grahame on Displacement embrace several sug-
gestions meriting attention and will be read with profit. The next paper,
on Tobacco, has already been published in our last.

The paper on Blue Mass, by Charles Bullock, is particularly worthy of
attention, and developes some results in reference to the solubility of mer-
curial compounds not generally understood.

E. Dupuy's paper on Saccharides will be found interesting ; and that on
Podophyllin, by Dr. Stabler, is in our last number. The next, an Essay on
Wild Cherry bark tree, by Wm. Procter, Jr., gives a general history of
the preparations derived from that tree, with some suggestions on the use
of the distilled water of the leaves in lieu of the Cherry Laurel water im-
ported from Europe. Dr. Donnelly's paper on the Brazil nut tree [Berthol-
letia excelsa] and its products, is accompanied by a beautifully executed
lithograph engraving of the fruit and leaf copied from an oil painting
accompanying the report. Dr. Battey's report on Southern Arrow Root
is also illustrated by an engraving of the machine used in rasping the root.
It consists chiefly of the results of Messrs. Cooper and Hallowes, which
show that no obstacle exists to the abundant production of arrowroot in
Georgia, the culture of the plant being nearly that of the sweet potato.

The paper of John M. Maisch, on the Detection of Adulterations of Vol-
atile oils, is a valuable contribution to practical pharmacy, and deserves
careful perusal. It brings together all that is known on this difficult sub-

90

EDITORIAL.

ject, and embraces many useful suggestions regarding the application of
the tests, especially Heppe's test with nitro prusside of copper. We hope
to be able to publish this paper in a future number.

The paper on " Professional Intercourse between the Apothecary and
physician," by Samuel M. Colcord, discusses a matter interesting to every
dispensing pharmaceutist. The writer is entirely candid in the discussion,
and handles some features of the subject without gloves. Its reading at
the Association was the occasion of considerable discussion, which arose
chiefly from the following paragraph :

a It is a fact well known to our profession, that to educate a competent
dispenser, who can pass a good examination at our schools of pharmacy,
requires more time, closer application, attentive study and better mani-
pulation, than it does to acquire knowledge sufficient to obtain, in our
medical schools, the degree of M. D., and it is almost an invariable rule
that physicians who abandon the profession of medicine for that of pharma-
cy make the poorest apothecaries. 13

The consequences arising from carelessly written prescriptions are gra-
phically portrayed, and the interference of physicians with the business of
apothecaries. Mr. Colcord thinks that where errors occur in prescriptions
the apothecary should return the recipe to the patient with his reasons for
not dispensing it. We d» not agree with the writer on this point. We
believe it is the interest of the apothecary that all such errors should be
kept from the knowledge of the patient, as not only destroying confidence
in the prescriber, but as reacting against the apothecary by exciting sus-
picions and doubts in regard to other occasions.

In allusion to the habit of certain physicians interfering with the busi-
ness of apothecaries by sending their patients to other stores, he justifies
the physician when he knows that such apothecaries are incompetent, but
deprecates such course when it is a mere whim.

" It is not uncommon or improper for a physician, on reasonable grounds,
to recommend a change of apothecaries, and why should it under similar
circumstances be considered wrong for apothercaries to advise a change of
physicians'? For I hold that apothecaries are as good judges of the profes-
sional qualifications of physicians, as physicians are of apothecaries. It
has often happened to me, and I presume it has to many of our profession,
that friends of the patient, in a state of great anxiety, have made earnest
appeals to us for opinions as to the qualifications of their physician, and
under circumstances when a direct answer could scarcely be avoided j and
I hold that in such cases, when sure that our opinions are correctly
formed, we are bound to give them to our customers, whether adverse or
favorable to the physician ; for in the one case greater confidence is placed
in the treatment, which is always beneficial to the patient ; and in the
other, who of us have not known of rapid recovery occasioned by a change
of medical adviser and treatment ?

" We are not to suppose, because our intercourse with physicians pre-
sents so many objectionable features to us, that they have nothing to
complain of in the management of our affairs, relating intimately or re-
motely to our intercourse with them. The statistics of ©ur profession

EDITORIAL.

91

would show plainly, that a majority of dispensers in this country are in-
competent properly to perform the duties intrusted to them. For this
reason we are accountable, in a great measure, for the degree of con-
tempt heaped upon us by them. Were we to change places with them,
we should hardly be willing to have our prescriptions compounded in
ihe manner and of the materials that too often falls to the lot of theirs,
even when the most common articles are prescribed. What well edu-
cated pharmacien, were he a physician, would be willing, on his pre-
scription, to have the Spirit of Mindererus put up as frequently found in
our stores, or the common article of cathartic pills, as found in many
establishments considered quite respectable, or infusions made doubtful
by using fluid extracts or concentrated tinctures to save trouble, instead
of conforming to the officinal formula; or plasters and many other phar-
maceutical preparations, from the laboratories of men of doubtful reputation,
and which are known to be wanting in the qualities necessary to give them
remedial value? Then again, knowing the ignorance and carelessness of a
large portion of dispensers, who though they do not stand well in our pro-
fession, yet occupy responsible situations, what guarantee has the physician
that his prescriptions, will not fall into the hands of those who are deficient
in the knowledge and judgment sufficient to select articles of known purity,
and who are incompetent to compound them so as to insure their greatest
remedial power?

"It seems to me that the temptation is a very strong one, for a good physi-
cian to send his patients where he feels sure their wants will be properly
supplied, even though he may pass by some equally deserving member of
our profession, to the injury of his business. The only cause for censure
that we can have, is when unfair means are used, or when the physician
wilfully shuts his eyes to the qualifications of his nearest apothecary, for
the benefit it may be of an acquaintance no better qualified.

"I must say, that were I a physician, I should be very careful into whose
hands my prescriptions fell, and should feel it a sacred duty to my patients,
to know who were, and who were not reliable. If physicians would take
more pains to ascertain the qualifications of dispensers, it would soon make
a manifest improvement in our profession, and in their success."

We would like to quote some other items, but our space does not per-
mit. On the whole, we believe Mr. Oolcord has spoken out many truths
in an open manly way that will carry conviction with them, and though
not pleasant to hear, will do more good than harm to both physicians and
apothecaries.

The papers of T. P. James on the Culture of Liquorice, and F. Stearns
on the Application of our Native Wines in Pharmacy, deserve attention.
Of all the papers submitted to the Association, none were more practically
useful and at this time available, than the excellent contribution of Dr.
Edward R. Squibb, on the Processes of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia needing
Amendment, which occupies 44 pages in the proceedings. Our readers
will find at page 49 an extensive quotation from this report. The re-
maining items are Dr. Guthrie on Indigenous plants, Dr. Thayer on Con-
centrated Medicines, Mr. Tilden on Medicinal Extracts, Mr. Merrill on
Alcohol as a Solvent of medicinal matter and Mr. Stearns on the Pepper-
mint Plantations of Michigan. The two last we have published entire in
the preceding pages. The style of getting up this volume of Proceedings

92

EDITORIAL.

is not only creditable to the liberality of the Association, but exhibits an
amount of labor and attention on the part of the Executive Committee
that merits the warm approval of the members.

An Inaugural Dissertation on Strychnia: — presented to the Medical Faculty
of McGill College, May 1st, 1858, prior to receiving the degree of Doctor
in Medicine and Surgery. By Alexander P. Reid. Montreal : 1858.
pp. 39, octavo.

The author of this Essay appears to have given a careful stady to the im-
portant subject which he treats, and goes over the whole ground of its his-
tory, preparation, characters, tests, physiological effects on vegetables and
animals, post mortem appearances, uses, administration, and antidotes.
About a third of the work is devoted to the sails of strychnia. The account
of these is very detailed, and includes thirty distinct compounds. The
author found ioduretted iodide of potassium the most sensitive test for
strychnia, producing in solutions of strychnia a very insoluble precipitate,
to which he gives the name "Ioduretted Hydriodate of Strychnia.*' We
should like to make a number of extracts from this Essay, and may proba-
bly recur to it again, but the following will give a good idea of the author's
style and method. Speaking of the proposed antidotes to strychnia, he ob-
serves :

"Since it is so difficult, if not impossible, to get any chemical antidote, I
have thought that some agent might be met with which would counteract it
physiologically.

Such an agent I expected to find in hydrocyanic acid : it acts in general
in a contrary manner to that of strychnia, causing at times rather paralysis
than spasm. Accordingly, I placed one-sixth of a grain under the skin of
the back of a cat, and when the convulsions became apparent, and respira-
tion had almost ceased, I poured some of the acid on the same spot. In a
few seconds the spasms ceased, and the limbs, before rigid and inflexible,
became quite flaccid. The animal appeared to be profoundly narcotised,
but it began to respire deeply ; the parietes of the chest expanding to the
fullest, but the breathing was very slow. It remained in this state for several
minutes, but gradually the respirations became weaker, and soon ceased in
death. The effects in this case were similar to those mentioned by Pereira,
who used conia instead of prussic acid. I tried the acid on others that had
taken the alkaloid by the stomach; but on account of the difficulty ex-
perienced in introdncing the acid into the stomach, its physiological effects
were not obtained. However, considering all things, I think with the excep-
tion of chloroform and conium, that prussic acid is the best antidote we have
got ; but as neither the acid nor conium have been very fully inquired into,
their relative merits can scarcely be decided on. Of the two prussic acid
has the advantage, that it can always be easily obtained.' In its use we
should not be too lavish, as it even exceeds strychnia in energy, and should
only be exhibited in small quantities at a time, not enough to be directly
poisonous. It should, if possible, be given immediately on the ingestion of
the alkaloid, or as soon as possible afterwards. It might have the effect of
deadening the sensibility of the stomach to the action of the strychnia, and
thus allow of time to try the stomach-pump, or emetics if this were not at
hand. These latter, have not, however, been reported upon very favorably.

EDITORIAL.

93

la extreme cases, a solution of tartar emetic might be injected into the veins,
which would be a very probable means of obtaining the desired result.

If prussic acid only were given, and it were successful in preventing the
spasms, its action would be temporary, and should not be trusted to alone.
It might possibly have the power, by continual exhibition in small doses, of
only allowing a small amount to be absorbed at a time. If it were only
given after the poisonous effects became well marked, it would, in all pro-
bability, relieve the intense pain which is endured, and thus smooth the
path to the grave. It could not act chemically, because the hydrocyanate
is fully as powerful a poison as the pure alkaloid.

Selections from Favorite Prescriptions of living American Practitioners. By
Horace Green, M. ;D. LL.D., &c. New York : Wiley & Halsted, 351
Broadway, 1858. pp. 206, octavo.

At first glance, one would suppose from the title of this book, that Dr.
Green, having had access to a number of prescription files of Apothecaries,
had concluded to make a selection from them for the benefit of the physi-
cian. Such, however, is not the origin of the book. The author has for
years past made it a custom to record the " favorite prescriptions" of his
numerous medical friends and ^visitors communicated to him at his own re-
quest, these physicians representing all portions of the Union. Out of two
large MSS. volumes thus gathered, he has collected the work now before
us. The formulae are arranged in a therapeutic order, beginning with Nar-
cotics and Sedatives, Tonics and Stimulants, Excitants and Alteratives, Ca-
thartics and Laxatives, Emetics and Expectorants, Astringents, &c. As it is
beyond our province to judge of the therapeutical merits of these recipes,
we will confine our observations to a brief notice of some of their pharma-
ceutical features.

In glancing over the formulae, we observe that the author is not a strict
nomenclaturist as regards our own or any other Pharmacopoeia. For in-
stance, Hydrocyanic acid is prescribed with the affix " Medicinalis," in-
stead of " Dilutum." The London expression l< Quinise Disulphatis v is
generally employed. The Genitive of Camphora is called "Camphori^7
Zingiberis, 11 Zinziberis," &c. Among the novelties, Fusel Oil is recom-
mended as a medicine in tuberculous cases as a substitute for cod liver oil,
with the effect of fattening the patient ; dose from half to a drop for a child
six months old, and five to ten drops for an adult. An acetic solution of
strychnia is recommended as an officinal preparation of the strength one
grain to the fluid ounce with five drops of acetic acid to the grain. The
menstruum is water containing one-twelfth alcohol. Dose ten to thirty
drops for an adult. A mixture of one part of calomel with eleven parts of
sugar intimately mixed by trituration for fifteen minutes, is considered much
increased in power by the commination, &c.

The formulae are, in many instances, followed by therapeutical comments,
which add much to their value and interest. The book is neatly printed on
good paper, and will doubtless be valued by that numerous class of medical

94

EDITORIAL.

practitioners who prefer the prescription of others to the trouble of adapt-
ing medicines themselves.

Brief Expositions of Rational Medicine, to which is prefixed the Paradise
of Doctors, a Fable. By Jacob Bigelow, 'M. D., late President of the
Massachusetts Medical Society. Boston : Phillips, Sampson & Co. 1858.
pp. 169, 12mo.

This little pamphlet is an attempt in the same direction as the work of
Sir John Forbes, noticed in our last number, 11 Nature and Art in the Cure
of Disease." Dr. Bigelow has evidently lost his early faith in the Materia
Medica, and is now an advocate of " Rational Medicine," which means
much or little, according to who is the exponent of its doctrines in his daily
practice. With some it is practically a sort of medical atheism, where
lost faith in the curative powers of medicine is not replaced by any decided
system of action as a substitute. In others, it is merely placing Drugs in
a subordinate position, and resorting to their aid at the proper moment,
when the recuperative powers of the system need a helper. The latter is
really the practice of a large number of able practitioners, who see in their
course, not a new system of u Rational Medicine," but that safe middle
path, which enables the physician to resort to those means, be they natural
or artificial, which meet the case in hand.

The Doctor's fable is amusing, but rather verbose, and, as a piece of
pleasantry, lacks spice and animation, and might have been better said ;
nevertheless its moral points to the subject following it.

Physician's Handbook of Practice for 1859. By William Elmer, M. D.
New York : M. A.Townsend & Co., No. 377 Broadway, 1859.
We called altention last year to this useful little medical annual, intended
to facilitate the process of recording daily visits, obstetric and surgical cases,
etc. in a systematic manner. Attached to the Diary blanks, and preceding
them, is a very much condensed classification of diseases, and list of the
materia medica, with pharmaceutical preparations, intended to revive the
memory in the course of daily practice, occupying about one hundred pages.
Its usefulness as a diary addresses itself to every physician, and its printed
matter to those whose stock of ready knowledge needs a little aid during
their daily routine.

CLASS OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

95

CATALOGUE OF THE CLASS OP THE PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY

FOR THE THIRTY-EIGHTH SESSION, 1858—59.

With a List of their Preceptors and Localities.
Matriculants. Town or County. State. Preceptors.

Aisquith, C. W.
Allen, Harvey

Charlestown,
Memphis,

Philadelphia,

Bache, T. H.
Ball, William
Bell, W. D. Hagerstown,
Bolton. Joseph P. Germantown,
Boyd, John W. Cleveland,
Bryan, John E. Philadelphia,
Buchanan, fm. F. "
Bowman, Alpheus H.St. Georges,

Carpenter, G. W., Jr. Germantown,

Wilmington.
Philadelphia,
Mount Holly,

Cumbrick,

Claypoole, John
Clothier, Wm. P.
Collom, Charles
Colman, Francis A.
Cowan, J. F.
Cowell, C. M.
Creecy, Wm. Pryor Vicksburg,

Cresswell, James A. Newtonia,
Dare, Charles F. Philadelphia,
Davis, J. Newton Norristown,
Dodson, Charles G. Philadelphia,
Dupuy, Powhatan E.Richmond,

Eberle, Charles L.
Eyre, William

Franklin, Thomas
Fritsch, Herman
Fronefield, Chas., Jr,

Garwood, William T,
Gaskill, Aaron
Geyer, H. F.
Gifford, Chas. W.
Gifford, William H.
Gregson, John

Hansell, Amos
Hansell, George
Harry, D. W.
Hayman, S. L.
Heintzelman, J. A.

Philadelphia,
«

Philadelphia,
Philadelphia,
Philadelphia,

Tuckerton,
Philadelphia,

Rancocas,
it

Montgomery Co.

Washington,

Biberach,

Virginia.
Tennessee.

George J. Scattergood.
0. R. Livermore.

Heydenreich, Emile Soultz-sous-fovetsFrance

Pennsylvania

" J. Bispham.
Maryland. 0. S. Hubbell.
Pennsylvania Dr. Wm. H. Squire.
Ohio. Hassard & Co.

Pennsylvania J. C. Dawes.

" William F. Buchanan.
Delaware. French, Richards & Co.

Pennsylvania George W. Carpenter.
Delaware. R. S. Christiani.
Pennsylvania J. Lewis Crew.
New Jersey. Wetherill & Bro.

Wm. Hodgson, Jr.

N. Carolina. Thomas Lancaster.
Mississippi. Edward Parrish.

Mississippi. Wm. Taylor.
Pennsylvania George W. Vaughan.

" F. Zerman.

" Blair & Wyeth.
Virginia. Frederick Brown.

Pennsylvania A. Rex, M. D.
" John H. Ecky.

Pennsylvania Marks & Co.
Prussia. Emilius Herwig.
Pennsylvania Fronefield & Co.

Pennsylvania Bullock & Crenshaw.

" Jenks & Ogden.

££ Jenks & Ogden.

" John C. Savery.
New Jersey. Dr. R. Keys.
Pennsylvania Paul G. Oliver.

New Jersey. French, Richards & Co.

" French, Richards & Co.
Pennsylvania J. Henry Abbott.
D. C. Charles Ellis & Co.

Germany. Dr. J. R. Angney.

Daniel S. Jones.

Jefferson, Charles L.Philadelphia,
Jones, William R. "

Pennsylvania A. H. Yarnall.
" Jenks & Ogden.

Keffer, Frederick A. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Beates, Jacoby & Miller.
Kemble, James Chester Co. " John Goodyear.

Kennedy, Frank Belvidere, New Jersey. Charles Shivers.

Kemble, Henry B. Harrisburg,

Pennsylvania Charles Ellis & Co.

96

CLASS OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

Matriculants. Town or County.

Lancaster, T. A. Frankford,
Levy, Lewis Trenton,
Link, Ferdinand, Wurtemburg,
Lize, Alexander A. Rouen,

McGrath, Charles
Mcllvain, J. L.
McKee, James H.
McLeroth, Alex. H.
Macpherson, W. Y.
Mecray, Alex. M.
Moore, J. W.
Morell, C. M.

Philadelphia,

Chicago,
Philadelphia,
Cape Island.
Philadelphia,
Hestonville,

Newman, George A. Chambersburg,
Notson, Charles B. Philadelphia,

State. Preceptors.
Pennsylvania William Hodgson, Jr.
Tennessee. Charles Ellis & Co.
Germany. Dr. L. E. Nordman.
France. A. Tatem.

Pennsylvania A. F. Hazzard & Co.

" William B. Thompson.

" Moyamensing Dispensary.
Illinois. Edward Parrish.
Pennsylvania Miller & Elliott.
New Jersey. Joseph C. Turnpenny & Co.
Pennsylvania T. Morris Perot & Co.
Pennsylvania C. M. Morell.

" Blair & Wyeth.

" Dr. William Notson.

" Dr. James Bond.

Ott, Abraham

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania T. N. Penrose.

Parrish, Wm. G.
Petry, Emile

Pile, Wilson H., Jr. Philadelphia,

Rankin, Alfred J. Shippensburg,
Reel, Joseph Philadelphia,
Rhoads, Elam Norristown,
Richards, George K.Philadelphia,
Robbins, James W. Bordentown,
Rulon, Edwin Swedesboro,

Scott, Henry A. Cooperstown,
Seeger, Roland Philadelphia,
Sheridan, John J. "
Siddall, Robert J. •<
Smart, Thomas H. "
Smith. TheophilusH. "
Smith, Wm. Moore. "
Smyser, George M. York.

Thomas, Lancaster

Thomas, J. J. Philadelphia,

Uhler, Algernon S. Philadelphia,

Vogelbach . "

Wagner, Joseph Philadelphia,

Ward, John "

Wendel, John . «'

Wilson, James York,

Wyeth, Frank H. Philadelphia,

New Jersey. Thomas J. Husband.
France. A. B. Durand.
Pennsylvania Dr. Wilson H. Pile.

Pennsylvania Rankin & Co.

" John C. Baker & Co.

" Wm. Stahler.

" R. C. Davis.
New Jersey. John W. Simes & Co.

" Ambrose Smith.

New York. Edward Parrish.
Pennsylvania Caleb H. Needles.

" R. Kilduffe.

" John C. Baker & Co.

" Henry Horn.

" Beates, Jacoby & Miller.

" Caleb R. Keeny.

u William Procter, Jr.

Pennsylvania

Robert Shoemaker & Co.

Pennsylvania Dr. George Uhler.

" J. W. Bley.

Pennsylvania J. Wagner.

» William M. Reilly.
" John Horn.
" John P. Curran
« Blair & Wyeth.

to

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

MARCH, 1859.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.
By Edward Parrish.

(Continued from page 17 .)

Having at the close of the previous essay taken leave of the
Manchester pharmaceutical establishments and chemical works,
I proceed to remark upon the general character of the shops in
some of the other towns. Those in Oxford and Leamington were
noticed as particularly elegant, rich mahogany fittings and plate-
glass windows and show-cases giving them a fine finish. At
Chester, amid the ancient buildings of that unique old town, I
noticed several very handsome pharmaceutical shops, one in
particular, in which the appropriate arrangement of mirrors gave
a great apparent increase of length to the room ; the shops are
generally in the second stories of the buildings fronting on bal-
conies which extend along perhaps the whole length of a street.
To the unaccustomed eye the contrast is most strange, of costly
mirrors, beautiful carved oak shop-furniture and commodious
arrangements for dispensing, with ancient dwellings and places
of business, in which all the necessary repairs are not permitted
to interfere with the prevailing unique and antiquated appear-
ance.

In Liverpool some fine shops were also noticed. That of Clay
& Abrams, Bold street, is one of the best conducted and largest ;
it has besides the ordinary arrangements for compounding and
dispensing medicines, a set of vacuum pans for the evaporation
of solutions at low temperatures.

Through the kindness of a member of this firm, T had an
opportunity of spending an hour pleasantly and profitably in
the Museum of the Liverpool Chemical Society, located in a

7

*

98 PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

large apartment in the Royal Institute. A fine collection of spe-
cimens of those departments of natural history pertaining to the
study of pharmacy, and of rare and elegant chemical products,
in a series of flat and upright glass cases arranged parallel to
each other across the apartment, formed one of the most attrac-
tive pharmaceutical museums I have ever visited. The mode
of mounting and displaying specimens here and elsewhere in
England, struck me as worthy the imitation of our colleges and
natural history societies. Those which stand in upright cases
near the line of vision are put into plain cylindrical bottles
without shoulders and covered with a plate of glass, or into
bottles made for the purpose, convex at the closed extremity
and terminated at the open end by a ground stopper, so shaped
as to form a stand for the bottle when it is inverted. For the
specimens designed to be looked at from above, these inverted
bottles are made of considerable diameter in proportion to their
height, while some samples, such as nests of crystals, are placed
on glass dishes and covered with a piece of plate glass or with
a suitable bell glass.

Besides the specimens belonging to the Chemical Society,
which, of course, it would occupy too much space to dwell upon
in this essay, the Royal Institute contained a great variety,
three series of which especially interested me : 1st. Sugars as
derived frem numerous sources and in their several states of
preparation ; 2d, an extensive assortment of textile materials and
fabrics, from all climes ; and 3d, a variety of products chiefly
from palm oil prepared by Price's Candle Company, whose
glycerine has obtained such an extensive sale in America. Some
of these show a perfection in this branch of manufacture little
suspected by those unacquainted with the recent progress of ap-
plied science in this direction.

" The General Apothecaries Company " have an extensive and
elegant establishment in this city, and a less conspicuous one in
Birmingham. This Company issue from time to time a publica-
tion called the Record of Pharmacy and Therapeutics, which is
intended to be sent to "every member of the profession in
Great Britain and Ireland." Of the numbers which were fur-
nished me, the first bears date in 1856, and in its preface states
that " it has not unfrequently happened that new remedies and

♦

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL. 99

preparations have been in use in the metropolis, on the continent
of Europe or in America, for a long time before they have been
generally known to, or adopted by the majority of practitioners."
Even natural productions of value, it is said, " have never be-
come available in practice, because no person has introduced
them into commerce." The colleges, it is also urged, « only
adopt into the Pharmacopoeias remedies having a reputation al-
ready established, and, as a matter of course, these publications
are always in arrear of the actual state of the art ;" hence
the establishment of this Company, as a " professional body,"
for the systematic advancement of therapeutics. I quote one of
the arguments used in this preface, which is so novel that it
may be interesting to the readers of this essay. " The imper-
fection and uncertainty which attaches to medicine, has had one
cause very readily avoided. The preparation of medicine has
been entrusted to a class of persons who, whatever may be their
merits in other respects, make no pretensions to understand the
treatment of disease, and who according to unquestionable testi-
mony, either wilfully or negligently sell or employ in the pre-
paration of prescriptions, spurious or adulterated drugs." It
will be new to most pharmaceutists that a knowledge of the
treatment of disease is requisite to an understanding of the
preparation of medicines ; and as to employing adulterated
medicines in compounding prescriptions, both common sense and
experience go to prove that a class who make drugs and pre-
parations their chief or exclusive study, would be more compe-
tent to guard against this evil than those who add the cares of
" general practitioners " to the legitimate practice of pharmacy.

This "General Apothecaries' Company" must not be confound-
ed with the Society of Apothecaries established in 1617, and
during two centuries known as the proprietors of Apothecaries'
Hall, in London, to which metropolis their charter confines
them. The Company now alluded to as owning several depots
in the principal towns of the United Kingdom, appears to be
confined in its operations to manufacturing and trading, and
the Record of Pharmacy and Therapeutics issued from its cen-
tral establishment in London, is chiefly an advertising medium
for their preparations, which are, of course, recommended as of
the best quality, and wholly free from adulteration. The pre-

100

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

face from which I have already quoted closes with the following
significant remark : " As economy is an important considera-
tion in the choice of medicines, cceteris paribus, the Company in
this publication have not overlooked it; the reader is on this
point referred to the articles quinine and cinchona barks and
rhubarb in the sequel." On reference to these we find the
neutral sulphate of quinine recommended as an improvement
on the disulphate, on account of its perfect solubility. Sul-
phates of cinchonine and quinidine are favorably spoken of ;
ammoniated solution of quinine is spoken of as a very elegant
preparation ; liquor quinoidinse sulph., dose 5 minims and up-
wards, is recommended as superior to sulphate of quinine, as an
antiperiodic against fevers, &c. Citrate of quinine and iron of
this make is said to contain 40 per cent, of citrate of quinine, a
larger percentage than usual. Besides these, thirteen salts of
quinine are spoken of; under the head of Valerianate of Qui-
nine, Dr. G. B. Wood is quoted as recommending a combina-
tion of Peruvian bark and valerian. I may remark here, that
this eminent American authority is well and favorably known
to the profession in Great Britain, where his book on "The
Practice " is actually used as a text book in one or more of the
colleges.

English rhubarb, of which I purchased a sample, of this
Company, is recommended in " The Record " as very nearly
identical in its therapeutic action with the foreign varieties ; it
is stated that the best samples of English yield about 52 per
cent of extractive matter to cold water, East Indian 53 to 54,
and Turkey not more than 55 or 57; and that when the differ-
ence in price is considered, it will, it is trusted, be useful to
general practitioners to be supplied with so cheap an article.
Notwithstanding this statement and the alleged endorsement of
Dr. Pereira, I found no reputable druggist andchemist willing to
sell it as equal to the East India drug.

Among the new remedies noticed at this establishment my
attention was particularly arrested by the pyrophosphate of
iron in pseudo-crystalline scales ; this preparation is stated to
contain a small quantity of citrate of ammonia, which renders
it readily soluble in water, the solution being nearly tasteless and
permanent ; it is recommended in doses of 3 to 10 grains, to be

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

101

given in water or a bitter infusion, in cases of obstinate ansemia,
and diseases of which that condition is a symptom. I failed in
making this beautiful product satisfactorily in the only attempt
I have made to prepare it; I found it too adhesive and deli-
quescent to separate in scales, from the glass plate on which I
poured the concentrated solution.

Most of the preparations advertised by this Company are al-
ready known in America, and many of them have been noticed
in this Journal. Grlonoin, " of guarranteed purity, and uniform
strength," is among the remedies offered. Chlorate of Soda is
recommended as a substitute for chlorate of potassa ; it is said
to be soluble in three parts of cold water, while the latter is
soluble only in the proportion of 0 parts in 100 of water at 60Q.
Iodide of Lime is another of their novelties ; it is sold in solu-
tion made by boiling iodine with milk of lime, which is said to
contain iodide of calcium and iodate of lime ; of the solution con-
taining one grain of iodine to a fluid-ounce, the dose is 30
minims to two fluid- drachms ; the peculiar adaptations of this
salt, are said to be in the treatment of neuralgia occasioned by
mercury, lead, &c.

From Liverpool let us next turn attention to Edinburgh, the
chief seat of science in the North. The University is just about
to close its summer course, and thither, across the deep ravine that
divides the town, we wend our way. The purposes of this essay
forbid a description of the ancient castle, with its legends of dar-
ing emprise, and of the quaint old buildings with which it is
surrounded, hallowed by many a thrilling story of the early
times — of the church where John Knox thundered, the house in
which he resided, and the spot where his bones moulder, though
these are all in the old town, and in the vicinity of the object
of our search. For nearly three hundred years, the University
of Edinburgh has dispensed the benefits of a liberal education
to the numerous students who have annually resorted to 11 the
modern Athens," and for the last half century has enjoyed a re-
putation inferior to no other institution of learning in Great
Britain. In medicine, especially, it has excelled, and hence is
especially worthy a short notice in our Pharmaceutical Notes.

The present ample building, which was commenced in 1789, is
a plain and very substantial structure, forming a parallelogram

102

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OP TRAVEL.

enclosing an open court. It contains lecture rooms, class and
reading rooms, museums, and a library. The museum of natural
history contains a great variety of natural objects, and especi-
ally a fine collection of birds ; some of the cabinets can be only
partially exhibited for want of room. The Library, which con-
tains about 100,000 volumes, is chiefly arranged on either side
of a hall near 200 feet long, containing, among other objects of
interest, a beautiful'statue of the Scottish bard, who, though no
great advocate of learning, which his own humble education and
the peculiar bent of his genius, scarcely prepared him to appre-
ciate, has made an indelible impress upon the literature of his
native land, and has given to Scotia, even in far off America,
the synonym of the land of Burns. In the four faculties of
theology, law, medicine, and art, there are thirty-two professors ;
of these, I believe, only three or four, who are connected with
medicine and its collateral branches, lecture in the summer.

I had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Allman, Professor of
Natural History, during one of his lectures on Physical Geo-
graphy. By a curious coincidence, he was describing the great
plains on the American Continent, and gave an eloquent des-
cription of prairie scenery, which aroused the class into a burst
of applause. The Professor invested his whole subject with a
more rhetorical and graphic character than is customary on such
occasions, and being dressed in a gown in token of the dignity
of his office, struck me as in strong contrast to his colleague,
Dr. Goodsir, one of whose summer lectures on Comparative Ana-
tomy, I heard ; portions of the skeletons of the snake, the bird,
and the reptile, were described minutely ; the specimens were,
however, too small to be readily seen by the class, and the de-
scription was devoid of ornament or illustration. The museum
of this department is very extensive, especially the exquisitely
prepared injections, illustrating minute structures. The arrange-
ment for preserving dead bodies for dissecting purposes, appeared
an improvement on any I had seen. Large wooden boxes are
lined with thick plates of unpolished glass, cemented at the
corners and ground on the edges to fit the top, which is
similarly lined and readily moveable. They are said to serve
an excellent purpose. The dissecting rooms of the University
are ample, commodious, and well supplied with disinfecting facili-
ties.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

103

Both the eminent naturalists just referred to, were fami-
liar with the name and fame of Professor Leidy of the Universi-
ty of Pennsylvania, and inquired after him with much interest,
on being introduced to a Philadelphian.

Prof. Christison was not lecturing at the time referred to, but
through the good offices of my friend, Dr. Sandahl, of Stockholm,
whose objects of study accorded closely with my own, I enjoyed
an opportunity of visiting with him the splendid cabinet of
Materia Medica. Each of the leading drugs may be said to con-
stitute a separate cabinet, so numerous and varied are the speci-
mens. The Opium series may be specified as one of the most in-
teresting ; that of English make was shown as equal to any other ;
the India variety, so extensively sold to the Chinese, is very
uniform, and quite inferior. The Kino series contained nume-
rous specimens ; the Jamaica variety was pointed out as very infe-
rior,— "a mere extract." The numerous tinctures of kino all
appeared to have gelatinized, equally, by time. The Cabinet of
Poisons as would be supposed from the extended reputation of
Prof. Christison as a toxicologist, is extensive and complete. Of
the various methods of mounting wet specimens tried by Dr. Chris-
tison, he prefers the use of a solution of common salt, the vessel
to be tied over with varnished paper.

At the Infirmary, a large hospital opposite the University, we
saw an amputation performed by Dr. Spencer, assisted by Dr.
Gillespie ; the operation was protracted, but accompanied through-
out by the inhalation of chloroform. The surgeons and attend-
ants were surprised to learn that in America ether is still used
in many of our Hospitals and in private practice, as a safer and
better anaesthetic. They use Duncan and Flockhart's chloro-
form, and for the sake of economy prefer that made with me-
thylated spirit, instead of pure alcohol. It is a common idea,
by the way, that the ill effects sometimes experienced from the
use of this ansesthetic are often attributable to its bad quality,
from want of proper rectification to free it from the impurities
which come over in the first distillation.

The Botanical course of the University being in progress at
the Botanical Garden in the suburbs of the New City, I gladly
availed myself of the opportunity to visit this delightful spot at
the hour of Prof. Balfour's lecture, which, as in the case of the

104

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

similar course in London, begins at 8 o'clock, A. M. The at-
tendance was large, perhaps exceeding 100. The whole class
numbers about 200, but many were absent owing to the Course
being near its close. Prof. Balfour, who is widely known as a
botanist, is a rapid speaker, with scarcely enough volume of
voice for so large an apartment, but the subject was illustrated
with a wonderful profusion of diagrams, and specimens of living
plants. Monocotyledons, Smilacese, Orchidace?e, &c, were des-
cribed, and considerable attention given to the subject of the pa-
thology of plants. The excrescences from insect stings, ergot,
dry rot, potato rot, &c, were treated of, also, the remedies
to be applied to prevent the progress of these diseases. Some
parts of the lecture were rather unsatisfactory, from the disorder
and want of attention of a few of the class, who were at more
pains to gratify an unseasonable playfulness than to avail them-
selves of the opportunity of acquiring knowledge. The Museum
connected with this fine Botanical school furnished us an object
of study during the breakfast hour of the Professor. It con-
tained specimens of several departments of natural history, and
was occupied by two or three young gentlemen engaged in original
microscopic investigations.

A party of fifteen students was organizing, to accompany the
Professor, at the close of the Course, on a botanical excursion
to Switzerland. The arrangements made were admirable for
economy, much of the travelling being on foot, and the lug-
gage and personal accoutrements being confined to such as were
absolutely necessary, each student, of course, carrying a suit-
able tin case or portable press, for preserving specimens of the
Alpine plants, collected by the way.

It was with reluctance that I denied myself the proffered
pleasure of joining this delightful party at Berne, to walk
with them over some of the most beautiful scenery in the world,
in quest of trophies which would have had an additional charm
from the circumstances in which they were obtained.

An hour spent in the Edinburgh Botanical Garden, will long
be remembered as full of interest. It is one of the most beau-
tiful spots in this beautiful country, and to the natural advan-
tages of the location are added embellishments of perfect taste
and liberality. A splendid palm-house, recently erected at an

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL. 105

expense of $60,000, contains a magnificent collection of tropical
trees, — some of them of great age, — growing under glass, and
maintained in a suitable atmosphere at great expense. A
high tower, containing a water tank for supplying the es-
tablishment, commands a fine view of the adjacent city, and its
suburbs, with Leith and the distant sea. The hot-houses contain
vast collections of curious and interesting plants, some of them
now displaying their brilliant flowers. Among the curiosities
shown us by the Professor and the scientific superintendent of
the Gardens, were true Narthax Assafoetida, a rather sickly
plant, which had been nearly killed by cold to which it had
been accidentally exposed ; True Quassia, a small, but thriving
plant ; Gamboge, which on being punctured with a pin emitted
a bright yellow very adhesive exudation ; Cinchona Calisaya,
as yet a small specimen ; a large Sago Palm ; a Matico plant ;
and our own Poke, Phytolacca Decandra growing in the open
air, and looking very familiar among strange associates collected
from the four quarters of the globe.

Prof. Balfour had just received a specimen of the Malapteru-
rus or thunder fish of the Arabs from Calabar, Africa, and before
liberating it from the globular bottle in which it had travelled so
far, gave us an opportunity to test its shocking powers. The shock
is so nearly identical with that of an electrical machine, that I
had no difficulty in understanding how this comes to be classed
with electrical fish. This specimen is about the size of our com-
mon river catfish, and much the same shape and general appear-
ance.

The interest which attaches to the Edinburgh University and
Botanical Gardens, especially to an American, long accustomed to
associate the former with some of the most eminent of philosophers
and quite unused to such attractions as the latter affords, has be-
guiled me into these details, and prevented my approaching
earlier the Pharmaceutical matters pertaining to this locality.

The most interesting item to me, in this connection, was
the introduction to a valued acquaintance, in the person of
John Mackay, Chemist and Pharmaceutist, local Secretary of
the London Pharmaceutical Society, to whose kindness I am in-
debted for much information on matters pertaining to our pro-
fession.

106

pharmaceuticalInotes of travel.

The rooms of the Edinburgh Pharmaceutical Society are
pleasantly located, and contain a neat cabinet, mounted
somewhat in the manner referred to in describing the Liver-
pool Cabinet. The most novel and interesting specimen was
a nest of large and perfect crystals of Aloin, deposited by T. & H.
Smith, of Edinburgh, the discoverers and manufacturers. This
neutral crystalline principle, which has hitherto been known only
by reputation in America, and the utility of which, as a remedy,
has been doubted, is among the most beautiful of the organic
proximate principles. It is considerably used as a mild, though
tolerably certain cathartic, in doses of 1 to 3 grs. From the
same manufacturers an elegant specimen of caffein was displayed
in large silky tufts. The assortment of Cinchonas has been
augmented by contributions from Prof.Christison, who has remem-
bered the collection in disposing of many duplicates. Among the
articles deposited by Mackay were some Egj^ptian Lentils, a
very cheap and highly nitrogenised article of diet, which seemed
worthy a more general introduction to use.

Before leaving Edinburgh, I should speak of the gelatine
manufacture, which is here carried on pretty extensively by
J. & G. Cox who send large quantities of the article to America,
where it is almost universally sold by pharmaceutists and
grocers. John Mackay's pure extract of calves feet is design-
ed as an improvement, being warranted to be obtained entirely
from fresh calves feet, obviating the objection, of many physi-
cians and nurses to the materials from which the ordinary gela-
tine is said to be obtained, while the jelly it yields possesses
a richness and softness to the palate in which jellies made from
gelatine are usually deficient.

Pharmaceutical organization is not in so great esteem in Scot-
land as in some parts of England. The Chemists and Druggists
are, many of them, in a small way of business, and the payment
of five guineas initiation fee operates as a great objection to
their becoming members of the London Society. There is no
School of Pharmacy in Scotland, and the number of students7 who
qualify themselves to appear before the Examining Board located
in Edinburgh, is small. This is the more remarkable, from the
known qualifications of some of the pharmaceutists to teach,
and from the presence of the University with its elevating and
inspiring influences.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

107

The general practice of pharmacy seemed to me to compare
favorably with that of any place I have visited, although the
scale of prices for dispensing is much too low to be remunera-
tive, except to the few who are well established. None of the
licentiates of Apothecaries Hall practice here, and the term
apothecary has a different meaning from that applied to it in
London. The pharmaceutical shops are much in the London
style, no handsome displays in front, but well furnished and
complete within.

Leaving Edinburgh for a sojourn among the Highlands, during
which I enjoyed a fine opportunity of studying the character
and habits of a large party of Scotchmen, all bent on pleasure
and recreation, I found myself in a few days at Glasgow.

Besides being a great seat of commerce and manufactures, this
city is distinguished for its institutions of learning. Glasgow
University College is a more ancient and venerable building
than that of Edinburgh, and scarcely inferior in extent. The
only parts accessible to a stranger at this time being the
Senate Chamber, a long, narrow room, the stone steps at the
entrance guarded by a lion and unicorn, the walls covered with
curious and unique wainscoating, and furnished with cases and
tables of massive proportions, — and the Hunterian Museum,
which is a separate building in the rear of the University.

This museum which is open to the public on the payment of a
small fee, embraces an extended series of natural history speci-
mens, a fine old library of the celebrated Dr. Wm. Hunter, a col-
lection of paintings by old masters, some statuary, and a variety
of antiquities. This is the only public museum that I know of,
frequented by both sexes, that contains a complete series of
anatomical preparations, monstrosities, specimens of the foetus
in utero, and the numerous objects required in the illustration
of a course of medical instruction ; six or eight very large
obstetric manikins were conspicuously displayed.

This University has recently paid a deserved compliment to
American genius in the appointment of Prof. H. D. Rogers,
to the chair of Natural History, though this distinguished
teacher had not, at the period alluded to, entered upon his duties.
There are ten professors in the medical department: one in theo-
logy eight in literature and philosophy. Of these, only two were

108 PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

lecturing at this late period in the summer, — the Professor of
Botany, at the Botanical Garden, which I found a pleasant place
to visit, but did not hear a lecture ; and the Professor of
Chemistry, who holds his lectures in a building near the Uni-
versity, containing the practical laboratory. This place I found
one of great interest, the arrangements for instruction in practi-
cal chemistry being more than usually complete, and each table
having, all the necessary apparatus and material, even including
a separate basin and hydrant.

The importance of Summer instruction in Practical Chemistry
seems to be recognised both here and in Edinburgh, although in
the latter place, the laboratory was closed during my recent so-
journ, perhaps on account of the lamented death of Dr. Gregory,
whose place had but recently been filled. I heard the last lec-
ture of the Summer course at Glasgow, the plan of instruction
being novel and, I believe, peculiar to this institution. Two
courses are conducted simultaneously, each class being limited
to thirty. Upon narrow shelves or tables in front of each row of
seats are arranged for each occasion, the necessary apparatus
for experimenting upon the particular subject of the lecture,
four or five students operating together, so that to a class of
thirty, six or eight sets of apparatus are required. The exer-
cises commenced with a general examination upon the subject of
the previous lecture, after which the lecturer introduced the sub-
ject of Carbonic Oxide, explaining the method of preparing it,
and the rationale, w7hile his assistants at the counter, and the
several groups of students, each with a retort and small pneu-
matic trough, proceeded to generate and collect the gas. He
then explained its properties and the methods of testing it,
which were verified by the students with their several specimens.
This method, though it has its advantages, seems imperfectly
adapted to supercede laboratory instruction ; the attention of
the students is too much divided between the explanations of
the teacher, and the details of the experiment, while a single
error in manipulation by any one student, leading to a slight
explosion, the fracture of a retort, or other accident, by dis-
tracting the attention of the whole class may break the thread
of the instruction, and to some extent, defeat the object in
view, This idea is the result of a single observation ; it is cer-

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

109

tainly a great desideratum to teach experimental chemistry by
a more popular and economical way than that ordinarily pur-
sued in laboratories, and I was anxious to find in this an improve-
ment on other methods. Would it not be better to separate the
lecture from the manipulation, devoting a certain time to each,
adopting the same plan of grouping the students into classes,
but teaching the manipulations to each group separately ?

It would not be just to the course of instruction upon which
I have thus ventured to comment, to dismiss it without acknow-
ledging the general familiarity of the class with the subject of
the examination, the apparent efficiency of the instruction so
far as the plan admits of it, and the great advantages furnished
to those who availed themselves of the privileges of the practical
laboratory. I shall always regret that for want of a personal
acquaintance with Prof. Anderson, and an attendance at a more
favorable period of the course, I missed of a better acquaintance
with this method, aiming, as it does, at the simplifying and econ-
omising the now expensive and tedious instruction in Practical
Chemistry.

The Andersonian University is another Glasgow school, hav-
ing a good building, a tolerable museum, open to the public,
(fee one penny,) and a practical laboratory. Dr. Penny, the
professor of Chemistry was absent, and no course of lectures
was in progress. This laboratory was furnished in a much
cheaper style than that of the University ; the fees being only
one guinea ($5 25,) a month, exclusive of the apparatus which
the student is obliged to purchase for himself, and may keep in
a separate closet, together with the products of his manipula-
tions. Here, as in the University laboratory, gas is the chief
fuel used, though instead of cylinders covered with wire gauze,such
as we use, they employ cylinders open at both ends, tapering to.
ward the top, and standing on wire feet. The tripods for hold-
ing capsules and crucibles were made by taking three pieces of
wire of equal length, bending them twice at right angles, and
binding them together with fine wire. This Institution is of a
popular character, having scientific courses of six months' dura-
tion, adapted to apprentices as well as students qualifying them-
selves for the professions. During a short stay in Glasgow, I
met with one illustration of its advantages, not only in inspiring

110

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

a love of chemistry, but in imparting its leading facts and prin-
ciples ; the lad who pointed out to me some of the facts which
follow, was educated at this Andersonian school, and now finds
employment in the largest chemical works in the world.

Every one has heard of Tennant's great Chemical works, and
such a description of them as my opportunities enable me to give
may not be uninteresting. They are situated in the eastern part
of Glasgow, in a suburb called St. Rollox, on a rail road which
passes directly through the grounds, and a canal which skirts
them. The works cover in about sixteen acres under roof, and
their enormously high chimneys as I first saw them from the
top of Ben Lomond, many miles distant, constituted one of the
most conspicuous objects in the panorama of Glasgow.

The principal chimney is four hundred and sixty feet high,
seventy-five feet higher than the top of St. Paul's, and even ex-
ceeding in height the tallest of the pyramids of Egypt. There
are two other tall chimneys, one, three hundred and thirty, and
the other two hundred and fifty feet high. They are built of
brick, the largest being forty feet at the base. The object of
such immense altitude in the flues is to carry the gaseous pro-
ducts so high in the atmosphere as to prevent inconvenience to
the surrounding population.

These works are more remarkable for the vast quantities than
for the variety of the chemicals produced. The chief articles
of manufacture are Soda Ash, Carbonate of Soda, Muriatic and
Sulphuric Acids, Bleaching Salts, and Soaps.

By the action of sulphuric acid on chloride of sodium, sul-
phate of soda is produced ; the muriatic acid given off is passed
into large, square, stone chimneys, lined with pitch and filled in
with charcoal. Near the tops of these are reservoirs, from which
jets of water are thrown into the flues, which dissolves the gas
in such large proportion that the liquid as it trickles out below
has acquired the strength of commercial muriatic acid, and
marks a sp. gr. of 1-116. The tops of these chimneys emit no
smell of the acid gas.

For the manufacture of bleaching salt, the muriatic acid is
converted into chlorine by the use of black oxide of manga-
nese ; the gas is then conveyed into a series of brick chambers
containing the lime ; two of these communicate, and after two

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

Ill

days the chlorinated lime is taken out of one, the other being
filled with fresh, and so on alternately, each charge being
thus subjected to the gas for two days. The workmen exposed
to the action of this corrosive gas in the operation of charging ,
and emptying the chambers, appear to become so habituated to
its effects as to live, judging from one specimen we saw, to a
great age. The delicate tissues of the lungs and the lining
membrane of the air passages, resist for years a corrosive action
which completely destroys the teeth.

The oxide of manganese, after serving its purpose of decom-
posing the muriatic acid, exists in the state of chloride ; this is
restored again to the condition of oxide for future use, by the
following process : — it is first treated with lime, by which the
iron is separated, and then with carbonate of lime which pre-
cipitates carbonate of manganese ; this, by calcination, is con-
verted into oxide for use again in the decomposition of muriatic
acid. This process is a patent belonging to the concern, and
the invention of one of the partners.

The manufacture of sulphuric acid is carried on by a process,
which is also, I believe, original with a member of this firm.
The sulphur is burned in small furnaces, communicating with a
large horizontal pipe ; into this is poured near one extremity, a
peculiar acid mixture or compound called nitro-sulphuric acid,
consisting of concentrated sulphuric acid saturated with nitric
acid.

When mixed with water this liquid has the property of giving
off nitrous acid in profusion, and being discharged with water
into the tube containing gaseous sulphurous acid, converts it into
sulphuric acid ; this runs off into iron vats lined with lead which
are heated till it is concentrated to a certain specific gravity ; these
vats show a deposite of sulphate of lead, which, to a great
extent, protects them from the action of the acid. The acid is
now run into a platinum still, which is placed over a very hot
fire, and the concentrated acid, as it runs off, is cooled by pass-
ing through horizontal troughs of water, and into leaden cold
water baths. The method of throwing the acid into receiving
vessels in convenient positions for filling carboys without the
aid of a pump, is by the pressure of air forced into the tubes.

From the sulphate of soda left after the liberation of muria-

112

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

tic acid from chloride of sodium by sulphuric acid, the several
alkaline products are made. The sulphate is mixed with char-
coal in suitable brick furnaces and ignited, being constantly
stirred with large iron rakes during the burning.

It comes out a fused yellowish mass, which is broken up upon
the hearth, lixiviated repeatedly, concentrated in iron vats ; for
soda ash the evaporation is carried on to dryness, calcined and
powdered ; it meets a ready sale and is one of the chief pro-
ductions of the works, averaging about two hundred and fifty
tons per week.

The sal soda is produced by arresting the concentration at a
certain point and running the lixivium into shallow iron vats, on
the top of which, wooden strips are thrown, to promote crystal-
lization, and after the carbonate of soda has been nearly all
separated in this way the mother liquors are drawn off, by re-
moving a plug, and evaporated to dryness, forming another
quality of the soda ash. The yield of sal soda is about one
hundred and fifty tons per week.

The vast extent of the crystallizing room, with its numerous
large vats, and the immense expenditure of force silently ex-
erted by innumerable material atoms, marshalling themselves
with mathematical precision into regular crystalline forms, is
calculated to fill the mind with astonishment and admiration,
and I shall long recollect it as one of the most impressive exhi-
bitions of natural motive power it has been my lot to witness.

Part of the soda ash is rendered caustic by quicklime and
consumed in another part of the works in the manufacture of
soap. Tallow mixed with palm oil and cocoanut oil, both of
which latter are abundant in England, are used in the soap
works. The boiling is accomplished by steam, in the usual way,
about sixty tons of a very nice white soap being produced
weekly. From what I observed in this branch of manufacture
here and elsewhere, I do not think soap-making in England
at all in advance of the art in our own country.

The practice of pharmacy in Glasgow seemed to present lit-
tle to distinguish it from that of Edinburgh or the principal
towns of England. Many of the stores are large and well furnished
and present every appearance of a prosperous business. The
term apothecary is applied, as with us, to the regular profession
of pharmacy, and seems to convey no idea of a practitioner of

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS. 113

medicine and surgery. Within a few hours' ride by rail road,
however, at the towns of Carlisle, Penrith, Ulverstone, &c, I
found the prescription business very much in the hands of the
surgeons and general practitioners, and the pharmaceutists re-
duced to the level of dealers in drugs, domestic remedies, and
household articles, including tea coffee and " sweets ;" as a con-
sequence of this, the practice of the art is less thorough and
scientific, and the people are the losers.

(To be continued.)

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.
By John M. Maisch.

Of late there has been some discussion in pharmaceutical cir-
cles concerning the most appropriate agent for preserving those
valuable preparations, the fluid extracts. The tenor of these
discussions makes it evident that the opinion has been gaining
ground in favor of alcohol as the best menstruum, and in prefer-
ence to an aqueous solution of sugar. The reasons for this pre-
ference are principally twofold ; 1, that alcohol is a solvent for
all medicinal principles produced by organic life ; and 2, that al-
cohol is a more powerful antiseptic than sugar.

The first allegation is a hypothesis of Mr. W. S. Merrill, which,
though no positive proof for it has as yet been attempted, still
has the appearance of being a fact in a large majority of cases,
although not a universal law. I do not intend now to speak
about this, but merely remark that, so far as it is true, its great-
est influence would be exercised on the method of preparing the
extracts, and more particularly on the menstruum employed du-
ring that process, so that water would be more or less entirely
dispensed with. The mere fact of the medicinal virtues of a
plant being extracted by alcohol, does by no means exclude the
possibility of preserving these principles in an aqueous liquid by
means of sugar, so long as it has not been demonstrated that water
or solution of sugar, is no solvent for them, or rather after it has
'been proven that they are soluble in such a liquid ; if insoluble, of
course, that menstruum is inadmissible.

The second reason has been advanced and argued by Mr.

S

114 ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

Thayer, but I believe it does not cover the whole of that ground
which he has assigned for it. It is doubtless true that the pres-
ence of a certain proportion of alcohol tends to prevent, or,
where it has commenced, to arrest the progress of vinous and
even acetic fermentation, but vegetable matter of itself will not
undergo these changes, unless principles are present which are
able to act as ferments. Therefore, if we could succeed in re-
moving such fermentative matter, the liquid, whether alcoholic or
aqueous, could not undergo either fermentation. Of this matter,
however, as it occurs in different plants, we know as yet too little,
and in nearly all cases we will for this reason be deprived of the
means for removing it.

But on the other hand, vinous and acetic fermentation are not
the only alterations to which organic matter is subject, a trans-
formation of the elements and consequent change taking place
wherever the air has access, but under different circumstances
this change will be different. Berzelius, on speaking of the met-
amorphoses of organic bodies, uses the following language :
" Mixed organic bodies, when moist and at a certain temperature
left to themselves, undergo changes, the end of which appears to
be to decompose them into other combinations of the elements,
and ultimately after a shorter or longer period, to transform them
into inorganic compositions." And again in another place :
" Nature's aim, it seems, is, not to grant stability to anything of
an organic composition, but to gradually destroy it. Bodies
that are perfectly pure, may in the solid state be kept unal-
tered, and inmost cases for an indefinite period, oftentimes, their
being surrounded by or dissolved in water, has no destructive
influence on them. But if two or more bodies are mixed and ex-
posed to the influence of moisture and air, a process of meta-
morphosis is induced," &c.

The change in the organic matter is caused by oxygen, it is
an oxidation to which as we notice it in ordinary life accompa-
nied by different phenomenon, we apply different names. Mould
putrescence, fermentation, &c. are such changes, at the same time
accompanied by the development of organic life. Alcohol has
the power to prevent or retard these changes, and the cause for
this power may be easily illustrated by the following well known
simple experiment. Wet a beef or hog's bladder thoroughly with

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS. 115

water,* and then dip it in alcohol, it will be dry instantly. The
whole secret is, alcohol has the power of abstracting moisture
from membranes and all similar substances, and in every instance
mentioned by Mr. Thayer is this its office ; the unpeeled nutmeg,
the fresh pear, the fermenting currant wine, the anatomical
preparations and the fruit preserves are thus by alcohol preser-
ved against further decomposition ; ic is in this way that alcohol
kills the vegetable life of the process of fermentation, that it
destroys the proneness of animal matter to putrefaction — and
this property is what we term the antiseptic power of alcohol.

But there are other forms of oxidation which do not announce
themselves by the appearance of foreign organic life ; they pro-
gress silently and uninterruptedly when once begun, as long as
the necessary materials have not been used up. Though these
changes are less visible, nevertheless we must assume that med-
icinal organic bodies by oxidation, that is by an alteration of
their chemical composition, likewise alter more or less their med-
icinal properties. Whichever way we look upon the various
processes of deterioration, we will always find oxygen to be the
powerful enemy we must try to conquer in keeping all our
pharmaceutical preparations. We therefore inquire which of
the common menstrua used in pharmacy are most apt to assist in
the process of oxidation, which do most readily absorb the at-
mospheric gases ?

If we look to the phenomenon presented by liquids before the
process of boiling, we can partly receive a clue to an answer.
Liquids, when they expand by the application of heat, gradually
lose the power of retaining gases in solution, and long before
they begin to boil, small bubbles formin different parts, but more
especially in the neighborhood and directly above the source of
heat, where the temperature is highest : these are air bubbles,
which have nothing to do with the phenomenon of boiling, which
takes place after a considerable quantity of air has been ejected.
Now by watching liquids being heated in glass vessels to
a certain temperature, the number and size of those bub-
bles will enable us to form a tolerable estimate of the propor-
tion of air absorbed. Such a rough comparison, of course, will
never approach to scientific accuracy, but will be sufficiently so
for experimental use. Alcohol and ether if at a low tempera-

116

ON THE PRESERVATION OP FLUID EXTRACTS.

ture allowed to absorb a gas such as air, and afterwards heated
to about 85 or 90° F. evolve the gas, but alcohol in smaller pro-
portion than ether; the same is the case with alcohoLand water,
at about 160° F., the air is ejected from alcohol in larger pro-
portion than from water.

However, on this very subject we have scientific researches by
Saussure, jun. He established the fact that, even by a long con-
tinued boiling, no liquid could be absolutely freed from the gas
it had previously absorbed, but liquids with higher boiling point
easier and more complete than those boiling at a lower tempe-
rature ; the difficulty to rid our pharmaceutical'menstrua of at-
mospheric air must therefore be greatest with ether, less with al-
cohol, water, and I may add syrup. According to Saussure, 100
volumes of the following liquids, freed of air as much as possible,
are able to absorb the following volumes of gases, viz ♦

Water, 106 C02 6.5 O, 4.2 N

Alcohol, 186 CO, 16.25 O, 42 N

Absolute alcohol, 260 C0.2

Ether, 217 CO,

Syrup containing 25]
pr. ct. sugar, J 72

With regard to the resorbent quality of liquids, Berzelius gives
the following general rules : The capacity of liquids for the ab-
sorption of gases increases in general with the decrease of their
specific gravity, and with very few exceptions this capacity is
lessened by the presence of a salt or other body ; the more solu-
ble this is in the liquid, or the more of it is dissolved in a given
measure, the smaller is the resorbent power of the liquid, or in
other words the absorbing capacity of solutions is lessened by
the increase of their specific gravity. The little table above is a
strong evidence against the practicability of the use of alcohol,
which absorbs 2 J times more of oxygen than water, and probably
5 times more than an equal volume of syrup. Alcohol therefore
is the very liquid that furnishes the principal conditions for the
convenient oxidation of vegetable substances, ready mobility and
sufficient oxygen. Only in appearance, the experience of every
day life is at variance with this assertion; for above it was shown
that alcohol arrests putrefaction and fermentation merely by de-
stroying vegetable and animal life, for the successful continuance

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS, 117

of which water is one of the paramount conditions. An arrest
of one way of decay, does, however, not indicate the aptitude of
alcohol to do the same in every direction, and proofs can be fur-
nished that notwithstanding the presence of alcohol changes of
organic matter do take place. Let every pharmaceutist examine
his tinctures, any and all of them, and he will find, no matter
how nice and clear they may have been directly after they had
been finished, that after more or less time in ordinary contact
with the air, such as is afforded in the common course of our
business, that they have formed precipitates, from the minute
and pulverulent settlings of tincture of cardamom, cantharides,
gentian &c, to the more bulky and curdy sediment of tincture
of krameria, the resinlike precipitate of tincture of bark, aloes,
&c. or the gelatinous mass of tincture of kino. But it may be
argued that if the alcohol had been substituted by water, the de-
composition would have gone much further. This assertion is
true, but with this difference, that the decomposition would have
been in another direction, moulding, putrefaction would have
taken place, water would have extracted quite different bodies,
glutinous and albuminous substances which easily decay and ne-
cessarily leid all organic matter with which they are in contact
to the road of destruction.

I have no intention of attempting to prove a superiority of
water over alcohol as a menstruum, for in the presence of the
former alone every conceivable way of decay may take place,
while by alcohol two or three are excluded, and this is the real
advantage in using it as a pharmaceutical menstruum. The is-
sue, however, is not between water and alcohol, but between syr-
up and alcohol ; and here let us look at some every day occur-
rences in the pharmaceutical store. Syrup of rhubarb is made
with an alcoholic menstruum of half the strength of that em-
ployed for the tincture, and must necessarily contain a larger
amount of gummy matter ; the latter being about one fifth stronger,
if well made, will soon throw down a sediment, while the syrup,
if made in accordance with the Pharmacopoeia, may be kept
almost indefinitely without precipitating, its chief enemy being
a very low temperature, when the sugar will crystallize. Wine
of ipecacuanha likewise separates a sediment which does not oc-
cur in syrup of ipecac, which is only of half the strength of the

118 ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

former, but made with a different and more spirituous menstruum.
But a more striking illustration of the preservative power of su-
gar may be produced by the following experiment.

Let us prepare Liquor Ferri Iodidi in the manner prescribed by
the Pharmacopoeia ; for another quantity we omit the sugar
and wash the filter with 95 per ct. alcohol instead of with water,
until the required measure is obtained ; thus we procure a solu-
tion of iodide of iron in alcohol of 72 per ct. of the strength of
the liquor of the Pharmacopoeia. We put equal measures of the
two solutions in two vials of the same size and shape, cover their
unstoppered mouths with gauze so as to prevent the falling in of
dust, and set them aside in a place where the direct sunlight
cannot reach them. Thus placed in as nearly as possible alike
conditions, the progress of oxidation may be easily watched and
compared without disturbing the vials and mixing the different
strata. It will be observed, that in less than two hours the lib-
eration of iodine has fairly set in, in the alcoholic solution, while
the saccharine liquid apparently shows no signs of decomposition
yet ; in this the coloration by the liberated iodine very slowly
proceeds downwards, the former has in 12 hours precipitated
some sesquioxide of iron and in a few days has assumed a uni-
formly deep iodine color.

But now let us proceed in the opposite direction. We have two
similar vials, one filled with a saccharine, the other with an alco-
holic solution of iodide of iron of the officinal strength, both how-
ever in such a state of decomposition that the shade of their col-
oration is alike, so that it may be fairly assumed the oxidation
has proceeded equally far with both solutions. Let them be ex-
posed to the direct sunlight under similar conditions, and in such a
manner that both may be easily examined. The saccharine so-
lution, which was slowest to assume the coloration, rapidly ap-
proaches to colorlessness, while it takes a much longer time for
the spirituous liquid.

Both these experiments tend to show that sugar is a better pre-
servative and a better deoxidizing agent than alcohol ; and once
come to this conclusion, we must acknowledge it as desirable to
preserve our fluid extracts as much as possible by means of su-
gar. Our aim then will be to counteract the proneness to fer-
mentation, which in many cases we can easily achieve by the ne-

Off THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS. 119

cessarj quantity of sugar which of itself protects sufficiently the
vegetable matter against oxidation in general, that cannot be
avoided by the use of alcohol, this antiseptic itself having a ten-
dency to undergo acetic fermentation through the influence of
sundry vegetable substances. One great objection, and I think,
a more serious one than fermentability, is the different degree of
solubility of sugar in water at a temperature of such variation as
is experienced in our climate during the summer and winter sea-
son when it verges almost on impossibility to maintain constant-
ly in a given space a temperature of about 60°F., which has been
found most salutary for syrups. Fluid extracts, of course, ought
to be made to withstand these changes as far as they are felt in-
side the house, in the cellar, and in the dispensing room. A
saccharine fluid extract, containing in a pint 12, never over 14
ounces Troy of the best sugar, is not apt to crystallize in moder-
ately cold weather, and as it is charged with a considerable
amount of vegetable matter, it will then generally be nearly of
the density of our ordinary syrups containing 15 oz. Troy of su-
gar in one pint. The exact quantity of sugar necessary for preser-
vation, and particularly to resist fermentation, varies in different
cases, those plants yielding a large amount of soluble matter re-
quiring less sugar than those yielding but little. I differ from M.
Thayer's opinion, that because containing more vegetable matter
— natural ferment as he calls it — saccharine fluid extracts are
more liable to undergo change, fermentation ; on the contrary,
the nearer the density of organic matter approaches solidity and
dryness, the less is its proneness to such a change, and infusions
of a marked difference in their strength, made alike and placed
under the same influences, will show the weaker to change before
the stronger, but more especially will this be the case when the
weaker infusion has been concentrated by evaporation and fil-
tered.

Thus far I have spoken of the preference of sugar over alco-
iiol from a chemical point of view, and the question remains now
to be reviewed in a pharmaceutical light, concerning appearance
and taste.

With some well known exceptions, a liquid medicine is the
m ore pleasing to the eye, the more transparent and clear it is.
Those rendered turbid by some partially soluble substance, are

120 ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

generally unsightly and in some cases even repulsive. When-
ever it is in our power, we owe it to the suffering to remedy this
defect by making the medicine as transparent as possible. Al-
coholic tinctures when freshly prepared, are unexceptionable as
far as their appearance is concerned, but above I have shown
that they are subject to changes and form precipitates. This is
admitted by M. Thayer, but he thinks this tendency is less in
fluid extracts than in tinctures, doubtless so on account of their
specific gravity being higher. I have had little experience with
alcoholic fluid extracts, a few instances excepted ; but if I am to
judge from them and the conclusions of the above stated well
established facts, it appears to me that they all must soon pre-
cipitate, and though the precipitate be light and more pulveru-
lent, and may by agitation be easily mixed with the extract,
still this does not improve their appearance, but certainly ren-
ders them more or less unsightly.

In making fluid extracts, the obtained tincture or infusion du-
ring the process of evaporation is heated for such a length of
time, that by contact with air a partial change is unavoidable ;
the darker color of the liquid and sometimes the portions of in-
soluble matter floating therein are evidences thereof. The ad-
dition of sugarin such cases, may, by its own solvent powers, dis-
solve some, or keep that extractive matter suspended for a time ;
but if suspended only, it is sure to separate and thus detract
from the nicety of the preparation. This result may be avoided by
straining the fluid extract before the addition of the sugar through
close flannel, or better still by filtering it quickly through good
filtering paper, while yet hot, and washing the filter subsequently
with hot water to make up for the loss suffered by evaporation.
The separation of apotheme from the fluid extracts ought to be
a necessity, as it contributes nothing at all to the medicinal pro-
perties of the preparation, and as it is a substance in the process
of alteration, it most likely interferes with the stability of the
fluid extract. Alcohol is a better solvent for this substance,
which consequently enters greally into the extracts preserved
by alcohol, without adding to their stability.

Besides apotheme, during evaporation other bodies may be
separated, particularly chlorophyll and resin ; the first of the two
W7e had better get rid of in all our preparations, with the latter,

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

121

however, it may be different. If the separated resins are of any
medicinal value, we must, to preserve them, dissolve them if pos-
sible. When all medicinal virtue resides in resinous matter, it
may be most practicable to have them dissolved in alcohol ; but
it is often the case that only small quantities of resin are pres-
ent, which nevertheless will not be kept in solution by the sugar.
To retain it we have various ways, one of which is recognized
by our national Pharmacopoeia in the case of fluid extract of senna
and spigelia. I refer to the employment of an alkali or its car-
bonate, to effect the solution, which has also been proposed by
Professor Procter for fluid extract of jalap, and may be service-
able in other instances.

Another way is the partial employment of alcohol as a solvent,
as a precedent to which I refer to E. Parrish's suggestion for
fluid extract of cinchona (Parrish's Practical Pharmacy, p. 171.)
If the sugar is dissolved by a very moderate heat, and the evapo-
ration to the proper measure conducted at the same temperature,
a sufficient quantity of alcohol will remain behind to keep the
cincho-tannic salts in solution. The fluid extract thus made is
syrupy, perfectly transparent, of a deep Malaga wine color, and,
in the course of 18 months, being kept in a partially filled bottle
frequently opened, has not precipitated one-fourth the quantity
of coloring and other matter, as an equal volume of the tincture
of cinchona, made with the same calisaya bark, and being only
three-eighths the strength of the fluid extract. I believe this to
be a speaking example in favor of the employment of sugar.
As, however, by manipulating differently or at a different degree
of heat, the amount of alcohol must necessarily vary, ib ^night
perhaps be preferable to have a certain quantity added to the
completed extract, say about 2 oz. for the pint. Since then I
have prepared various extracts in a similar manner, such as fluid
extract of cimicifuga, serpentaria, buchu, &c; in the latter in-
stance, however, I have been unable to separate entirely the
chlorophyll ; the quality of such extracts I believe to be unex-
ceptionable.

Another consideration, not to be disregarded in making fluid
extracts, is their taste, and to make this as agreeable as possible,
is a duty which we owe to the sick. This end is gained by
sugar, which more readily masks a bitter and disagreeable taste

122

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

than alcohol, and though by age preparations made with the latter
menstruum are improving in taste, become mellow, this is not a,
quality belonging exclusively to alcohol. Although we observe
it less, it is also the case with saccharine fluids ; to prove which I
may refer to syrup of rhubarb, but more particularly to the finer
fruit syrups, such as raspberry, mulberry, strawberry and the
like. Where the taste is very disagreeable, or the odor an un-
pleasant one, we can resort to volatile oils, which serve to correct
both odor and taste, and at the same time act as antiseptics
similar to alcohol. If the list of our officinal fluid extracts
should be increased at the next revision of the Pharmacopoeia, it
will doubtless include a number of herbs which have a peculiar odor
of their own, residing in a peculiar volatile oil, to gain which
by a process as simple as possible must be our aim, so as to be
able to incorporate it afterwards with the finished extract.

I have hardly anything to say in opposition to the argument
that the small quantity of alcohol taken with spirituous fluid
extracts can not have any stimulating effects. When the extract
is preserved by diluted alcohol, and the dose does not exceed a
teaspoonful, I am in general inclined to the same view ; but it
is quite different with fluid extracts preserved by 85 or 95 per ct.
alcohol, and when the ordinary dose is larger. With a dose of
such fluid extracts, which, besides being preserved by sugar, con-
tains some alcohol, for the complete solution of resinous and
other matter not entirely soluble in syrup alone, such a small
quantity of spirit is given that it could be even less objectiona-
ble than the quantity in a dose of fluid extracts preserved by
alcohol or diluted alcohol alone.

One argument in opposition to sugar as the preservative
agent for fluid extracts remains to be met ; it is based on the great
difference of the climate of the various sections of the United
States, the Northern States usually having severe winters, while
the South never experiences such a lew state of the thermometer.
What is made to keep in a northern latitude, it is argued, may
be unstable in the south, prone to change and fermentation. I
confess that this ground appears to me to be more untenable
than the rest, and the more so as in pharmaceutical practice
we have other examples of the same character. I have reference
to the consistency of ointments, which even in the North are

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS. 123

often made with an additional proportion of wax, spermaceti or
suet, if intended for use during the summer season ; while in
the South, pharmaceutists are compelled to employ the whole
year round a harder preparation as the basis of most ointments
and some cerates, than is commonly needed in the North during
the corresponding season ; and as yet I have heard of nobody
who would be willing to find fault with such a procedure, even
though the formula laid down in our national Pharmacopoeia
should not be strictly followed. Substances merely employed as
a menstruum without adding to the medicinal qualities of the pre-
paration, may be varied in proportion, so as to impart to the
latter that finish which is in accordance with the artistical de-
mands of our profession, I have found that it matters little to
the physician whether the base of some ointments be simple
cerate, as is often necessary to employ in the South, or simple
ointment, which in the North may be the proper menstruum for
the same preparation ; all that he requires, is the requisite soft-
ness or solidity without the addition of some substance impart-
ing additional or injurious properties. The same may be said
of fluid extracts. If those which keep well in the North with
12 ounces of sugar in the pint, have a tendency to ferment in
the South, no physician could reasonably object to the addition
of another ounce or two for the same measure. If of the proper
density, and without unnecessary exposure to the intense heat
and light of the sun, I am confident they may be made to keep
by means of sugar as well in the South as in the North, while to
those requiring an addition of alcohol for the complete solution
of some ingredients, no further complement of the same will be
needed, so that the medicinal qualities of the fluid extract can
be kept unaltered in every respect. But to succeed in this, I
hold that our pharmaceutical brethren in the South must not rely
on experiments made with fluid extracts prepared in the North,
but make them for their own use, and I have no doubt as a
compensation for the required trouble they will derive high
pleasure from the study of the peculiarity of the various pro-
cesses for the accomplishment of success.

Before conclusion I have to make a remark with regard to
a few fluid preparations, which under peculiar circumstances are
given to moulding. In full bottles this will be rarely the case,

124

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

but when they are opened occasionally and the quantity of
atmosphere within is increased and renewed, mould may be
produced. To guard against it, or where it has commenced, to
check it, I have successfully used sulphuric ether, which in a
former paper I have recommended for the destruction of in-
sects. But it is a necessity to keep the ether from mixing with
the medicinal liquid, and this may be accomplished by the
simple contrivance of fastening or glueing a small piece of
sponge to the lower end of the stopper, and dropping a few
drops of ether upon it, so that the atmosphere inside the bottles
may become charged with its vapors. I have tried it with pre-
parations of stillingia and krameria and found it successful,

Recapitulating the points treated on, I have endeavored to
prove the superiority of sugar over alcohol as the preservative
agent for fluid extracts for the following reasons :

1. Sugar is a better deoxidizing agent and a better preventive
of oxidation than alcohol ;

2. If used in sufficient quantity, it will be a sufficient guard
against fermentation ;

3. It does not, like alcohol, add stimulating properties to large
doses of fluid extracts ;

4. It will by the aid of a very small proportion of alcohol re-
tain in solution principles, which, after some time, are precipita-
ted from diluted and stronger alcohol alone ;

5. It masks the taste of bitter and nauseous articles better
than alcohol ;

6. By the addition of a slight quantity of alcohol, when neces-
sary, the tendency to fermentation and moulding will be effec-
tually counteracted ;

7. The same effect will be produced by the volatile oils which
may be obtained from the plants, to be made into fluid ex-
tracts, or other oils may be added, that will also serve to improve
the taste.

Philadelphia, Feb. 1859.

[The impartial and philosophical manner in which Mr. Maisch has dis-
cussed the important subject of which he treats, particularly important
at the present juncture as regrrds the Revision of the Pharmacopoeia,
should gain for his paper the earnest attention of pharmaceutists, and
call forth the results of their experience. — Editor Am. Pharm. Jour.]

REMARKS ON PROPYLAMINE

> * r* ** 4 ^

OCT P*VQ^

1,5

REMARKS ON PROPYLAMIN.
By William Procter, Jr.

With the progress of discovery since the year 1817, when
Sertuerner recognized the alkalinity of morphia, the therapeu-
tist has been more and more convinced that the organic alkalies
have been specially endowed with more well defined and concen-
trated medicinal power than any other group of organic bodies.
These remarkable substances, rendered stable by natural union
with acids occurring with them, seem destined in the economy of
nature to minister to disease, as in most instances they do not
appear to possess any other uses. Since the discovery by
Wurtz and others of the important fact, that organic al-
kalies may be produced artificially in the laboratory, it
does not appear that much attention has been directed to the
therapeutic power of these derivative bodies ; yet in some few
instances it has been accorded, and there can hardly be a doubt
that a rich harvest awaits the researches of experiment in this
direction by the ^enlightened physician. The number of these
alkalies has been largely increased by Hoffman, and Anderson.
Several of these, strictly artificial at first, so far as known, have
since been discovered in nature, and among them propylamin the
subject of this notice.

Having been several times applied to for propylamin by phy-
sicians, and this alkaloid not being procurable in commerce, it
has been thought advisable to publish a formula for its prepara-
tion, and give a notice of its characters more in detail than is
found in authorities generally accessible. The origin of the
demand for propylamin appears to have arisen from its asserted
power in cases of rheumatism, and its variations, by Dr, Awen-
arius of St. Petersburg, the following notice of whose researches
is translated from Bouchardat's Repertoire de JPharmacie, Dec,
1858 : — " Propylamin, as obtained from the pickle of herrings,
codliver oil, ergot, human urine, etc., appears, according to the
author, to possess the power of a true specific for the various
affections of rheumatic origin. The diagnoses of these diseases
being often very obscure, one can succeed (says M. Awenarius)
by the use of propylamin in bringing to light in a few days the

126

REMARKS ON PROPYLAMINE

true nature of the malady. The author has treated, by means of
this remedy, 250 patients in the hospital of Kaulinkin at St.
Petersburg, between March 1854, and June 1856 ; and besides, it
has been employed in outside practice in a considerable number
of acute and chronic cases of rheumatism. In acute cases, the
pain and fever always disappear the next day. The remedy was
prescribed in the following manner, viz.

R. Propylamin . . . gtt. xxv.

Distilled water, , . . f-3vj. Mix.
and when necessary, add

Oleo saccharum of peppermint ^ij.
Dose. A tablespoonful every two hours.
It is necessary to carefully ascertain if the medicine is fresh
and pure."

Propylamin was discovered by Werthiem in 1850, and may be
obtained from various sources. Artificially from narcotina, co-
deia, bone oil, and by the action of ammonia on iodized propy-
lene, and naturally, combined with an acid, in herring pickle,
the flowers of the white thorn (Crsetagus oxycantha), those of
the service berry (Sorbus aucuparia),Chenopodium vulvaria, &c,
It is most conveniently prepared from herring pickle or ergot,
by distillation with potash. Propylamin is a colorless, trans-
parent liquid, with a strong pungent odor that reminds one of
ammonia. As made from some sources it has a fishy odor, whilst
from others this character is wanting, and as it is metameric
with both trimethyiamin and methyl-ethylamin, it is possible
that' the latter may be mistaken for propylamin. (G-melin.)

Propylamin is soluble in water, has a strong alkaline reaction,
forms erystallizable salts, and like ammonia, when a rod dipped
in muriatic acid is presented to it, dense vapors of the hydro-
chlorate become visible by their union. Its composition is C6H9N.
which is that of ammonia with an equivalent of propyl. Most
of the salts of propylamin are soluble in water and alcohol but
the sulphate is insoluble in the latter menstruum (Winckler).
The hydrochlorate is soluble in alcohol, and crystallizes in large
tables as obtained from Chenopodium vulvaria. All the salts are
decomposed with a herring pickle odor by the mixture of potash,
and when heated in solution the same fishy odor is perceptible.

NOTE ON CITRATE OF IRON AND STRYCHNIA. 127

Propylamin is prepared by taking any convenient quantity of
herring pickle, obtained from the dealers in salt fish ; this is put
in a retort or tight still with sufficient potash to render the liquid
strongly alkaline, and the liquid heated. A well refrigerated
receiver, containing some distilled water, being attached, heat
is applied as long as the distillate has the odor of herrings.
This is then saturated with hydrochloric acid, evaporated care-
fully to dryness, and the dry crystalline mass exhausted with
absolute alcohol, which dissolves the propylamin salt and leaves
the muriate of ammonia. From the former, the pure propylamin
may be obtained in solution by means of hydrate of lime using
strong precautions to refrigerate and condense the vapors which
are actively disengaged almost without heating. When made
from ergot, Winckler recommends that a solution of the extract
of ergot, known as ergotine, be distilled with solution of potassa,
using the precaution to have some water acidulated with muriatic
acid in the receiver which should be well refrigerated. For medi-
cal purposes it will be better to employ herring pickle, as the
source of propylamin.

NOTE ON CITRATE OF IRON AND STRYCHNIA.

Pittsburgh, February 4, 1859.

Prop. Procter : —

Dear Sir, — Soliciting, in the last number of your Journal,
the opinion of the medical fraternity, in regard to the new com.
bination of Citrate of Iron and Strychnia, as to what propor-
tion in a therapeutical and medical point would be most desira-
ble, permit me to state, that I have prepared it for some time
past, by the request of several of our physicians, in the propor-
tion of

Strychnise cryst. 1 part,

Ferri Citrat. 100 "

As such, it seems to answer better than the former suggested
preparation.

The adoption of one uniform formula in all medical com-
pounds, and especially with such powerful agents, is devoutly to

128 ON THE SOLUBILITY OP SESQUIOXIDE OF CHROMIUM.

be wished for, in order to avoid serious mistakes and discre-
pancies, and (above all) to abolish an unprofessional exclusive-
ness, which is, at the expense of a better mutual feeling even in
advanced pharmaceutical bodies still fostered.

Hoping that the communication may assist in agreeing upon
a definite formula,

I am jours respectfully,

Jos. Abel.

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF THE SESQUIOXIDE OF CHROMIUM.
I By Charles T. Carney.

Editor of Journal of Pharmacy:

Bear Sir, — Allow me to trespass upon your space so far as to
state a curious fact in relation to the chrome oxide.

In September 1857, I was led to investigate the Sesquioxide
of Chromium, with a view of decomposing the same without
injury to any organic matters which might be present with it.

The means usually employed for effecting the decomposition,
by boiling sulphuric acid, &c, were of course unavailable, and I
was much interested in observing a peculiar reaction which was
new to me ; and I do not know that it has been before observed.

I found that when the ignited sesquioxide was exposed to the
action of the galvanic battery, in presence of a dilute solution
of caustic alkali, it was decomposed, the chromate of alkali
formed in solution. Thinking it possible that a combination
might occur with the caustic alkali and some soluble portion of
the chrome oxide, I next subjected some freshly prepared and
ignited sesquioxide to the action of caustic alkali for twelve
hours ; then, after being thoroughly washed and dried, submitted
it to the action of the battery.

The result was the same, and from the solution of chromate
of alkali obtained, I formed the chromic salts of lead and silver.

Very truly yours,

Charles T. Carney.

Boston, Feb. 1859.

IRON REDUCED BY CARBON.

129

ON IRON REDUCED BY CARBON.
By M. A. Henry.

This new preparation, proposed by M. A. Henry, pharma-
cien at Giromans (Upper Rhine), is an intimate mixture of me-
tallic iron and carbon, obtained by the calcination of an organic
salt of iron, the pyrolignite of iron. This salt taken in its li-
quid state is evaporated to dryness over a gentle fire, and the
residue is calcined at a dull red heat. The product is a light>
porous, impalpable, nonpyrophoric carbon, of which the compo-
sition is uniform where the operation has been properly conduct-
ed. The great tenuity and slight density of this carboferric
powder renders easy its suspension in liquids, to the bottom of
which it does not precipitate like iron reduced by hydrogen. The
presence of a notable quantity of charcoal has the advantage of
rendering the product more spongy, more absorbent, of facilita-
ting thus the contact of the ferruginious particles with the li-
quids of the stomach, and of preventing by a special action, anal-
ogous to that of the charcoal of Belloc, the eructations of the
stomach produced by preparations of iron.

The clinical trials made by Dr. Benoit Cantonal, physician at
Giromans, goes to confirm the efficacy of this new product, which
M. Henry had rationally foreseen from its chemical composition.
The following are the conclusions to which this operator has been
led.

Iron reduced by carbon^ in the dose of 1J to 2 grains three
times a day, has all the efficacy of the best preparations of iron.
Perfectly suspended it has never caused constipation nor dyspep-
tic exacerbations which so often follow the. use of the soluble
preparations of iron, and it possesses, nevertheless, an activity
much greater than the insoluble preparations, which are fre-
quently resorted to at first. The mean duration of 43 cases of
chlorosis was two days and the mean quantity of the medicine
administered was 11 grammes 168 grains. The efficacy of this
product, its easy preparation, and moderate price, recommends it

to practitioners, especially in medicines for the poor Jour, de

Pharm. Dec. 1858, from Gaz. Med. de Strasbourg.

9

130 THE ODOROU PRINCIPLE OF VANILLA.

ON VANILLIN THE ODOROUS PRINCIPLE OF VANILLA:
By M. Gobley.

The odorous properties of vanilla, and the useful medicinal
action which it exercises on the organism as an excitant tonic,
gives to the chemical bodies to which it owes these advantages a
peculiar interest.

Vanilla is the fruit of a climbing and branching plant which
grows in the maritime countries of Mexico, Colombia and Guai-
ana. The plant belongs to the family Orchidese and was named
by Linnaeus Epidendrum Vanilla, and by Swartz under that
of Vanilla aromatica.

The chemical researches which have been made in vanilla are
already old, by Bucholz and Vogel. The former found in va-
nilla a fatty oil with disagreeable odor ; a soft resin, which
when heated smelled weakly of vanilla ; a slightly bitter extrac-
tive, resembling tannin ; sugar ; starchy matter and benzoic
acid.

In these researches the odorous principle has been entirely
neglected. What is its nature ? to what class of chemical bodies
does it belong ? Is it constituted of an essential oil, or by a
substance of a different nature ? And in either case, what are
the composition and properties of the substance ? These are
questions the author proposed to resolve.

Vanilla, properly divided, was exhausted with alcohol of 85°,
evaporated to an extract, this softened with water and agitated
in a flask with ether, as long as it cedes any color to the ether.
The ethereal liquid is evaporated and treated with boiling water,
which dissolves the aromatic principle and gives it in the form
of crystals by evaporation in an impure state, which requires
treatment with animal charcoal and recrystallization to get it
pure.

Thus obtained in a state of purity, this substance is color-
leas, in the form of long four-sided needles, terminated with two
faces. It presents a strong aromatic odor of vanilla, and a hot,
biting taste. Its crystals are hard and crack under the teeth,
and are neutral to litmus. When heated, it fuses at 195° F.,
and volatilizes at 302° F. in little needle-shaped crystals of a
shining whiteness, and possessing a sweet odor of vanilla.

ACTION OF BICHROMATE OF POTASSA IN DYEING.

131

It is difficultly soluble in cold water ; boiling water dissolves
it in a large quantity, and deposits it on cooling. It is very
soluble in alcohol, ether and the fixed and volatile oils; concen-
trated sulphuric acid dissolves it and is colored yellow.

It dissolves without alteration in diluted acids. Liquor potassse
also readily dissolves it and yields it unaltered on adding an
acid. It does not decompose the alkaline carbonates cold or
hot.

Submitted to analysis, it affords a per centage of carbon
75*22; hydrogen 3*98; oxygen 20*20, which lead to the formula

C20 H6 O4.

The properties of this substance are analogous to those of
coumarin of Tonka bean, which the author, some years since,
found in the leaves of Anagroecum Fragrans, of the Isle of
Mauritius ; but their identity is not complete, differing in odor,
point of fusion and composition. As it appears to be a distinct
proximate principle, the author suggests for it the name vanillin.

It is well know that vanilla, enclosed in cases, is often found
covered with crystals, known in France under the name " givre"
or frost. Bucholz and Vogel considered these crystals to be
benzoic acid. The author considers them identical with vanillin
as it presents the same crystalline form, fusing point and solu-
bility in water, alcohol and ether. The givre dissolved in alco-
hol has a slight action on litmus paper, but Soubeiran, who
noticed this, did not hesitate to deny its acid character.

The pre-existence of vanillin demonstrates that the crystal-
line substance, which appears on its surface, is not the product
of oxidation of an essential oil, as has been supposed, but is
vanillin, which is thus transferred to the surface, under favora-
ble circumstances for the evaporation of the juices of the bean.
— Journ. de Pharm. et de Ohimie, Janv., 1859.

ON THE ACTION OF BICHROMATE OF POTASSA IN DYEING.
By John S. Blockey and Herbert Sugden.

It is well known, that bichromate of potassa is largely used
in dyeing certain colors with logwood, the cloth or yarn being
boiled in a solution of this salt for a period varying from

132 ACTION OF BICHROMATE OF POTASSA IN DYEING.

twenty minutes to half an hour, previous to its being worked
in the dye-bath. It is generally believed, that the action of
this substance is of an oxidizing nature ; to test the accuracy
of this opinion we had recourse to the following experiments : —

1st. A piece of cloth was boiled for twenty minutes in a di-
lute solution of permanganate of potash — the solution became
green, proving the reduction of the permanganate. The cloth
was then well washed, and dyed with logwood and chloride of
tin (tin spirits) in the usual manner — a color resulted, by no
means equal in brilliancy, body or tint to that obtained by
using bichromate of potash.

2nd. A fresh piece of cloth was immersed in a cold solution
of permanganate, allowing it to stand until the solution became
green ; but with no better results than in the last experiment.

3d. The same experiment as the last substituting a cold so-
lution of ferrate of potash for the permanganate, with similar
results.

4th. The cloth was boiled in a solution of pure chromic acid,
previous to being subjected to the dye-bath. The color obtained
in this experiment more resembled a bronze than the beautiful
blue produced by bichromate of potash. These experiments
show that the cloth does not require to be oxidized to prepare it
for taking on the dye ; indeed, even without the direct evidence
of experiment, it seems almost impossible to reconcile the idea
of oxidation with bichrome ; for, in dyeing with logwood on the
large scale, it is well known that the cloth retains the yellow
color of that salt and not of the green sesqui-oxide of chro-
mium, which it would do, if the bichromate became reduced by
the organic tissue.

A piece of cloth was next boiled in a solution of bichromate
of potash, and well scoured, and rinsed, the cloth retaining a
slight yellow color, after which it was burnt, and the ashes sub-
jected to chemical tests for the presence of oxide of chromium ;
formed by the reduction of the chromate by the organic matter
at a high temperature. The existence of this compound in the
ashes, together with the fact of the cloth being yellow and not
green after mordanting with bichrome and scouring, gave abun-
dant proof of the fact that the bichrome itself enters the cloth
and remains firmly fixed in the fibre, even after repeated wash-

INVESTIGATION OP STRYCHNIA.

133

ings ; and showing that it is the entire salt itself, and not the
acid of it, which is the acting agent. The question, however,
arises, whether the bichromate of potash in the fibre is not acted
upon by the acid of the tin spirits in the dye-bath, producing
an oxidizing action at the moment when most requisite. This,
however, we have found not to be the case by neglecting the
mordanting with bichromate of potash, and placing some chro-
mic acid in the dye-bath with the logwood and tin spirits ; when,
if oxidation be requisite, we expected to have a color equal to
that obtained when bichrome is employed ; but in this we were
disappointed, for the wool could not properly be said to take on
any color at all. We are therefore of opinion, that the bichro*-
mate forms a definite compound with the hematoxylin of the
logwood, in the fibre of the cloth; the more so, as by adding a
solution of bichromate of potash to a decoction of logwood, on
being boiled, the liquid becomes of an intense black color.
It is, therefore, probably owing to a combination of this black
matter and the dye from logwood, united to oxide of tin, that
the tint of the well-known rich purple logwood blue is due.-—
London Chemist, Sept, 1858.

INVESTIGATION OF STRYCHNINE.

By P. SCHUTZENBERGER.

When a mixture of sulphate of strychnine and nitrite of
potash dissolved in water is boiled, a brisk effervescence due to
the liberation of nitrogen gas is observed. After the reaction
the yellowish liquid treated with ammonia furnishes a light yel-
low, flocculent precipitate.

The washed precipitate is dissolved in boiling alcohol. On
cooling, the liquid deposits transparent, well-defined crystals of
considerable size and of a fine orange-yellow color ; they appear
to be right prisms with a rectangular base, and with truncations
at the solid angles. The supernatant alcohol, when concentrated,
furnishes a fresh deposit of separate prisms of a darker orange-
red color.

These two bodies form two new alkaloids, and represent two
degrees of oxidation of strychnine.

134

INVESTIGATION OF STRYCHNIA.

The red base is more oxidized than the orange one. They
are both insoluble in water, soluble in alcohol (the red one
more than the other), and insoluble in ether. They contain no
water of crystallization, are decomposed at about 572° F., fuse
on a plate of platinum, and burn with a brilliant flame. Their
taste is bitter, but less so than that of strychnine.

The orange base dried at 482° F., loses nothing at a higher
temperature, and gave on analysis, —

C 62-5
H 7-06
It also gave 7-05 per cent, of nitrogen, leading to the formula

C42H2SN2012 = C42H22]Sf204_|_6HO_1_02>

v, , ;

v

Strychnine.

Theory, —

C 62-37
H 6-93
N 6.93
The c1 ioroplatinate gave 16-10 per cent, of platinum ; the for-
mula Ct2H28N2G12Cl HCPPt requires 16-2 per cent. This base
may be called oxy strychnine.
The red base gave —

Calculated.

C . . 59-76 60-00
H . . 6-85 6-6
N 6-52 6-6

Leading to the formula

C42I128N20i4== C42H22N204 x 6HO x O4.

The chloroplatinate gave 15-65 per cent, of platinum ; cal-
culated 15-8 per cent. This alkaloid contains 2 equivalents of
oxygen more than the preceding, and may be named binoxy-
strychnine.

From numerous analyses of strychnine, the author concludes
that this body is not constant in its composition. His analyses,
and those of Regnault made with octahedric strychnine, agree
with the formula

C40H22N2O4.

The most common strychnine, from numerous analyses, has
the formula adopted, namely, —

C42H22N204.

ON A NEW DENSIMETER.

135

Lastly, Gerhardt has published several analyses of chloro-
platinate of strychnine, in which the carbon is 1 per cent, too
high and the nitrogen 0-5 per cent, too low for the admitted
formula, but which agree perfectly with

C44H22N2Q4#

This is rendered more probable by the fact of the same thing
taking place with other bases. — Chem. Cfaz., Oct. 15, 1858,
from Oomptes Mendus, July 12, 1858.

MODE OF PREPARING LIQUIDS OF GIVEN SPECIFIC GRAVITY
WITHOUT CALCULATION OR PREVIOUS TRIALS.
Densimeter by M. Spacowsky.

In the laboratory and in the arts, we are often required to
prepare a definite mixture of two liquids, such as sulphuric acid
and water, alcohol and water, &c, one of two modes is generally
employed. 1st, Given the quantity and specific gravity of one
of the liquids, the quantity of the other liquid is calculated.
This mode is not always practicable, requires time, and, for alco-
holic liquids especially, the concentration or mixture gives rise
to difficulties frequently insurmountable ; or secondly, areome-
ters are floated in the liquors ; but this means, which is very
practicable and very much used, presents great difficulties in
manufacture, owing to the various temperatures of the mixtures.

A densimeter of a new form constructed by M. Spacowsky,
of St. Petersburg, allows the preparation of a liquid mixture
with great ease and precision, and without a thermometer.

The apparatus consists of a vessel or areometer of platina.
This areometer is closed above by a very thin partition or me-
tallic plate, such as that employed in the arenoid barometers,
and yielding to the slightest pressure. At its lower end the areo-
meter is terminated by a tube furnished with a stop-cock. It is
suspended by a piatina wire from one arm of a delicate balance,
and equilibriated by a weight suspended also by a platina wire
from the other arm. The equilibrium thus established will evi-
dently be destroyed if the areometer and the counter-balancing
weight be plunged in a liquid of the same specific gravity ag
that which it contains ; and as the thin partition allows the

136

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

liquid contained to expand in accordance with the temperature
to which it may be subjected, a very simple calculation will show
that the re-establishment of the equilibrium is independent of
the temperature. As, moreover, the metal of which the instru-
ment is made, is very thin and a good conductor of heat, the
equilibrium of temperature will soon be established between the
interior and exterior liquid.

Now, to reproduce in any quantity, a liquid of given specific
gravity ; fill the areometer with the given liquid, and plunge it
and the equilibriating weight into the heavier of the liquids to
be mixed, and add the other until the equilibrium is restored.
The liquids will be rigorously of the same specific gravity. —
Journ. Frank. Inst, from Academic des Science de Paris, June 7,
1858.

ON THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA;

Br F. KUHLMANN;

The author has already called attention to the utility of sul-
phate of baryta in painting, in distemper and silicious painting,
especially as the substitution of this white compound for white
lead and zinc white is not only supported by considerations of
economy, inalterability, and durability, but also by considerations
of hygiene. This double advantage has led the author to perse-
vere in the endeavor to produce sulphate of baryta at a cheap
rate on a large scale, and the present paper contains the first
portion of his results.

To obtain artificial sulphate of baryta at a moderate price,
the first point was to reduce the price of the acids which consti-
tute the principal expense of its manufacture. With this view
the author has endeavoured to condense the acid vapors more
completely, as a portion of them is lost in the soda manufac-
tories to the great prejudice of the manufacturers, the public
health, and vegetation.

By placing native carbonate of baryta (Witherite) in contact
with the vapors escaping from the furnaces for the decomposi-
tion of common salt, or from our leaden chambers, after their
condensation has been effected under ordinary conditions, the

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

137

author has succeeded in retaining a great portion of the uncon-
densed vapours. The baryta dissolved by these acids is conver-
ted into sulphate by an addition of sulphuric acid, and the muri-
atic or nitric acids thus condensed and isolated, are returned
into the condensing apparatus of which they increase the profits.

There is a much greater loss of muriatic acid than that caused
by the imperfection of condensing apparatus, namely that which
necessarily takes place in the manufacture of chlorine or of
chloride of lime which constitutes the principal use of muriatic
acid. In this manufacture more than half the muriatic acid em-
ployed is lost in the form of chloride of manganese. In prac-
tice, from the impurity of the oxide of manganese, this loss rises
to two-thirds, and becomes of great importance. The author
calculates the amount of loss in France alone at two millions of
francs (<£80,000). Many attempts have been made to turn the
residues of the manufacture of Chlorine to some account ; the
chloride of manganese has been applied to the purification of gas,
to the production of ammoniacal salts, to the purpose of disin-
fection in some systems of sewerage ; and lastly, some attempts
have lately been made, in the great manufactory of Mr. Tennant
near Glasgow, to regenerate the oxide of manganese, and render
it capable of again producing chlorine, but all these applications
are insignificant compared with the great quantity of residue
produced.

The liquid residues of the manufacture of chlorine have also
generally formed serious embarrassments in chemical factories,
and have even been productive of danger to the public health,
whether they were allowed to flow into streams of water, or
caused to penetrate into the soil by means of absorbing wells.

After the condensation of the acids lost in the atmosphere,
the author turned his attention to the utilization of those con-
tained in the liquid residues ; and he has succeeded in effecting
this completely, by availing himself of a reaction analogous to
that which permitted Leblanc to endow France with the manu-
facture of artificial soda. In Leblanc's process a mixture of
suitable proportions of sulphate of soda, chalk, and charcoal, is
converted under the influence of a high temperature into insolu-
ble oxysulphuret of calcium and carbonate of soda, which is ea-
sily isolated in consequence of its solubility.

138

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

In the author's process a mixture of suitable proportions of
native sulphate of baryta, chloride of manganese and charcoal, is
converted in the same way into insoluble sulphuret of manganese
and chloride of barium, which is easily separated by lixiviation.
The reaction may be expressed by the following formula : —
BaO, S03+MnCl+4O=BaCl+MnS+4C0.

An analogous reaction may likewise be established for the
chloride of iron which always accompanies the chloride of man-
ganese. The charcoal always acts as a deoxidizing agent, and
becomes converted into oxide of carbon.

After some trials to ascertain a good proportion, the author
arrived at a result which exceeded his hopes, allowing the native
sulphate to be converted into chloride of barium, without a
greater loss than 3 or 4 per cent, of the sulphate employed.

The mode of operation is as follows : — The transformation
above mentioned is effected in large reverberatory furnaces of
the same construction as the soda-furnaces, or, what is better,
the furnaces for the decomposition of common salt, in which the
bed is divided into two compartments by a low ridge. When
these furnaces have been heated for some time, a finely powder-
ed mixture of native sulphate of baryta and coke is introduced
into the compartment furthest from the fire ; over this is poured
the crude residue of the manufacture of chlorine, after its excess
of acid has been saturated with a little chalk or native carbonate
of baryta. The action of the heat upon this mass thickens it by
degrees. When brought to the condition of a firm paste, it is
puslu d by means of suitable iron instruments, over the separa-
ting ridge, into the compartment nearest to the fire. Here the
mass swells up, and soon emits small flames of oxide of carbon,
like those which are observed at a certain period in the soda fur-
naces, but which derive a slight greenish color from the baryta.
After an hour of calcination at a red heat, a semifluid paste of
rather more consistency than crude soda, is turned out ; on cool-
ing, this furnishes a black mass, formed of chloride of barium
a little hyposulphite of baryta, and sulphurets of manganese and
iron. After exposure to the air for a few days this crude chloride
of barium becomes disaggregated ; the hyposulphite contained in
it passes to the state of sulphate. The lixiviation is then effected
by the aid of heat in the apparatus usually employed in the lix-
iviation of soda.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

139

The product of this lixiviation consists of a perfectly clear so-
lution of nearly pure chloride of barium. If there be a slight ex-
cess of sulphuret of barium, giving it a yellowish color, this is re-
moved by the addition, until complete decolorization, of a solu-
tion of chloride of manganese, the residue of the manufacture of
chlorine, from which all the chloride of iron has been separated
by a previous digestion with native carbonate of baryta. If, on
the contrary, there is a slight excess of the salt of manganese, ic
is got rid of by a little sulphuret of barium.

A circumstance of some interest, especially in a scientific point
of view, is that in clearing out a furnace, the author found that
in the part of this furnace where the sulphate of baryta was near-
est to the grate, and where at the same time it was in contact
with the brick, there was an abundant deposit of a green and
blue matter, containing no soda, manganese or cobalt, and which
appeared to be an ultramarine in which baryta replaced the soda.
The author calls attention to the fact, that before the Societe d*
Encouragement proposed a prize for the discovery of a means of
manufacturing artificial ultramine, M. Tassart had indicated the
production, in a soda furnace, of a blue matter which M. Vau-
quelin recognized as ultramine, and that soon after this first ob-
servation he noticed the production of the same artificial ultra-
marine, under circumstances which rendered the explanation of
the phenomena of its formation less difficult, in a portion of the
furnaces for the calcination of sulphate of soda, where this sul-
phate was in contact with the bricks at a high temperature.

The first observation of the existence of a barytic ultramarine,
under analogous circumstances, would furnish another proof that
the germ of a discovery may lie in an attentive examination of
some fragments of a furnace in course of demolition.

Manufacture of various acids.

In his previous memoir the author indicated the uses to which
he has put the chloride of barium which constitutes the base of
his operations. He stated particularly that by mixing a con-
centrated hot solution of chloride of barium with a solution of
caustic soda, hydrated baryta was obtained, and that anhydrous
baryta might be economically procured by the calculation of
nitrate of baryta prepared from the chloride. The nitrate
decomposed by sulphuric acid served for the manufacture of ni-
tric acid without distillation, and of artificial sulphate of baryta,

140 INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

and chloride of barium treated in the same way furnishes this
sulphate and muriatic acid.

The nitric acid furnished by the new process marks 10° B.,
and may be employed directly in the preparation of certain ni-
trates ; the muriatic acid, although its density does not exceed
6° B.? may find numerous applications, besides its employment
in the production of certain chlorides ; it may be used in the
acidification of bones, in washing animal charcoal, in the compo-
sition of acid bleaching baths, &c.

With the view of ascertaining the limits within which the
concentration of these acids should be restrained in order to
avoid loss by vaporization, the author made a series of experi-
ments, from which it appears — -1st, that the dilute nitric acid
cannot be directly concentrated beyond 20° or 25° B. ; and
2ndly, that the direct concentration of the muriatic acid cannot
exceed 14° B., and that it is better to stop below this limit.
The maximum fixity of hydrochloric gas in solution is at a density
of 14° B. ; its boiling-point is then 228° F.

Manufacture of tartaric acid.

Tartaric acid is prepared from bitartrate of potash by satu-
rating the excess of acid of that salt with native carbonate of
baryta, and decomposing the neutral tartrate by means of chloride
of barium. The ebullition of a solution of bitartrate of potash
with native carbonate of baryta produces a liquid which is per-
fectly neutral, and may even be slightly alkaline.

The tartrate of baryta thus obtained is well washed with cold
water, heated, and decomposed with dilute sulphuric acid, in
sufficient quantity to remove the whole of the baryta of the tartrate.
The solution furnishes tartaric acid, the whole of which crystal-
lizes readily ; the deposit of very heavy sulphate of baryta is
washed by decantation, and the washing-waters may be used to
dilute the sulphuric acid intended for new operations. This
substitution of baryta for lime in the manufacture of tartaric
acid has the advantages that the base employed is used in
the form of artificial sulphate of baryta, and this sulphate
separates from the tartaric acid with greater rapidity than
sulphate of lime, which is very bulky, and is moreover very
soluble in acid liquids.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

141

Sulphuret of barium may be substituted for the native carbo-
nate and the chloride ; but the tartrate of baryta produced
by this reaction has a gelatinous appearance and is washed
with difficulty; whilst with the carbonate and chloride the
tartrate is granulated and its washing is very easy. The only
advantage that would be presented by the employment of the
sulphuret would be its furnishing sulphuret, instead of chloride
of potassium, the former being the more valuable.

Manufacture of citric acid.

The same process is applicable to this purpose, with the
same advantages. Lemon juice, concentrated or not, is con-
verted into citrate of baryta by means of pulverized native
carbonate, with the assistance of heat; the saturation being
completed by means of a little sulphuret of barium, baryta
precipitated by caustic soda, chloride of barium mixed with ammo-
nia, or even by ammonia alone. These bodies precipitate the
citrate retained in solution by an excess of citric acid. The
citrate obtained may be purified by washing with cold water.
Its decomposition must be effected with the aid of heat, by 1
equiv. of sulphuric acid of spec. grav. 1*831, diluted with 5 or
6 parts of water. To ascertain the quantity of sulphuric acid
necessary for the decomposition of the citrate of baryta (and
also of the other barytic salts here mentioned), a known quantity
should be incinerated with the addition of a little pure nitrate
of potash, and the amount of baryta determined.

The citric acid thus isolated, crystallizes with much greater
facility than when citrate of lime is decomposed by sulphuric
acid ; in the latter case the citric acid retains some sulphate of
lime.

Manufacture of acetic acid.

When crude pyroligneous acid is saturated with native carbo-
nate of baryta or sulphuret of barium, it furnishes an acetate
Which should be calcined at a moderate temperature, to avoid
decomposing it, but sufficiently to cause its solution to deposit
the tarry matter. In all cases it is necessary in this calcination
to keep below a red heat. This operation may, if necessary, be
repeated several times.

142 INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION OF BARYTA.

The acetate of baryta thus obtained is decomposed by 1 equiv.
of sulphuric acid ; the decomposition is only complete when the
solution of the acetate is not too much concentrated. The re-
sult is artificial sulphate of baryta and weak acetic acid, which,
however, is strong enough to be applied in various ways in the
arts. Thus it may be employed directly in the manufacture of
white lead, acetate of lead, and other acetates.

When the solution of acetate of baryta is too concentrated,
the sulphate of bartya does not separate in the ordinary form ;
it then retains some acetic acid, and presents a gelatinous,
semitransparent appearance, which is not got rid of without
difficulty.

To obtain a purer acid the acetate of baryta may be converted
into acetate of soda, by the addition of sulphate of soda. In
this way the formation of the double sulphate of soda and lime,
which usually occurs in the ordinary process with lime, is
avoided.

Chromic acid, hydroferrocyanic acid, $c.

Db'bereiner had employed baryta in the preparation of chromic
acid, and Porret in that of hydroferrocyanic acid.

I. The usual process employed in the laboratory for the isola-
tion of chromic acid, consists in the action of an excess of sul-
phuric acid upon chromate of potash. To prepare this acid for
use in the arts, the author employs chloride of barium and neu-
tral chromate of potash, the double decomposition of which
furnishes chloride of potassium and chromate of baryta. The
latter is treated with 1 equiv. of sulphuric acid, diluted with ten
times its volume of water, and the action is aided by heat ; the
insoluble sulphate of baryta is rapidly deposited and the solu-
tion of chromic acid marks 10° B. The chromic acid may be
concentrated to 50° or 60° B., by evaporation in earthenware
vessels, or even in leaden cauldrons. The sulphate of baryta,
even when washed, retains some chromic acid; it may be used
in the preparation of colors.

Chromate of baryta may be substituted for chromate of lead
in painting ; it is of a bright yellow color, but less intense than
that of chromate of lead. Its economy and inalterability give
it a preference over the lead-salt.

SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA. 143

II. Ferrocyanide of barium, obtained by decomposing a hot
solution of ferrocyanide of potassium by chloride of barium, is
very sparingly soluble ; it is precipitated at the moment when
the solutions are mixed, in the form of small yellow crystals.
In this state it still retains some potassium, from which it may
be freed by boiling with a solution of chloride of barium.

By mixing together in the cold equivalent proportions of the
ferrocyanide thus purified and dilute sulphuric acid, the decom-
position takes place instantaneously ; sulphate of baryta is
thrown down, and the liquid, which acquires a green color, con-
tains the hydroferrocyanic acid. By using sulphuric acid of
spec. grav. 1-834, diluted with 5 or 6 times its volume of water,
the acid isolated presents a density of 12° to 15° B.

This acid cannot be concentrated by heat ; to obtain it directly
in a state of greater concentration, less water may be employed
in its preparation, but then the sulphate of baryta would be
washed with more difficulty. The acid should be preserved in
well-stoppered earthen vessels.

With the acid thus isolated the author obtains hydroferrocyanic
acid in a solid state and perfectly pure, by adding an excess of
concentrated muriatic acid and a little ether, and drying the
product without heat in presence of fragments of quicklmie.
In this way he avoids the presence of the chloride of potassium
which remains mixed with the acid, when ferrocyanide of potas-
sium is treated by the same agents.

This process is also applicable to all the acids which are now
isolated by the decomposition of their lead-compounds by sul-
phuretted hydrogen, or their lime-compounds by sulphuric acid,

such as malic acid, phosphoric acid, &c London Chem. Gaz.

Nov. 1, 1858, and Dec. 15, 1858, from Comptes Bendus,

ON SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA.
By Israel J. Gkaham.

It has always been an object with the writer in the prepara-
tion of this syrup, to conduct the process with a view to avoid
any possible injury which might arise, during the prolonged

144 SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA.

application of heat requisite to concentrate the solution to the
proper degree, when made in accordance with the officinal direc-
tions of either the present or preceding Pharmacopoeia ; acting
under the belief that in this as well as many other medicinal
preparations of organic substances, heat exerts an influence
more or less injurious either by its direct effect upon the active
principle of the plant itself, — even though this may not be
viewed as of a volatile nature — or through the medium of some
volatile constituent with which this may be in combination,
whereby the result is so modified as frequently to be rendered
much less efficient than was contemplated by the formula, or
than the same amount of material which it represents, would be
in substance.

Sometimes the inefficiency of a preparation maybe due to the
carelessness or ignorance, or both combined, in the manipulator ;
at other times the formula itself may be defective. The effect
of it all is to bring discredit upon remedies which in them-
selves would be valuable — -were all the necessary precautions
observed in their manufacture.

The term "water-bath" as generally understood, and which
is so frequently directed by the pharmacopoeia as the means of
evaporating liquids, is not sufficiently definite to guard against
damage in all cases when the aid of heat is required in the ful-
filment of specified objects, and the opinion is fast gaining in
the writer's mind that, when a formula gives any directions
which require the application of heat, the temperature which is
proper to be employed, should be distinctly stated and regula-
ted accordingly by a thermometer. This, it is believed, would
cut off one great source of error pertaining to the preparation
of organic remedies.

These remarks are somewhat digressory, but the importance
of the subject seemed to demand them, and to return to the
special object of this paper, which is to offer what the writer
conceives to be an improved formula for the syrup of Ipecacu-
anha, he would state that his first modification of the formula
was in reference to the Pharmacopoeia of 1840, by which process
he has continued to prepare the syrup until quite recently. It
consisted in exhausting the powdered root by the process of per-
colation, with a menstruum composed of two parts of alcohol

SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA.

145

and one part of water, using only about one half the quantity
of menstruum to effect the exhaustion, as that prescribed by the
formula. The liquid was then heated to about 150° or 160°
Fahr. by means of a water-bath, and when cold, filtered ; the
residue on the filter being well washed with the same menstruum,
the resulting solution was reduced to about one-third of the
original quantity by means of a water-bath maintained at a
temperature of about 150° Fahr. The concentrated liquid thus
obtained, containing a portion of alcohol was mixed in due pro-
portion with simple syrup.

The preparation as thus made was an efficient one, and kept
well during warm weather.

The large quantity of inert matter taken up by diluted alco-
hol, from Ipecacuanha, and afterwards precipitated from the
solution on standing, which is greatly increased in bulk by heating
the liquid, together with the circumstance of it containing some
alcohol, continued to be an obstacle to the full adoption of the
formula even when thus modified. This precipitated matter not
only impeded filtration but rendered its complete washing very
inconvenient, while at the same time the clear liquid retained
principles favorable to fermentation.

These circumstances induced the writer to seek a menstruum
which would extract the active portions of the root only.
Among the constituents of Ipecacuanha may be named Emetia,
its active principle ; fatty matter, wax, gum, starch, &c. Eme-
tia is procured by treating an alcoholic extract of the root with
water, decomposing the aqueous solution with magnesia, &c. It
was evident therefore to the writer's mind, that alcohol was the
proper solvent to use in the preparation of the syrup.

A syrup prepared by first treating the root with alcohol, the
writer afterward discovered was proposed in a formula published
by Jos. Laidley in the 26th vol. of the American Journal of
Pharmacy, page 103 ; this process requires too large a propor-
tion of menstruum, too much evaporation and consequently a too
long application of heat, resulting in a turbid syrup which re-
quires to be clarified by the addition of the white of egg and
boiled, rendering the process too complex and otherwise objec-
tionable.

10

146

SYRUP OF IPECACUANHA.

The process which the writer has adopted, and found to com-
pletely fulfil every object in view, is the following :

Take of Ipecacuanha in powder (prepared by passing through
a seive of 60 meshes to the linear inch) two ounces :
Prepare a menstruum of one part of water and seven parts of 95
per cent, alcohol ; add sufficient of this to dampen the powder
uniformly, (about six fluidrachms) pack it tightly in a funnel
displacer* and having laid over the surface a piece of perforated
paper, pour on eight fluid ounces, or less, of the above men-
struum, covering the top of the funnel with oiled silk to prevent
evaporation. When two and a half fluid ounces of liquid pass,
remove it and submit to spontaneous evaporation until reduced
to one and a half fluid ounces : continue the percolation until
five and a half fluid ounces more pass, evaporate this by means
of placing the dish over hot water, contained in a suitable ves-
sel and removed from the fire, until reduced to half a fluid
ounce ; mix this with the fluid ounce and a half first obtained
and filter.

The result is a fluid extract of which, it is believed, one fluid
ounce fully represents one ounce of the root, and which may be
prepared in any convenient quantity. The portion of liquid
submitted to spontaneous evaporation, contains nearly all the
active principle of the above quantity of root ; the percolation
is continued to insure its complete exhaustion, and in evaporating
this latter product the object is to prevent the temperature rising
higher than 140° Fahr.

To convert this quantity of fluid extract into syrup of the
officinal strength, pour it upon eight ounces of white sugar in
powder, contained in a large mortar or dish and expose it until
all the alcohol has evaporated, and a perfectly dry powder re-
sults ; dissolve this in a quart of water, and after standing
awhile with occasional agitation, strain it through a muslin cloth
to separate a little resinous or waxy matter which will be found
floating, remove this and treat it with two fluidrachms of water
in a mortar, then mix it with the strained liquid and filter all
through paper ; add sufficient powdered sugar to make the whole

* An ordinary glass funnel with a loose plug of cotton in the upper part
of the neck.

FERRATED TINCTURE OF BARK.

147

measure four pints, agitate occasionally until dissolved, and
strain if necessary.

It would be better in the writer's opinion, if the strength of
this syrup was increased to one ounce of the root to the pint,
instead of half an ounce as at present.

The syrup prepared by this mode presents a lighter color
than when made in the usual way, is perfectly clear and bright,
entirely free from alcohol, and although possessing the peculiar
odor of the root, is very pleasant to the taste, and it is believed
will keep as well as simple syrup. — Journal and Trans, of the
Maryland Col of Phar., Dec. 1858.

ON FERRATED TINCTURE OF BARK.
By William S. Thompson.

In the American Journal of Pharmacy, third series, vol. 1st,
p. 402, Mr. Samuel Simes of Philadelphia gives a formula for
this preparation, in which the tannic acid is removed from the
compound tincture of cinchona, by digesting it with hydrated
peroxide of iron, dried at a temperature not exceeding 130°
Fahrenheit ; which is then filtered and 16 grains of Ammonio
citrate of iron, is dissolved in each fluid ounce of the filtrate.

Not having succeeded in making a perfectly satisfactory pre-
paration, according to the formula of Mr. Simes, I have been
led to devise a plan, by which ammonio citrate of iron can be
dissolved in the compound tincture without disturbing the chem-
ical relations of the tannic acid and the alkaloids, as they exist
naturally in the bark.

Availing myself of the fact, that a protosalt of iron is not
precipitated by tannic acid, either in a free or combined state,
I first prepare protocitrate of iron, which is converted into the
ammonio citrate, protected by the addition of sugar, evaporated
to about the consistence of syrup, and then poured into com-
pound tincture of bark, made a little stronger than by the offi-
cinal direction. The resulting preparation is a clear tincture
of dark brown color, possessing all the aromatic properties of
the compound tincture, with but little chalybeate taste.

The following is the formula I propose : first take the dry

148

NEW TEST FOR THE PURITY OF CHLOROFORM.

ingredients, for twenty fluid ounces of the compound tincture,
according to the Edinburg formula ; having properly bruised
them, displace with diluted alcohol eighteen fluid ounces of
tincture. Next prepare the ammonio citrate of iron as fol-
lows :

Take of Protosulphate of iron crystallized, 379 grains.
Carbonate of soda, - 394 H

Liquor ammonia, - 284 minims.

Citric acid, - 189 grains.

Refined sugar, - - 2 ounces.

Water ; a sufficient quantity,
Simple Syrup ; a sufficient quantity.
Dissolve the protosulphate of iron and carbonate of soda,
each separately in four fluid ounces of water and mix the so-
lutions adding about half an ounce of simple syrup. When
the precipitate has subsided pour off the supernatant liquid and
wash thoroughly with water containing about a fluid ounce of
simple syrup in each pint ; allow it to settle for about twelve
hours and decant. Transfer the precipitate to an evaporating
dish, add the citric acid, and when the solution is complete,
the liquor ammonias, then the sugar. Evaporate the mixture
to two fluid ounces, and add it to the eighteen fluid ounces of
tincture. — Journal and Trans, of the Maryland Col. of Phar,

NEW TEST FOR THE PURITY OF CHLOROFORM.

{Translated by Prof. L. H. Steiner, from the French of M. Roussin, for the

Journal.')

A new class of salts called double nitro sulphides of iron has
just been discovered, and nearly all the representatives of the
class possess the very singular property of being absolutely in-
soluble in pure chloroform, although soluble in water, alcohol,
ether or wood-spirit. When chloroform contains either alcohol,
ether or wood-spirit, the nitro-sulphide is dissolved and their
presence is detected by a deep coloration of the liquid. In fact
all the nitro-sulphides possess great coloring properties ; 5 cen-
tigrammes will give 2 litres of alcohol the color of ordinary
brandy. Pure chloroform when only hydrated will not be dig-

NEW TEST FOR THE PURITY OF CHLOROFORM. 149

colored by these salts. The sensitiveness of the reagent is so
great that a thousandth of alcohol, wood-spirit or ether, in the
chloroform, can be readily detected. Roussin has experimented
with different specimens of the chloroform of commerce and
found a percentage of alcohol in some truly fabulous ; and in
others, which gave but a very slight opalescence after being
agitated with water, the nitro-sulphides produced a color almost
black.

The test is easily applied, by introducing the chloroform into
a tube closed at one end, then adding a few centigrammes of
the nitro-sulphides and shaking the contents of the tube. It
is allowed then to rest for a few minutes. The chloroform if
pure will remain as limpid as distilled water : but if it contain
alcohol, ether or wood-spirit, it assumes a dark color, varying
with the percentage of these foreign substances, but which is
appreciable even when as small an amount as a thousandth is
present.

To prepare the nitro-sulphide of iron, it is only necessary to
mix two solutions, — one of nitrate of potassa and the other of
sulphydrate of ammonia, and adding, drop by drop, to this mix-
ture a solution of proto sulphate of iron, constant stirring being
employed, until the mixture retains but a slight alkaline reac-
tion. It is then raised to the boiling point, and is evaporated
to dryness over a water bath. The residuum is treated with
alcoholized ether and thrown on a filter. By evaporation of this
liquid, prismatic crystals of the binitrosulphide of iron are ob-
tained which should be washed with weak liquor ammoniac. The
product is then dried in the air on some folds of absorbent
paper, and preserved in a flask with a ground stopper.

This body may be considered as a compound of sulphide of
iron, sulphydric acid and binoxide of nitrogen. Its formula is
-FeS, N02 + Fe2 S3, N02+ HS. It resembles the double cy-
anides of iron by its chemical behavior, and the latent state of
the molecules of iron, the nitrpprussiates by the similarity in for-
mation, and a grouping so analogous that it is possible to pass
from one series to the other by a simple substitution — Journal
and Trans, of the Maryland Col. of Phar.

150 ON CRYSTALLIZED VALERIANATE OP ATROPINE.

CHEMICAL MATCHES WITHOUT PHOSPHORUS OR OTHER

POISON.

By M. Canouil.

The new matches are absolutely without white or red phos-
phorus, ordinary or amorphous. They cannot be used as a
poison, and when reduced to their least degree of inflammability
give rise to no danger of fire. They are formed essentially of
chlorate of potash, mixed with a small quantity of a metallic
peroxide, bichromate or oxysulphuret, when it is desired to ren-
der them more inflammable. The author has found means to
triturate the chlorate of potash, even when dry, without danger
of explosion.

The new matches diffuse no odour, either in the manufacture
or in use ; they light without explosion or projection — Ohem.
Graz.,from Comjrtes Rendus, June 28,1858.

ON CRYSTALLIZED VALERIANATE OF ATROPINE.
By H. Callmann.

This salt forms perfectly white and light crusts ; the crys-
tals appear to belong to the rhomboidal system, and the faces
are very brilliant. At a temperature of 68° F. the crystals
soften, and at 89°«6 F. they are liquefied. Under the double
influence of air and light, they soon acquire a yellow color.
The carbonic acid of the air displaces a certain quantity of
valerianic acid, which is recognizable by its peculiar odor.

The crystallized salt presents the various reactions of the
salts of atropine and of the valerianates. It is extremely solu-
ble in water, less so in alcohol, and still less in ether. The
analysis of the salt, dried in vacuo at the ordinary tempera-
ture, gave :—

C 6640 66-20 66-00
H 8-90 8-81 8-50

24-70 24-99 25.50

These numbers lead to the formula

C10 H9 O3, C34 H23 N06-f 2 HO.
Chem. Qaz. Jan. 1, 1859, from Comptes Rendus, Sept. 6, 1858.

\

ARTIFICIAL FORMATION OF SALTPETRE. 151

ON THE CONVERSION OF THE NITROGEN OF NITROGENOUS
MATTERS INTO NITRATE OF POTASH.
By MM. Cloez and Guignet.

The conversion is effected by means of permanganate of pot-
ash. The permanganate employed was ascertained to contain
no nitrate. Several grammes of crystallized permanganate were
converted by sulphurous acid into a mixture of sulphates of
manganese and potash, which contained no trace of nitrate.

As has already been stated, ammonia in excess reduces per-
manganate of potash in the cold, and forms nitrate of potash.
But if an excess of permanganate be added and the whole
boiled, the nitrate itself is converted into nitrate of potash. In
this, as in all the following experiments, the authors have pro-
duced at least 1 gramme of crystallized nitre.

Aniline immediately reduces permanganate of potash with a
great evolution of heat. Carbonate and oxalate of potash are
produced, but only traces of nitrate.

With quinine, the reaction commences in the cold, but is only
completed by boiling. It furnishes carbonate and nitrate of
potash, and the potash salt of an acid which appears to be new.

Cinchonine is acted upon with more difficulty than quinine.

Cyanogen immediately reduces permanganate of potash in
the cold. This is also the case with hydrocyanic acid and cya-
nide of potassium. In these three cases, nitrate of potash was
was readily obtained.

The authors think that the action of permanganate of potash
upon cyanogen may be employed in the analysis of gaseous
mixtures, for example, to separate cyanogen and carbonic acid
which has no action on the permanganate, and this is also the
case with oxide of carbon, protoxide of nitrogen, &c. Deutox-
ide of nitrogen, on the contrary, is absorbed in the cold and
forms nitrate of potash.

Compounds containing sulphur and cyanogen furnish sul-
phate and nitrate of potash. This is the case with the body
called mlpho- cyanogen by some chemists, which is obtained by
the action of chlorine upon sulphocyanide of potassium.

Nitroprussiate of soda is also oxidized very easily, with for-
mation of nitrate of potash. Ferrocyanide of potassium mere-

152

ON RUMICINE.

ly passes to the state of ferridcyanide, which resists the action
of the permanganate.

Urea is oxidised with great difficulty ; after boiling for a
whole day, it only furnishes small quantities of nitrate.

Gelatine is readily acted upon in the cold, forming carbonate
and nitrate of potash, besides a peculiar salt of potash, which
acquires a bright red color when heated to 392° — 572p F.

Pyroxyline is acted upon when boiled, as are also nitronaph-
thaline and nitrobenzine. In these three cases a considerable
quantity of crystallized nitrate of potash was obtained.

Nitronapthaline also furnished a salt presenting the charac-
ters of phthalate of potash, the product which is obtained when
naphthaline is oxidized by permanganate of potash.

Nitrobenzine furnished a salt crystallizing in large rhomboi-
dal laminae, containing an acid which is but sparingly soluble in
cold water.

Of course the oxidation of the nitrated derivatives may fur-
nish products different from those obtained by the oxidation of
the bodies forming these derivatives. The oxidation of the ni-
trated derivatives may even be more easy than that of the origi-
nal substances.

In general it is difficult to foresee whether a given body will
reduce permanganate of potash with more or less difficulty.
Thus oxide of chrome, precipitated, washed, and dried at the
ordinary temperature, reduces the permanganate in the cold,
forming chromate of potash and oxide of manganese. By ebul-
lition the reduction is complete in a few minutes, which it would
have been impossible to predict from the known properties of
hydrated oxide of chrome.- — Ibid, from Comptes Rendus, Nov.
2, 1858.

ON RUMICINE.
By Karl von Thann.

The object of this investigation was to show the identity of
rumicine with the chrysophanic acid discovered by Rochleder
and Held in Parmelia parietina.

Eumicine was first prepared in 1831 by Buchner and Herber-

ON RUMICINE.

153

ger, in an extremely impure state, and described by them under
the name of lapathine ; they extracted the roots of Rumex ob-
tusifolius, first with ether and afterwards with alcohol, and
separated the lapathine from the latter extract ; this contains
so small a quantity of rumicine that they did not even recog-
nize its extremely sensitive reaction with alkalies.

In the year 1834 Geiger prepared the substance, to which he
gave the name of rumicine, in a pure state from the root of
Rumex patientia. He prepared an alcoholic extract of the root,
and this, when diluted with water, threw down an insoluble body.
The ethereal extract of this body furnished a brownish-yellow
residue when evaporated, and this, by repeated washing with al-
cohol and finally with ether, was converted into a deep yellow
powder with a greenish tinge (resin).

From dry and peeled roots Geiger obtained a far finer rumi-
cine, which, as he remarks, " was undistinguishable by the eye
from the rhabarbarine previously obtained without nitric acid,
&c, (from the root of rhubarb) ; it also behaved chemically
exactly like that body." Afterwards he purified the rumicine
by digestion with nitric acid and hydrated oxide of lead in so-
lution in ether ; the rumicine thus obtained was, as Geiger
says, of a beautiful bright yellow color, with many crystalline
particles.

Geiger also obtained rumicine from Rumex obtusifolius, and
remarks that this plant contains very little of it. Geiger is
therefore the true discoverer of rumicine, and on first preparing
it called attention to its near relation and probable identity
with rhabarbarine.

In 1841 Eiegel investigated the root of Rumex obtusifolius,
and obtained rumicine from it in a tolerably pure state, by vari-
ous methods, including those of Geiger and Vaudin (the latter
recommended his method for the preparation of rheine). At
last he prepared rumicine from the ethereal extract of the root,
as recommended by Brandes for the preparation of the yellow
matter of rhubarb. He distilled off the ethereal extract, fil-
tered the granular crystalline yellowish-brown mass deposited in
the residue, and then recrystallized it several times from alcohol.

The latter method was also followed by the author essentially
in the preparation of the rumicine which served for his analy-

154

ON RUMICINE.

ses ; but he adopted another mode of purification, because by
Riegel's method he only obtained the substance in a very impure
state.

The coarsely pounded roots of Rumex obtusifolius (Radix
lapatJti acuti of the shops) were extracted by anhydrous ether
in a displacement apparatus, and the combined extract distilled
on the water-bath, until only a small residue was left. On cool-
ing, a (hirk brown mass separated from this, which was filtered,
washed with a little ether, and then dried between several folds
of filtering-paper. When dried, it was boiled with alcohol of
spec. grav. 0*833 and filtered ; a dark brown body remained on
the filter, whilst, on the cooling of the hot filtrate, a dingy
greenish-yellow mass separated therefrom, which remained
greenish after repeated solution in alcohol and separation, and
only exhibited traces of crystallization. As the green resin
could not be separated in this way, the alcoholic solution of the
substance was precipitated by a large quantity of water ; the
flocculent, yellow precipitate was separated by filtration, and,
after drying, dissolved again in alcohol of spec. grav. 0-83B,
when a small quantity of a brown body remained undissolved.
This operation was twice repeated, but the substance still con-
tinued impure.

The final purification was effected by the author in accord-
ance with the process of Rochleder and Held, employed by
them in their investigation of the lichens.

For this purpose the substance was treated with a mixture of
ammonia and weak alcohol, the filtered solution diluted with
water, and neutralized by acetic acid ; the yellow precipitate
was completely washed with water, and the same operation was
repeated ; the last precipitate obtained was dried and recrystal-
lized from alcohol ; the crystalline mass deposited was again
dissolved in ether, and the solution left standing in a loosely
covered vessel, in which the rumicine slowly crystallized as the
ether evaporated.

The rumicine thus obtained formed a shining crystalline mass
of a light golden-brown color, which was seen under the micro-
scope to consist of distinct, yellow, transparent prisms, appa-
rently belonging to the monoclinohedric system, and exhibit a
golden-yellow color by reflected light. By crystallization from

ON RUMICINE.

155

hot alcohol on its cooling, the author obtained rumicine (unfor-
tunately in very small quantity) in the form of a pure yellow,
crystalline mass, with a golden lustre. The previously men-
tioned light-golden-brown, crystalline mass was analysed, and
gave results agreeing with the formula proposed by Gerhardt
for chrysophanic acid, C28 H10 O8.

C 69 59 69-64 28=rl68 6942
H 4-36 4-59 10 10 4-13
0 .. 8 64 2645

This substance was evidently still contaminated with a small
quantity of a body containing more carbon or less oxygen,
which was also indicated by its darker color.

That rumicine does not merely possess a similar per centage
composition with chrysophanic acid, but that it is also identical
therewith, is shown by its behaviour towards reagents.

Rumicine dissolves with extraordinary difficulty in cold water ;
it dissolves more readily in ether, and still more in strong alco-
hol. When heated upon platinum-foil, it fuses and emits fumes
of an intense yellow color, whilst a portion remains in the form
of a vesicular coal, which, when more strongly heated, burns
away without residue ; if the same experiment be made in a
test tube, the colder portion of the latter, becomes coated with
a yellow deposit, which appears crystalline and of a golden lus-
tre under the microscope. It concentrated sulphuric acid, it
dissolves with an intense red color ; and, when the solution is
diluted, is thrown down again in yellow, voluminous flakes. In
alkalies, it dissolves very readily, with a splendid dark-red color
(in potash much more easier than in ammonia): it is precipi-
tated without alteration from these solutions by acids. The so-
lution in potash becomes violet-blue, and darker by evapora-
tion. Potash is the best for rumicine. The ammoniacal solu-
tion gives a lilac precipitate with neutral acetate of lead, and a
beautiful rose-colored one with alum.

The alcoholic solution of rumicine gives a reddish-white pre-
cipitate with an alcoholic solution of basic acetate of lead (but
none at all with the neutral acetate), which is converted into a
rose-colored precipitate by boiling with water. With acetate
of copper in alcohol, it gives a blackish-green precipitate, which

156 PRESERVATION OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES.

when diluted and carefully mixed with a few drops of ammonia
is converted into a voluminous deep blue precipitate (very differ-
ent from hydrated oxide of copper), and is soluble with a vio-
let-blue color in an excess of ammonia.

The reactions of chrysophanic acid agree perfectly with the
above.

Besides the method above described, the author also attempt-
ed to prepare rumicine by the method recommended some years
ago by Rochleder for the preparation of chrysophanic acid ;
but the solution of potash in aqueous alcohol extracts from the
root, together with the very small quantity of rumicine, so many
other substances, that the subsequent purification is attended
with as much difficulty as in extraction by ether.

There is consequently no doubt that rumicine (also called
lapathine) is identical with chrysophanic acid ; and the author
concludes his memoir with an expression of his conviction that
he has wiped away two out of the chaos of names of imperfectly

investigated organic compounds Qhem. Gazette, Jan., 1859,

from /Sitzungsber. der Wiss. zu Wien, xxxi. p. 26.

PRESERVATION OF ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES.

A patent has lately been taken out for effecting this object.
The improvements consist in coating animal and vegetable sub-
stances with a compound formed of vegetable albumen and a
suitable antiseptic material. The coating is effected by immers-
ing the substances to be preserved in the prepared compound
two or three times, each coating being dried or set in a current
of air before the next is applied. The object of combining an
antiseptic agent with the vegetable albumen is to prevent a par-
tial decomposition of the substances before the protective coat-
ing is properly hardened. The following means may be adopt-
ed for carrying the invention into effect : — supposing a joint of
meat to be the substance to be preserved, the meat (with as
much of its blood extracted as possible) is first washed or im.
mersed in water impregnated with acetate of alumina and al-
lowed to drain ; it is then suspended by a string, and allowed to
descend into a bath composed by placing about one pound of
gum tragacanth in from one and a-half to two gallons of heated

UREA AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF NITROGEN TO PLANTS. 157

water for about twenty-four hours, straining the solution, then
mixing with it a warm solution of about six ounces of gelatin or
paste, and finally adding about ten ounces of acetate of alumi-
na, mixing and straining. The meat is kept in this bath for
about two minutes, being drawn and moved about in it by the
string ; it is then taken out and suspended in a current of dry
air for about twenty- four hours. The process of immersion, &c,
is repeated once or twice, as may be considered desirable. —
Chemist, Nov. 1858, from the Journal of the Society of Arts.

ON UREA AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF NITROGEN TO PLANTS.
By Charles A. Cameron, M, D.

At the meeting of the British Association, held at Dublin last
year, I read a paper, in which I proved the inutility of ferment-
ing liquid manure before applying it to the purpose of fertilis-
ing the soil, and demonstrated that urea, without being convert-
ed into carbonate of ammonia, may be taken up into the organ-
ism of plants to be used as nitrogenous food. The experiments
detailed in this paper have not been published in extenso in the
Report of the British Association ; I therefore give them here,
as well as the results of some other experiments of a practical
character, which have since been performed under my direction,
and which serve to support the conclusions arrived at from the
earlier experiments.

EXPERIMENTS.

Four earthenware basins, each two feet in depth and two and
a-half feet across, were filled with fragments of felspar of differ-
ent degrees of fineness, the coarsest fragments being placed
lowest. In each of these basins sixty grains of barley were sown
on the 5th of May (1857). The basins were then numbered 1,
2, 3, and 4, and in each was placed a portion of an artificial
manure, containing the following substances, viz : —

The double silicate of potash and soda (soluble), precipitated
carbonate of lime, hydrated sulphate of lime, freshly precipitated
phosphates of lime and magnesia, and chloride of sodium. The
bases and acids of this compound, were in such proportion as
nearly to correspond with the general composition of the ash of
the barley plant.

158 UREA AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF NITROGEN TO PLANTS.

In addition to the above-named substances (which, it will be
observed, contains no nitrogen,) a solution of urea was applied
thrice in each week to basins Nos. 1 and 2, and a solution of sul-
phate of ammonia to No. 3. No. 4 was intended as a check
upon the experiments with the urea, and to it, therefore, no ni-
trogenous substance was applied. All the basins were covered
with glass shades, the air supplied to the interior of each being
freed from ammonia by treatment with dilute sulphuric acid.

The urea used in my experiments was prepared by the follow-
ing process : —

28 parts of dried ferrocyanide of potassium and 14 parts of
peroxide of manganese, thoroughly mixed, were heated to dull
redness. The resultant mass, after cooling, was treated with
cold water, and the solution thus obtained, mixed with 20-5 parts
of crystallized sulphate of ammonia, sulphate of potash and
cyanate of ammonia were formed ; and the latter, on the appli-
cation of a gentle heat, was converted into urea. I did not sep-
arate the sulphate of potash, as its presence did not interfere
with the results of the experiments.

The felspar in basins Nos. 1 and 2 was occasionally washed
with distilled water, and the washings tested for ammonia. I
did not, however, in a single instance, detect the presence of
this substance, which proves that the urea was not converted in-
to carbonate of ammonia.

The barley experimented on was the variety known as cheva-
lier barley. The growing plants were abundantly supplied with
carbonic acid gas and distilled water. The plants were thinned
at an early stage of their growth, so that there remained but 15
plants to each square foot of surface.

The results of the experiments were as follow : —

No. 1. — Period of complete germination, within 5 days.

Period of ripening, within 107 days.

Mean height of plants, including the ears, 29 inches.

Average return from the seed, 9 stalks.

Average produce in seed, 28 grains to each stalk.

Size of grain, 14,786 to the pound.

Amount of nitrogen in 100 parts of the dried grain, 2-740.
No. 2. — Period of perfect germination, within 6 days.
Period of ripening, within 112 days.

UREA AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF NITROGEN TO PLANTS. 159

Mean height of the plant, including the ears, 26 inches.

Average return from the seed, 10 stalks.

Average produce from seed, 27 grains from each stalk.

Size of grain, 14,672 to the pound.

Nitrogen in 100 parts of the dried grain, 2-385.

No. 3. — Period of complete germination, within 8 days.

Period of ripening, within 105 days.

Mean height of the plant, including the ears, 26 inches.

Average return from the seed, 12 stalks.

Average produce in seed, 25 grains from each stalk.

Size of grain, 15,607 to the pound.

Amount of nitrogen in 100 parts of the dried grain, 2-388.

No. 4. — Perfect germination took place within 8 days, and
stalks, on the average, 8 inches in height, were produced, but in
no instance were seeds developed.

The following conclusions are, I consider, deducible from the
results of these experiments : —

1. — That the perfect developement of barley (and by infer-
ence, of other plants) can take place under certain conditions in
soil and air free of ammonia and its compounds.

2. — That urea, in solution, is capable of being taken un-
changed into the organism of plants.

3. — That urea need not be converted into ammonia before its
nitrogen becomes available to promote the process of vegetation.

4 — That the fertilizing effects of urea are not inferior to those
of the ammoniacal salts.

5 — That there exists no necessity for allowing drainings
from stables, or other fertilizing fluids containing urea, to fer-
ment, but that, on the contrary, greater benefits must be de-
rived from their application in a fresh or unfermented state.

This year I induced several farmers to try the comparative
effects of fermented and unfermented urine on grass. The gen-
eral result has proved the superiority of the latter. The most
extensive and accurate experiments were conducted at my re-
quest at the Government Model Farm, Glasnevin, near Dublin,
by Mr. Baldwin, Lecturer on Agriculture to the Board of Edu-
cation. They have completely demonstrated the inutility of
preserving drainings for the mere purpose of allowing them to
ferment, or in the language of farmers, " to ripen."

160 UREA AS A DIRECT SOURCE OF NITROGEN TO PLANTS.

It is not a little suggestive, that the Chinese, so remarkable
for their admirable economy of the natural manures, apply the
urine to the land in an unfermented state. And the most casual
thinker will readily understand that it must be wiser to apply
it in this state than after a large proportion of its nitrogen has,
as a constituent of ammonia, escaped into the atmosphere. Be-
sides, they avoid the unnecessary expense of constructing costly
liquid-manure tanks.

Independently of the experiments which I have made on
urea, our knowledge of the composition and properties of the
constituents of urine should have led a priori to the conclusion
that these are for the most part in that digestible form in which
they can be taken up into the organisms of plants.

My own labors and those of others have led me to conclude
that substances capable of being used as food for plants, must
possess the following composition and properties : —

1. — They must be soluble in the solvents usually present in
the soil.

2. — They must contain more or less of the elementary con-
stituents of vegetable substances.

3. — They must be in a perfectly oxidized {teleoxidic) condi-
tion.

In this contribution to the theory of manures, I have advanced
nothing antagonistic to the views so ably advocated by Liebig
on the subject of vegetable nutrition ; on the contrary, I am al-
together disposed to believe with him that organic substances
cannot minister to the wants of vegetable life. I do not regard
urea as an organic substance, any more than I do carbonic acid,
cyanogen, or ammonia. These bodies, as well as urea, may be
artificially prepared from inorganic materials ; they are, there-
fore, not organic bodies, but rather the results of organic action
— the ultimate products of the decomposition of organic substan-
ces. Carbonic acid, nitric acid, ammonia and the cyanides
have been proved to be capable of supplying nutrient materials
to plants. There is no theoretical reason why urea should not
be added to the list. It is soluble, contains the four principal
elementary constituents of vegetable structures, and is a per-
fectly teleoxidic body. It therefore possesses the composition
and properties which distinguish the "food of plants." — Lon-
don Chemist, Nov. 1858.

FORMATION OP GUM TRAGACANTH.

161

INQUIRIES INTO THE FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

By Hugo yon Mohl.
(Translated from the Botanische Zeiiung, Jahrg. XIY., p. 33, 1857. by Berthold
Seemann, Ph. D., F. L. S., with corrections by the Author.)

An inquiry into the nature of gum tragacanth is not without
theoretical interest, as it is connected with some difficult points
of anatomy and physiology, which have not yet been sufficiently
explained.

Tournefort (Relation d'un Voyage du Levant, Amsterd.
1718, I. 22,) was the first to whom we are indebted for closer
observations on the exudation of gum tragacanth. His obser-
vations were made on Mount Ida, in Crete, and on Astragalus
oreticus, Lam.* Judging from a figure given by him (p. 21,)
the stem of the plant in question attains about one inch in thick-
ness. The secretion of tragacanth in the form of twisted fila-
ments takes place in June and the succeeding months. Tour-
nefort looks upon the gum as the nutritious sap which has be-
come thickened by heat, has burst the vessels, discharged itself
in the middle (dans le coeur) of the stem, and branches as well as
in the medullary rays (dans T interstice des fibres, les quelles sont
disposees en rayon,) and is then gradually forced out on the sur-
face of the stem, by the sap ascending by the roots, and hard-
ens in the air in the form of worms. He further adds the sup-
position that the contraction of the fibres of the stem assists the
forcing out of the gum, as the hemp-like divided fibres, exposed
to the tread of shepherds and horses, draw together in the heat,
and favor the excretion of the sap.f

* Sieber (Reise nach Creta, ii.5 p. 68) has, it is true, endeavored to show Tour-
nefort's statement to be utterly undeserving of credit, as, according to his own
(Sieber's) observations, the plant named does not yield any gum tragacanth
whatever ; but, as not only Tournefort's statement respecting the places in which
the stem of the plant produces gum tragacanth, but also respecting the season
of the year in which it is secreted, as well as the aiding of the secretion by
wounding the stem, are confirmed a century later by Oliver in Persia, nobody
will be misguided by Sieber's contradiction of Tournefort's statement, that the
plant alluded to does secrete tragacanth in Crete. If Sieber invokes the testi-
mony of Belon in support of his view, he does so improperly ; for Belon (Obser-
vat., p. 23) merely says the gum is collected

| We have thought it well to give the quotation from Tournefort in full. —
Ed. Ph. J.

a # * * Elle donne naturellement de la gomme Adragant sur la fin de Juin,

11

162

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

With these statements agree in many instances those of Oli-
ver (Reise durch das turkische Reich. (Germ, transl.), iii., page
293,) who observed the secretion of gum tragacanth from As-
tragalus verus in Persia. In this species also the stem attains
an inch and more in thickness, and the gum appears during the
time of the greatest summer heat, partly when the influx of sap
"bursts the bark, partly when the footsteps of animals injure the
stem.

Additional confirmation respecting the season in which traga-
canth is forced out of the stems, is contained in the statements
of Labillardiere and Landerer, the first of whom saw the gum in
the Lebanon on Astragalus gumifer, LabilL, during the month
of August ; the latter in Greece, on Astragalus aristatus, dur-
ing August and September. The statement that wounding the
plant favors the exudation of tragacanth, is likewise confirmed
by the custom of making incisions in the plant, prevalent about
Bitlis (Ritter's Urdkunde, x., p. 689.)

As another external condition favoring the secretion of trag-
acanth, Labillardiere (Rozier, Observations sur la Physique, &c,
1790, t. xxxvi., p. 48) names the humidity of the air, stating
that in the Lebanon, cloudy nights and heavy dews are necessa-
ry for the emission of the gum, which only flows abundantly
during the night and a short time after sunrise. On this ac-
count the shrubs growing in less elevated parts of the Lebanon,
and subjected to great heat during the day, and a very limited
nocturnal humidity, yield but little tragacanth.

These statements obtain a confirmation from the observation

et dans les mois suivants: dans ce temps la, le sue nourricier de cette plante,
epaissi par la chaleur, fait crever la pluspart des vaisseaux ou il est renferme :
non settlement il s'amasse dans le coeur des tiges et des branches, mais dans
l'interstice des fibres, lesquelles sont disposees en rayon, comme il paroit, en la
tige [fig.] A: ce sue se coagule en filets, de me me que dans les porositez de
l'ecorce ; et ces filets passant au travers de cette partie, sortent peu a pen, &
mesure qu'ils sont poussez par le nouveau sue que les racines fournissent : cette
matiere exposee a Fair s'endurcit et forme ou des grummeaux ou des lames
tortues, semblables a des vermisseaux plus ou tnoins longs, suivant la matiere
qui se presente : il semble meme que la contraction des fibres de cette plante
coutribuea la l'expression de la gomme Adragant : ces fibres deliees comme de
la filasse, decouvertes et foulees par les pieds des bergers et des chevaux, se
racourcissent par la chaleur, et facilitent la sortie du sac extravase." — Relation
d'un Voyage du Levant, Paris, 1717, tome i., pp. 55-6.

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

163

made in Greece by Eraas (Synopsis Plant. Florece Olassicce, p.
59), who states that no gum is produced in the mountains of
the Peloponnesus by Astragalus artistatus and A. ereticus, nor
on Mount Parnassus, nor on the drier mountains generally, whilst
there is gum collected in Achaia. He considers the exudation
of the gum as dependent upon climate influences, and ascribes it
to the quantity of cold rain alternating with great heat in the
mountains of Oalaryta, &e.

Labillardiere, from the facts observed by him, draws the con-
clusion that the tragacanth shrub, exposed during the day to the
broiling heat of the sun, partakes quickly of the moisture of
fogs, and that the gum tragacanth, swollen by the moisture of
fogs and dews, forces a passage through the pores of the bark,
and appears in the form of twisted worms or drops.

The observations of Labillardiere induced De Candolle (As-
tragologia, 1802, p. 12,) to explain the manner in which gum
tragacanth is forced out in a somewhat different way. He com-
pared the exudation of tragacanth with that of the Nemaspora
erocea (at that time held to be a mere gum, and not a plant),
from the bark of beech-wood, preserved in a moist place. This
view he still maintained in his Physiology (L, p. 175,) after
he had acknowledged JSFemaspora to be an independent plant,
having been convinced that the appearance of Nemaspora on
dead trees stood in connexion with the moisture of the atmos-
phere, and concluding from this fact that the influence of mois-
ture caused the wood to expand more than the bark, in conse-
quence of which the former was as if tightly sheathed, and
therefore could press mucilaginous substances contained in the
inner layers of the bark to the surface. This explanation did
not meet with favor from Treviranus (Physiol, ii., p. 21,) who
assumed that the appearance of the gum originated in an in-
creased secretion of the same.

The above-named botanists entertained not the slightest doubt
that gum tragacanth was a mucilaginous sap secreted by the
plant ; and the same applies to the pharmacologists, even the
most recent, as for instance, Pereira. Kutzing (Philosoph. Bot-
anik, i., p. 203,) on the contrary, in consequence of microscopi-
cal investigations of the exuded gum, advanced the view that it
was an independent organism, a fungus, consisting of cells filled

164

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

with starch, between which the fibres of the mother plant were
placed. The walls of these cells, formed by several thick lay-
ers, consisted of bassorine, and were lined with a tender mem-
brane of cellulose. Proofs of the fungoid nature are looked for
in vain. They would not have been superfluous, even if only on
account of the great curiosity which a fungus with cellulose
membrane and starch granules would present.

An essentially different origin is assigned by Unger (Anatom.
und Physiolog. der Pflanzen, 119) to gum tragacanth. He
states it forms in several species of Astragalus the secondary
layers of the medullary rays.

Other microscopical investigations of tragacanth, from which
something might be learned, are unknown to me. Those of
Guibourt [Hist. Naturelle des Drogues Simples, 4 e*dit., torn, iii.,
420) are without interest.

In order to obtain an explanation of the nature of gum traga-
canth, I considered it, above all, necessary to examine not only
the different kinds of commercial gum, but also the stems of a
greater number of Astragali of the section Tragaeanthce. Un-
fortunately my materials were so far incomplete, that there were
no thick stems at my disposal, the largest being herbarium spec-
imens, about the thickness of a little finger, on the bark of
which no exudation of gum tragacanth was visible. The follow-
ing will show, however, that these materials were, notwithstand-
ing, sufficient to reveal the manner in which the gum is formed.

For the examination of exuded tragacanth, thin, flat pieces of
the gum are best suited. A transverse section of such a flat
piece, macerated in water, shows a considerable number of thick-
walled cells lying in an amorphous mucilaginous mass. The
walls of these cells are colorless and gelatinous, and consist of
thick, partly well-marked layers, resembling in this respect the
stratified substance of a starch granule. In the cavity of this
cell small starch granules, more or less numerous, are deposited.
A closer investigation of these cells requires the application of
iodine. This acts but very slowly, whilst an iodized solution of
chloride of zinc produces during the first few hours no other al-
teration than that of coloring the starch granules blue and the
walls of the cells pale yellow. It is only after the action of
the solution for twenty-four hours or more that the walls of the

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA.

165

cells begin to exhibit distinct colors. The inner thin layer of
the cells is now found to be of a lively violet color, and like-
wise in the thick swollen cell-membrane itself by thin layers
more or less intensely violet-colored, and separated from each
other by thick, uncolored, gelatinous layers, are apparent. The
outer of these colored layers are often rent, in which case the
uncolored gelatinous substance has partly forced itself through
the rents and become mixed with the mucilaginous substance in
which the cells lie imbedded. On account of this partial solution
of the outer cell-layers, the size of the cells, the diameter of
which is about 0;//.07, cannot be accurately determined, and many
of the torn-loose pieces of the cell layers colored violet by
iodine are irregularly distributed in the amorphous mucilaginous
mass.

In vermiform tragacanth the cells were far less perfectly pre-
served, and the amorphous mucilage in which membranes and
starch granules of a paler or darker violet color were scattered,
constituted a relatively larger portion of the entire mass.

Still less frequently occur well-preserved remains of cells in
the yellowish nodular tragacanth of Syria, in which moreover
the abundance of starch granules is far more considerable, and
the granules themselves larger in size and frequently united
into compound grains.

To be continued.

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA. *
By Prof. Dr. C. Claus of Dorpat.

The first and at that time only apothecary in Russia was an
Englishman, James Frenkham, who together with physicians had
been sent by Queen Elizabeth to Czar Ivan Wasiliewich IV.
about the year 1584. Previous to that time, medicine and
pharmacy were practised by priests and monks, and also by

* This was the subject of an address, delivered by Prof. Claus in 1853
in the " aula" of the University of Dorpat, and subsequently published in
the " Inland," a periodical little known outside of Russia. The author
revised and republished it in Wittstein's Vierteljahresschrift. 1838, p. 502 —
527. The above paper is an abridgement of this latter paper by Mr. John
M. Maisch of Philadelphia. — Ed. Am. Jour. Ph.

166

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA.

women, who attended chiefly to diseases of women and children.
Czar Michael Feodorowich found the "Apothecaries Board,"
the first medical office in Russia, entrusted with the regulation
of all medical affairs ; he induced many foreign physicians to
emigrate to Russia, and furnished the army with field apothe-
cary's shops containing about 25 medicaments.

Alexei Michailowich opened a second apothecary's store in
Moscow, and began to collect roots and herbs in the country in-
stead of having them imported from England ; he had three
large botanical gardens planted in the neighborhood of Moscow,
and ordered the woiwods to pay part of the taxes in medicinal
plants from the interior. The third imperial store was opened
in Wologda, and Feodor, the brother of Peter I., built the first
hospital in Moscow, connecting therewith a surgical college for
native physicians.

During the reign of Peter the Great, eight private drug stores
were opened till 1712, and imperial stores in Riga, Reval, Kasan
and other cities. Peter founded in Petersburg the land and
sea hospitals, together with a college for army surgeons, in
Lubna, the great field drug store from which all the smaller ones
were furnished with medicines, and the large prescription store
which is still in existence in St. Petersburg, from which poor
civil and military officers receive their medicine gratis. During
the reign of Anna, Elizabeth and Catharine II., the number of
drug stores increased considerably in both capitals, but in less
proportion in the provincial towns where the government was
obliged to establish stores for the accommodation of the people,
and of late it was found necessary to place impediments in the
way of obtaining licenses for the cities so as to force pharma-
ceutists to the smaller country towns. Within 270 years the
number of pharmaceutical stores was increased from 1 to near
700 (Poland excluded,) of which at last two-thirds were estab-
lished in this century.

The furniture of the first crown stores was imported from
England and made of costly polished woods, the bottles of cut
crystal-glass with covers of massive silver; among the medicines
were pearls and precious stones, bezoardicum solare, a powdered
gold perfumed with amber, &c. The price of some Russian
drugs at that and the present time compares as follows : Musk

V

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA.

167

per lb. 12 to 24 rubels, now 300 r.; Castor 1 r. 50 cop. to 2 r.
50 cop., now 200 to 250 r.; Rhubarb per pud 20 r.; now 120 r.

A special officer with several clerks has charged with the
supervision of the stores, the regulation of the income and the
expenses ; the apothecaries had only to prepare and deliver the
medicines, attend alternately to the business, and were subject
to a strict discipline and control. Some of them were called
alchymists ; they were probably proprietors of formulas for
popular nostrums. The salary of the apothecaries was con-
siderable for that time — -300 to 360 rubels ; it was larger than
that of the court surgeons, but less than the physicans', which
reached 500 or 600 rubels ; or in lieu of a part thereof board
and liquors from the Court. The Court apothecaries had to be
present at the examination of physicians soliciting an appoint-
ment, and to sign the diplomas of physicians who had graduated
in Russia. The first work in the Russian language treating on
medicine, pharmacy and natural history, entitled Oure-booJc, was
a manuscript of 1560 folio pages with illustrations of plants,
animals and minerals ; it was translated from the Polish, in 1588
the original of which was a Latin work ; several copies were
preserved in Moskow up to 1812, since which time they have not
been found.

With the foundation of St. Petersburg the emigration of
physicians and apothecaries into Russia commenced, and new
life was thus infused by the establishment of private drug stores,
so that under the reign of Elizabeth Petrowna, we meet in
John (j. Model with the first pharmaceutical author, who was
looked upon as the first chemical authority in Russia, and whose
periodical « Chymische Nebenstunden," (Chemical Leisure
Hours,) was translated into French. The Academy of Sciences
of St.Petersburg opened in 1725, and the first Russian University,
founded in 1755, had a most salutary influence on the progress
of pharmacy, as had also the surgical institute of St. Petersburg,
where the lectures were delivered in German; to those of phar-
maceutical interest were invited the young pharmaceutists of
the private establishments. Previously, by command of Catha-
rina II., several medical works were translated into Russian, in
which language also some original works appeared. The first
Russian Dispensatory was published in 1765, the second edition

168

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA.

1778; the Pharmacopoeia rossica castrensis appeared in 1779.
Among the pharmaceutists of this time was Lowitz, who discover-
ed the absorbing power of charcoal, and Kirchhoff who first
transformed starch into sugar.

In the present century, the establishment of the Medico-Chi-
rurgical Academies of St. Petersburg and Moskow proved of great
advantage to the pharmaceutists, particularly since the connec-
tion therewith of a pharmaceutical department, where not only
practical apprentices and assistants were admitted, but also
pupils of higher schools, who could pass the examination, and
who were thus instructed first theoretically before they could
acquire the requisite practical knowledge. The University of
Dorpat, where the first distinct pharmaceutical institute was
founded, has the merit of having educated the ablest Russian
pharmaceutists. The reason for this fact is, that from the be-
ginning at this University the professorship of the pharmaceuti-
cal branches has been entrusted to practical men of this pro-
fession, which was never compelled to take a subordin aterank,
as is too often the case in the hands of men otherwise too much
engaged professionally. The following celebrated pharmaceutists
occupied there the chair of chemistry : Grindel, Giese, T. F.
Goebel, Arzt, Scherer, Osann, Siller and Charles Schmidt.
Scherer was the editor of the Northern Journal for Chemistry,
and the first president of the Pharmaceutical Society of St.
Petersburg, which, by his intercession, received the imperial
sanction in 1819. Not until more recently did men acquire in
other parts of Russia decided reputation in chemistry.

After the opening of academies and universities, the exami-
nation of young pharmaceutists was taken from the hands of
appointed physicians and entrusted to those institutions. Under
Nicolai Pawlowich the regulations concerning pharmaceutists
were completed. There are now three pharmaceutical degrees
in Russia, apothecaries' assistants who are allowed to practise
pharmacy under the supervision of persons of a higher degree ;
provisors who have to serve three years as assistants and to pass
examinations, must have absolved an academic course ; they
may become possessors of stores ; magistri pharmacies must be
provisors for one year, and may compete for professorships and
the higher pharmaceutical offices.

HISTORY OF PHARMACY IN RUSSIA.

169

Of the 700 dispensing stores in Russia, there are 75 in St.
Petersburg, 26 in Moscow, 4 in Dorpat, 14 in Riga (60,000 in-
habitants) and one in each of the following cities : Astrachan
(46,000 inhabitants,) Perm, Orenburg, Ufa, Catharineburg,
Jobolsk, Tomsk and Irkutzk, all places of from 15 to 40,000 in-
habitants. In Siberia, there is one dispensing store for each
20,000 square miles (about 400,000 sq. m. Engl.) The furni-
ture and the interior arrangements of these stores are generally
unexceptionable, and the fixtures of some stores in the principal
cities have cost as high as 10,000 rubels (about $7,000.)
Model pharmaceutical establishments, however, are more fre-
quently found in the interior, particularly in the provincial
capitals. In all establishments may be found good sets of
pharmaceutical and chemical apparatus, mostly with the latest
improvements, and their business is purely pharmaceutical with-
out the addition of the grocery, hardware, liquor or other busi-
ness, as is sometimes met with in other countries.

The amount of trade of the Russian drug stores is of course
very unequal. There may be 2 with an income of 40,000
rubels, 5 with about 25,000 r,, about 50 with from 10 to 15,000
r., while the majority have a gross revenue of 3 to 5,000 r., and
in the small interior towns between 1000 and 2500 r.; the smallest
business amounting to but 800 r. annually, is done in Zaryzin,
a town with 4426 inhabitants.

In regard to education, the mass of the Russian apothecaries
compare favorably with those of other countries , the ignorant
are by far in the minority. With the exception of the capitals,
the pharmaceutists are so thinly scattered throughout that
colossal empire, that they are in fact lost in the space, and a
mutual intercourse between them cannot be kept up. Of late,
pharmaceutists have been appointed professors at the Universities
of St. Petersburg and Moscow, and thus had occasion to more
widely distinguish themselves. Among the living Russian phar-
maceutists native as well as naturalized, are some who have
gained fame beyond the limits of Russia, and many men dis-
tinguished in other sciences have been reared in the school of
pharmacy.

Formerly Scherer's Northern Journal of Chemistry was the
organ of the Russian chemists and pharmaceutists; but there

170

TESTING NITRIC ACID, ETC., FOR IODINE.

are now few pharmaceutical authors in Russia, owing to the
foreign literature, with which in a mercantile point of view a
competition is impossible.

Apothecaries and their business free of any and all taxation.

ON IODIDE OF ETHYLE.
Br Dr De. Vrij.

For the preparation of large quantities of iodide of ethyle de
Vrij recommends the following method. Absolute alcohol, which
must be kept well cooled, is saturated with dry hydrochloric acid
gas, and the amount of hydrochloric acid determined in a sam-
ple. This alcoholic solution of the gas is then placed in a retort
with as much powdered iodide of potassium as is exactly necessa-
ry to form chloride of potassium ; the mixture is allowed to
stand a day, and then the iodide is distilled oft", washed, and
rectified. In the same manner iodide of methyle may be pre-
pared. On adding wood-spirit saturated with hydrochloric acid
to iodide of potassium, an action accompanied with consider-
able rise of temperature is established. Bromide of ethyle is
easily prepared by distilling 4 parts of bromide of potassium
with 5 parts of a mixture, consisting of 2 parts oil of vitriol and
1 part of alcohol of 96 per cent. — London Chem. 6faz. Dec. 1,
1858, from Journal de Pharmacie.

ON THE TESTING OF NITRIC ACID AND NITRATE OF SODA FOR

IODINE
By Professor Stein.

The problem to be solved is evidently the setting free of the
iodine present in the nitric acid in the form of iodic acid (or per-
haps more correctly chloride of iodine) ; in other words to effect
a process of reduction within the strongly oxidizing nitric acid.
After several unsuccessful attempts the author employed tin as
a reducing agent, and sulphuret of carbon for the detection of
the iodine ; and this succeeded so perfectly, that iodine could be
detected not only in acid purposely mixed with iodine, but also
in commercial nitric acid derived from various sources.

A quantity of the acid to be tested is poured into a test-tube

TESTING NITRIC ACID, ETC., FOR IODINE.

171

and a rod of tin is immersed in it until red fumes are distinctly
evolved. The rod of tin is then taken out, and a small quantity
of sulphuret of carbon is poured in ; the mixture is shaken and
left quiet for a few moments. The stratum of carbon which usu-
ally collects over the acid appears of a red color, unless the
amount of iodine in the acid be too small. With traces of iodine
the color of this stratum may only be deep yellow. In this case
however, it becomes red, when the sulphuret of carbon is drawn
off and evaporated in a small porcelain capsule by blowing upon
it.

To show the sensibility of the test, 1 decigramme of iodide of
potassium (or 0-076 grm. of iodine) was dissolved in 121 grms.
of nitric acid free from iodine ; this is nearly 1 : 1600. In this
acid the iodine could be very distinctly recognized. This was
also the case when it had been diluted to five times the quantity.
When diluted to ten volumes, it was no longer possible to detect
the iodine by sulphuret of carbon. If the limit of sensibility lies
half way between the last two dilutions, it is 1-12, 000th.

The tin, as may easily be understood, does not act specifically
so that zinc, iron, or copper may be employed in place of it ;
the action of tin is, however, the most certain. It was also clear
that it is not the metal itself that acts in this experiment, but
the lower grades of oxidation of nitrogen produced by its con-
tact with the nitric acid. It was proved by direct experiments
that it is nitric oxide, the action of which upon iodic acid was
already known. This, however, is preferable to sulphuretted
hydrogen and all other reducing agents, because it cannot act
upon the nitric acid itself, but only quite directly upon the iodic
acid. The clearest proof that it is due to the action of nitric
oxide is furnished by the red fuming nitric acid of commerce,
which needs only be diluted with water, to enable iodine to be de-
tected by sulphuret of carbon.

Although one would hardly feel inclined to employ nitric ox-
ide itself instead of tin, the author nevertheless states that the
latter has a more certain action than the former. Thus, if iodine
be present as chloride of iodine, which, if not always, may cer-
tainly sometimes be the case, this is decomposed by tin, but not
by nitric oxide.

By means of the test just described, the iodine in nitrate of

172 CONVERSION OF ACETIC ACID INTO METHYLIC ALCOHOL,

soda may also be very easily detected. A certain quantity of
this salt is put into a test tube, and water and nitric acid, free
from iodine< are poured over it ; a rod of tin and sulphuret of
carbon are then employed as above described. If sulphuric acid
be employed instead of nitric acid to set free the iodine, the re-
sult is less distinct in consequence of the simultaneous evolution
of chlorine and the formation of chloride of iodine. The sulphu-
ret of carbon is always colored dark yellow, and the red color
does not make its appearance until a portion of the sulphuret of
carbon is volatilized and with it the chlorine. ^-Ibid, from Polyt,
Oentralbl, 1858.

THE CONVERSION OF ACETIC ACID INTO METHYLIC ALCOHOL;

By C. Friedel.

The experiments of Kolbe on the electrolysis of the salts of
the fatty acids have shown that the radicals of the acids may be
decomposed, giving origin to the radical of the alcohol which con-
tains 2 equivs. of carbon less than the acid.

The formation of the acetones may be regarded as an analo-
gous fact, only that, two molecules of acid being present, the
radical of one is decomposed, and the radical O H11-1, which is
thus produced, forms a double radical with the undecomposed
group. This is what has been assumed from the theoretical
views of Gerhardt and Chancel, and the experiments of William-
son upon the formation of the mixed acetones. Hitherto, how-
ever, the existence of these alcoholic radicals in the acetones has
not been proved.

The action of muriatic and hydriodic acids upon acetic ace-
tone has furnished this demonstration, and at the same time an
easy means of converting acetic acid into methylic alcohol.

At the ordinary temperature and pressure muriatic acid has
scarcely any action on an acetone. Still this substance dis-
solves muriatic acid in considerable quantities ; and if the solu-
tion be enclosed in a thick matrass hermetically sealed, and heat-
ed in the water bath for eight or ten hours, the liquid separates
into two strata. When the matrass is opened, an abundant evo-
lution of gas takes place with an ebullition which carries off a
portion of the liquid, unless the vessel be cooled with ice. The

CONVERSION OF ACETIC ACID INTO METHYLIC ALCOHOL. 173

gas evolved burns with a green flame, and by analysing it eudi-
ometrically, it was found to furnish a volume of carbonic acid
rather larger than its own. Chloride of methyle would furnish
exactly its volume of carbonic acid. The excess of carbon found
is due to a little acetone, from which the gas is freed with diffi-
culty; it may be removed in part by means of water and distil-
lation.

The remaining liquid also contains a little acetone and an acid
possessing the odor of acetic acid, boiling between 212p and 248°
F.; with oxide of silver this forms a salt which crystallizes in
white needles and contains 64-31 of silver. The acetate con-
tains 64-66. The acid is therefore acetic acid regenerated in a
reaction which may be expressed by the following equation :—
2(C2 H6 02)+HCl=C4 H4 04-f 4 (C6 H3 CI).

To collect the ether produced more readily, the author sub-
stituted gaseous hydriodic acid for muriatic acid. Hydriodic
acid acts upon acetone at the ordinary temperature, and as soon
as the acetone is saturated with hydriodic vapors, it may be dis-
tilled, and furnishes much iodide of methyle and acetic acid.

The iodide of methyle passes in distillation almost entirely
between 109° and 113° F., but nevertheless it still contains
acetone and cannot easily be obtained pure. By treating it with
oxalate of silver in a closed matrass heated in the water-bath,
oxalate of methyle is obtained, boiling between 320° and 331°
F., and crystallizing in fine laminae. Its analysis gave—

Found. Calculated.

C 40-72 40-67
H 5-34 5-07

This oxalate, treated with potash, furnished wood-spirit, boil-
ing between 149° and 156°F., which, when rectified first over
quicklime and then over fused potash, gave the following num-
bers : —

Found. Calculated.

C 37.31 37-50
H 12.59 12-50
In this reaction^ besides iodide of methyle, only acetic acid is
produced. The portions of the acid boiling at the highest tem-
peratures, furnished, with oxide of silver, only acetate of silver,
containing 64-08 per cent, of silver. The action of iodide of

174 VARIETIES.

phosphorus upon aqueous acetone gives the same results as that
of hydriodic acid ; but the most convenient method consists in
heating acetone with a concentrated aqueous solution of hydri-
odic acid in a matrass.

As is shown by the formula above indicated, 4 molecules of
ether are produced from 2 molecules of acetone. Taking as a
starting point 4 molecules of acetic acid, we may regard the re-
action in question as completing a decomposition of the acetyle
radicals which they contain, which is commenced by their con-
version into acetone.

It is probable that this reaction is general, and that it will
allow us to pass from any acid to an inferior alcohol, and conse-
quently from one alcohol to any inferior alcohol. It at the same
time furnishes us with a reagent which will allow us to study

even the radicals of the acids Ibid from Oomptes Bendus,

June 14, 1858.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE INTRODUCTION OF PRE-

SERVATIVE SOLUTIONS INTO RAILWAY TIMBER.

By F. Hewson, C. E.

The use of timber upon our railroads is considered indispensable ; it is
everywhere found in the superstructure of our tracks, and forms the chief
material of our bridges ; its renewal is the most expensive item of repairs.
The life of a sill seldom extends longer than eight years, and the rate of
annual depreciation being 12^ per cent., can be applied to the estimate for
the durability of the bridges, and those structures which are unprotected
against the assaults of heat and moisture, the active and unfailing agents
of decay.

There are cycles in the history of a railroad like that of nations ; each
has its era of good feeling, and the blessings of cheap government, to be
followed by discontent and grievous burthens. The close of the first octen-
nial period in the existence of a railroad track, is marked by the entire re-
newal of its wooden superstructure, involving an additional expenditure
for labor, About a year or two preceding this troublesome epoch, the
managers and proprietors become alarmed at the rapid and disproportion-
ate increase in their repair accounts ; the spirit of economy and reduction

VARIETIES.

175

is infused into every department, and laudable efforts are made to restore
the cheap management of previous years ; those efforts are in vain, for the
skill and fidelity of their officers and workmen cannot check the onward
progress of perishable material to its destiny.

Upon the 25,000 miles of railway lines in the United States, it is here
estimated that 3125 miles of the timber superstructure of their track are
annually renewed, requiring an outlay of 3,500,000 dollars to furnish the
supply.

These prefatory data show the importance of seeking some effectual
method of arresting this erroneous waste of capital. The chief obstacle to
this end has been the great outlay required in the outset for the appara-
tus employed by the usual process, which is so inconvenient in character
as to preclude their adoption in the construction of our railroads. These
objections of expense and inconvenience are applicable to the systems of
Kyan, Bethell, and Sir William Burnett, systems which have been adopt-
ed upon the leading works of Europe, by engineers distinguished alike for
their genius and soundness of judgment.

Kyan's process is the simple immersion of the timber in corrosive sub-
limate dissolved in water • it requires the employment of two tanks or res-
ervoirs, into one of which the solution is pumped while the timber is being
withdrawn.

It has been severely tested in the dock-yard of Woolwich, and has been
employed with success in the Bavarian state railways. The writer has
not been able to find any evidence against its efficacy.

The solution is an expensive one, besides being an active poison, which
renders its adoption dangerous.

BethelPs process requires a strong cylindrical tank of iron, a steam en-
gine, an air pump, a force pump, and a large wooden cistern or reservoir
— when the timber is placed inside the cylinder, which is air-tight, a vacu-
um is obtained, and the solution, which is either coal oil or pyroliguite of
iron; is forced under a heavy pressure into the timber.

It has been successfully employed upon the Great Western, the Bristol
and Exeter, Manchester and Birmingham, North Eastern, South Eastern,
Stockton and Darlington, London and Birmingham, and Cologne and Min-
den railways. It has received the endorsement of Robert Stephenson,
Brunei, Bidder, Braithwaite, and other eminent names.

Sir William Burnett's process employs the chloride of zinc, with the
same apparatus and mode of operation used by Bethell. It has been suc-
cessfully tested on the Hanoverian and the Cologne and Minden lines, and
has been used on the Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton, the Oxford
and Birmingham, and the Vale of Neath railways.

Brunei has taken an active part in its introduction on the public works
of England.

There has been a want of confidence relative to the treatment of timber
by other systems. The processes of boiling timber or heating it to a high

176

VARIETIES.

degree of temperature, and then suddenly plunging it into the solutions,
have been condemned by the highest authorities.

In the Ordnance Manual for the use of the officers of the United States
Army, edited by Major Mordecai, assisted by Colonels Baker, Ripley, II u-
ger, and Major Symington, able officers, honored alike for attainments in
science and services rendered under the flag of their country, it is stated
that " kiln drying is serviceable only for boards and pieces of small dimen-
sions, and is apt to cause cracks and to impair the strength of wood, unless
performed very slowly, and that charring or painting is highly injurious
to any but seasoned timber, as it effectually prevents the drying of the in-
ner part of the wood, in which consequently fermentation and decay soon
take place. Also in noticing Earle's process, which consists in saturat-
ing the wood in a hot solution of copperas and blue vitriol mixed togeth-
er, has been tried by the ordnance department, but the results have not
been favorable as far as regards its effects upon the strength and preser-
vation of the timber." Boucherie also mentions his want of success in
rarefying by a regulated heat, the air included in the interior of the wood,
and then plunging it at once into the solutions, which he wished to intro-
duce, though by this method, he caused different liquids to penetrate ma-
terials of a very compact nature ; and he succeeded forcing tar into
stones and bricks to a very great depth. The same authority states, " That
it is infinitely more advantageous to act upon wood in its green state, than
to prepare it after the time necessary for its complete dessication had sen-
sibly altered it."

Tredgold, in his able and lucid manner, accounts for the effects upon
the durability of timber produced by these processes which have thus been
condemned — he says, " that it is well known to chemists that slow drying
will render many bodies less easy to dissolve, while rapid drying, on the
contrary, renders the same bodies more soluble ; besides, all wood in dry-
ing loses a portion of its carbon, and the more in proportion as the tem-
perature is higher; there is in wood that has been properly seasoned a
toughness and elasticity which is not to be found in rapidly dried wood,
and this is an evident proof that firm cohesion does not take place when
the moisture is dissipated at a high heat.

The evidence of the Saxon and Bohemian railways given in the 29th
number of the Eisenbahnzeitung , and translated to the valuable columns of
the United States Mining Journal, practically confirms the unfavorable
views of the authorities here quoted.

Additional adverse testimony could still be brought, but its introduction
here would extend this communication to a wearisome prolixity.

The employment of the popular European methods of Bethell and Sir
William Burnett upon American railways, which are too often started in
haste, and without the means sufficient to properly complete them, — would
be attended with two objections, in some instances so weighty as to pre-
vent their adoption, — they are,

VARIETIES. 177

1st. The expense in the first cost of the apparatus required.
2d. The difficulty in its proper location along the line of a route under
construction.

What is wanted is some process which is simple, cheap, and efficacious.
Boucherie's system of introducing the solutions longitudinally, through the
pores or tubes of the timber, by the pressure of a column of any conve-
nient height, is a step in the right direction to meet these necessities. A
description of his first methods of operating has already been furnished in
previous numbers of the Journal.

An account of the more recent improvements which have been adopted
is given by Mr. John Reid, Jr., of Glasgow : an extract will not be deemed
irrelevant.

"After the tree has been felled, a saw cut is made across the centre
through about 9-10ths of the section of the tree, which is slightly raised
at the centre by a lever or wedge so as to open the saw cut a little ; a piece
of string or chord is placed around the edge of the saw cut, and lowering
the tree again, the cut closes on the string, which thus formes a water-
tight joint; an auger hole is then bored obliquely into the saw cut from
the outside, into which is driven a hollow wooden plug ; a flexible tube is
fitted on the plug, the end of which is made slightly conical, so that the
tube maybe pushed tight upon it; the fluid flows from a cistern at an ele-
vation of from 30 to 40 feet." ( See fig. 1.)

Vig.l

Mr. Reid further adds that the timber is most successfully operated up-
on within ten days after being felled, in which event, the process with a
log 9 feet long, will occupy twenty-four hours. If the timber is felled 3
months, 3 days are required ; if 4 months, 4 days.

To expedite the longitudinal transmission of solutions, an ingenious
and simple apparatus has been contrived by John L. Pott, Esq., the intel-
ligent proprietor of the Orchard Iron Works, in Pottsville ; some idea of
which can be formed by the following description.

It consists of a force pump, to the cast iron frame of which is bolted a
strong cylinder, also of cast iron, 9 feet long ; the inside diameter being 12

12

178

VARIETIES.

inches. Into the further end of the cylinder, a hollow cast iron collar is
accurately fitted, but can be withdrawn and replaced at pleasure, the joint
being water-tight — from the sectional end of the collar which is foremost
in the cylinder, there extends a rectangular punch sharpened and edged
with steel, the area of which being less than the cross section of the rail-
road sills in use. This is driven by beetles into the end of the sill placed
in the cylinder, and then firmly secured by strong bolts connected with the
apparatus.

This plan of cylinder makes a water-tight joint, and at the same time al-
lows the sap to escape, and secures a greater pressure at the end of the
sill which lies against the pump. The power is applied by hand with a
crank.

The writer experimenting with this apparatus, found that in certain clas-
ses of timber which were freshly cut, the sap would be driven out with
great force, rapidly followed by the solutions. This was noticed especially
with the rock, red, and black oak sills.

Under a heavy pressure varying from 1000 lbs. to 1500 lbs. per square
inch, working for about two minutes, the sap for a few seconds would be
ejected at the end of the sill ; this would flow sometimes in jets like the
discharges from a common garden watering pot, and at other times trick-
ling in frothing exudations.

It was found that in white oak sills under the enormous pressure of
1320 lbs. to the square inch, the maximum gain in weight was llf lbs. per.
sill, or 3-8 lbs. per cubic foot.

In black oak under 800 lbs., the maximum gain was 17| lbs. per sill,
or 5-8. lbs. per cubic foot.

In red oak, under 1400 lbs., the maximum gain in a sill, was 29 lbs., or
9-6 lbs. per cubic foot.

In Chestnut, under 1500 lbs., per square inch, the maximum gain in a
sill was 13 lbs., or 4-3 lbs, per cubic foot.

Upon cutting the sills most successfully operated upon, into thin cross
sections of two inches in thickness, they were found to be so fully saturat-
ed, that by striking them violently against a board, the solutions would ex-
ude and cover the surface with moisture.

Though it required but two minutes in operating the pump for the com-
plete impregnation of the sills, yet the time occupied in adjusting and re-
moving the sill, and in filling and draining the cylinder, amounted to 18
minutes, and the saturation of 25 sills was the average work accomplished
in 10 hours.

Boucherie's process is held in high esteem by his countrymen ; it has
been adopted on the Northern, the Eastern, and Nantes railways of France
— and has been further sustained by a Board of Engineers of the Ponts et
Chausees, and officers of Genise, in a favorable report to the Government.

It has certainly great merit, yet the importance of operating on the tim-
ber within a few days after it has been felled, and the manipulation re-

VARIETIES.

179

quired in its preparation, will cause inconvenience in the construction and
repairs of American railroads.

After close analysis of the cost and details of the various systems,
the writer has been induced to select capillary attraction as the agent for
introducing the solutions by the correct way shown to us by nature in the
vegetative process, viz : by expelling and following the sap longitudinally,
through the pores and tubes of the timber.

Preceded by a number of satisfactory experiments, the following plan
has been adopted :

The sills are placed vertically with butt ends down in a tightly caulked
rectangular tank, 14 ft. long, 6 J ft. wide, and 8 ft, deep, built of 3-inch
plank supported by upright stays, and further secured by transverse bolts,
which prevent the sides from spreading, (See fig. 2.)

When the tank is packed with sills, sufficient solution is added to fill it
to the top of the sills.

In this simple apparatus, the pressure of a column seven feet in height
is thus maintained at the butt end of the sill, the sap is expelled, and the
preserving solution takes its place — a tank holding one hundred sills will
cost about $70, and weighing when empty, about 2 tons, it can be easily
transported to any part of the road.

The number and kind of timber operated upon, together with the weight
gained, and the estimated quantity of solution absorbed, are given in the
following table : The sills remaining seven days in the tank — the solu-
tion consisting of one part of pyrolignite of iron, and six parts water.

180

VARIETIES.

Kind of Timber.

No. of
sills
operated
upon.

Average
pounds
gained
per sill.

Average
pounds
gained

percu. ft.

Average
gallons
per sill.

Average
gallons

per
cubic ft.

IVTfiYimnrvi

1TX (X A. 1 LU U IjLI

gallons per
cubic foot.

White oak,

1038

8-9

3-1

1-8

0-62

1-87

Rock oak,

96

11-5

3-9

2-38

0-78

1-87

Red oak,

153

10-0

3-9

2-04

0-78

1-70

Black oak,

903

9 6

3*6

1-87

0-72

2-64

Chestnut,

144

6-1

3-0

1-20

0-60

1-87

Hemlock,

617

75

2-6

1-51

0-52

1-87

After the lapse of seven days the increase of weight in the oaks appeared
to be checked. The chestnut and hemlock being slower in absorption
would require 14 days to complete their saturation. These facts ascer-
tained by preliminary experiments, account for the discrepancy in the above
table in the averages of these classes of timber.

The writer encountered some difficulty in estimating the exact quantity
(liquid measure) of the solution absorbed, as the amount of sap displaced
in the green timebr is considerable, and consequently the estimate of the
quantity of the solution absorbed from the weight gained would be incor-
rect. After a careful investigation it was found that the increase in the
measure of the solution received by the sill, averaged 70 per cent, over and
above the quantity called for by the gain in weight of the sill.

This increment is taken into the calculation of the gallon columns of the
table.

In order to ascertain the relative extent or degree of absorption of the
popular solutions by the different classes of timber, the writer caused to be
divided into three equal parts, a rock oak, a white oak, and hemlock sill,
each as thus divided was placed vertically in separate casks, which were
filled by the solutions.

Cask with the chloride of zinc one pound to 10 gallons of water.
" blue vitriol one pound to \2\ gallons of water.

" pyrolignite of iron (density 1-101), 1 part of pyrolignite to 6 of water.
After the duration of one week
The white oak stick in the cloride of zinc,

'« " blue vitriol,

" " pyrolignite of iron,

The rock stick in the chloride of zinc,

" " blue vitriol,

" " pyrolignite of iron,

The hemlock stick in chloride of zinc,

" " blue vitriol,

il 11 pyrolignite of iron,

The blue vitriol is absorbed more readily by the hemlock, and the oaks
prefer the pyrolignite.

For the impregnation of the heavy timbers used upon bridges and other
structures, a large wooden cistern 4£ feet in diameter in the clear, and 27

gained in weight 6*8 per cenl

n n tj.Q <<

" " io-7 "

it it ^.g a

<< it 4.g <<

" " 5-6 "

it ll ij.y («

it (i 1Q.1 ti

ll ll *J.Q tt

VARIETIES.

181

feet deep, was constructed of 3-inch seasoned white pine plank, tightly
caulked in the seams, and bound with iron hoops ; two courses of 3-inch
plank were laid transversely and firmly secured at the bottom of the cis-
tern.

This, when finished by the carpenters, we sunk into the ground until the
top edge stood three feet ab>ve the surface. A hoisting crane is used in
lifting the timber ; the sticks being placed in a vertical position in the cis-
tern, which should always be kept filled to its top edge with the solution — in
this way, a pressure of a column 27 feet in height is maintained at the butt
end of the timber.

The following table shows the quantity of solution introduced into a
cubic foot of the different woods — the solution consisting of one part of py-
rolignite of iron and six parts water :

Kind of timber.

Number of
cubic feet.

Average absorption
per cubic foot.

Maximum absorption
per cubic foot.

White oak,
Rock oak,
Red oak,
Black oak,
White pine,

542
833
39
67
166

0-53 gallon.
0-71 <;
093 «

0- 85 "

1- 10 «

2-72 gallons.
2-04 "
1-87 "

1- 45 "

2- 04 "

Timber freshly cut will receive the solutions more readily than when dry
— some pieces of white oak which had been cut three months, absorbed per
cubic foot 76 per cent, more than the same description and sizes of timber
which had been twelve months felled.

It was also observed that in pushing some freshly cut beams with a sud-
den downward force into the cistern, the sap would appear on the top of
the beam often in quantities to fill a wineglass.

These facts confirm the opinions of Boucherie, and show that the drying
and seasoning of timber to prepare it for impregnation is an unnecessary
waste of labor.

The expense of impregnating railway timber with the process advocated
by the writer is but trifling.

The labor required is involved only in lifting and carrying the timber,
and to this must be added the cost of the solutions absorbed. A statement
of the cost of preserving sills with the usual antiseptics is here given.

Chloride of Zinc.

In proportions used by Brunei, viz : one pound to 10 gallons of water — cost '
of chloride of zinc 9 cents per pound.

Labor at tank, lifting and carrying the sills, 1-0 cent

Solutiou absorbed, 2 gallons, 1-8

Cost per sill, 2.8 cents.

Blue Vitriol.

In the proportions adopted by Boucherie, viz: one pound to 12| gallons of
water, cost of blue vitriol 14 cents per pound.

Labor at tank, &c, 1-0 cent.

Solution absorbed, 2-24

Cost per sill,

3-24

182

VARIETIES.

Pyrolignite of Iron.

In the proportions adopted by the writer, viz : 1 part of pyrolignite to 6 parts
of water — cost of pyrolignite 23 cents per gallon.

Labor at tank, &c, 1-0 cent.

Solution absorbed, 6-5

Cost per sill, 7-5
The writer does not claim that this method of impregnating timber by
capillary attraction is superior to any process extant, for such an assump-
tion at this period would certainly be premature and somewhat arrogant.
The question of its efficacy hangs upon a single point, which is this. Does
it introduce a sufficient quantity of the preservative solutions to produce the
desired effect? From the mass of data condensed in the tables given above,
it appears that the average degree of absorption varies in the different clas-
ses of woods. The average of the sills impregnated in the tanks range
from 0-52* to 0*78* of a gallon per cubic foot. The averages of the timbers
in the cistern from 0-53* to 1-10* of a gallon per cubic foot.

In the interesting account of the Burnettizing establishment, at Gloucester,
England, carried on under the direction of J. K. Brunei, Esq., C. E., pub-
lished by J. B. Francis, Esq., it is stated in the course of describing the
operation of the apparatus, that in a partial vacuum, a pressure of 120 lbs.
to the square inch is maintained from two to four hours until '6+ of a gal-
lon of the solution is forced into each cubic foot of timber, and this amount
is deemed sufficient. With this favorable and reliable ovidence, the writer
is sustained in the opinion that capillary attraction can be advantageously
employed as the agent of introducing preservative solutions into railway
timber. Its chief merit rests on the simplicity of its requirements in the
outset, and the economy of labor in its use.

Dr. Smith's Sepometer. — Among the many things which have troubled
the minds of ordinary thinkers has been the assertion of chemists that the
air had in all places the same composition. We cannot, therefore, be suf-
ficiently thankful to Dr. R. A. Smith, of Manchester, for his discovery of
an instrument by means of which we can ascertain the causes of the dif-
ferent degrees of purity of air. As, by means of this instrument, the ac-
tual amount of putrescible matter in the air can be measured, Dr. Smith
has given to it the name of " Sepometer." The salt he uses as a measurer
of impurity is almost the best oxidizing agent with which chemists are fa-
miliar ; it is the permanganate of soda. The process consists simply in
ascertaining how much of the permanganate is decomposed by a given
amount of air. The indications are very beautiful, and exhibit the great-
est difference between the air of towns, country, and sea. The use of blood
by Dr. Smith is also novel. By means of the smallest quantity, we can al-
most instantly ascertain the difference between town and sea air, by sha-
king it with a small portion of blood in a tube. We shall be most anxious
•American Gallons.

VARIETIES.

183

to hear of experiments performed in the wards of our hospitals by the aid
of the sepometer, and with the breath of patients, as we believe that much
valuable information will thereby be obtained. — Medical Times.

Morison the Hygeist. — The following facts regarding this successful ven-
dor of pills, we are told maybe relied upon : — James Morison was a Scotch-
man, and a gentleman by birth and education. His family were of the
landed gentry of Aberdeenshire, his brother being " Morison of Boguie,"
an estate worth about £4000 a year, and some of finest granite-built man-
sions in Aberdeen — Morison's Hall, for instance, belonged to him. In 1816,
James Morison, having sold his commission, for he was an officer in the ar-
my, lived in No. 17 Silver street, Aberdeen, a house belonging to Mr.
Reid, of Lowfcer & Reid, druggists. He obtained the use of their pill ma-
chine, with which he made in their back shop as many pills as filled two
large casks. The ingredients of these pills, however he may have modi-
fied them afterwards, were chiefly oatmeal and bitter aloes. With these
two great " meal bowies " filled with pills, he started for London, with the
fag-end of his fortune, advertised them far and wide, and ultimately
amassed £500,000. Mr. Reid was frequently importuned by Dr. Mohr, a
fellow-student of the late James Macgreggor, under Dr. French of Maris-
chal College to write to the Times and expose the whole matter, but he
never complied. — Athenceum.'

Freestone of Extraordinary Strength. — On the 21st July, at the Smith-
sonian Institution, at Washington, Professor Henry tested the strength of
the Albert freestone, which comes from Mary's Point, New Brunswick.
After adjusting the machine, a cube of the russet variety of this stone
was first subjected to the crushing force, and found to withstand 9,250
pounds to the inch before giving way. Two cubes of the drab or olive va-
riety were then tested, each of which sustained the like pressure of 9,250
pounds to the square inch. Professor Henry stated that this was the strong-
est freestone in the world.

Ambergris. — We learn from the Boston Ledger that a sale of 750 lbs. of
ambergris was made in that city on the 8th inst., for the sum of $10,000,
and upon which the purchaser will probably realize $6,000. It was taken
from one whale, and brought home in a ship recently arrived at Nantucket.
This substance is a morbid secretion of the liver of the spermaceti whale,
and is generally used, in its alcoholic solution, as a perfume. It is more
often found in whales of a sick and lean appearance, indicating that the
ambergris is a product of disease. It is usually found in lumps of from
one to thirty pounds in weight, and the largest piece hitherto known
weighed 182 pounds, and was bought by the Dutch East India Company
of the King of Tidore. Another piece from inside of a whale near the
Windward Islands was sold for £500 sterling.— New Bedford Mercury.

184

VARIETIES.

Medicine in India. — Nothing, Judge Raikes tells us, astonished the ear-
liest European traveller in India so much as the solicitude of the Gentoos
for insect life, and their profound indifference to human suffering. Men
died by the roadside uncared for ; but for bugs and fleas regular hospitals
were provided.

The character of the physician in the East is highly esteemed. Every
school- boy knows that it was to an expert English doctor we owed our first
step towards independence in Bengal ; and every Englishman is looked upon
as a " hukeeTn," and invited to prescribe for all kinds of ailments in all
sorts of impossible conjunctures. — Druggist's Circular.

Carbonate of Ammonia in the Bites of Poisonous Reptiles. — Dr. A. S.
Payne, of Paris, Fauquier Co., Va., from long experience in the treatment
of poisoning by snake bites, spider-bites, &c, has come to the following
conclusions :

" 1st. That hartshorn is the natural remedy or antidote for the cure of
all bites of poisonous reptiles or stings of insects which exert a rapid and
depressing influence upon the heart's action.

" 2d. That, in my opinion, second to the hartshorn, in remedial virtues,
stands an etherealized solution of iodine.

" 3d. That the biniodide of mercury has proven itself next most valuable.

" In the fourth place of value I place various plants indigenous to the
United States of America." — Virginia Med. Jour.

Hairs of Urticacece. — The stinging hairs (stimuli) of Urticaceae consist
of a single cell, more or less elongated, swollen at its base, where it is
sheathed by a layer of epidermal cells, and terminated sometimes by a
sharp point, but more commonly by a small rounded pyriform or accumi-
nated knob. The hair becomes broken in the skin, and allows the acrid
fluid it contains to flow out. This gives rise to accidents of a more or less
severe nature. The severity of the sting depends not on the quantity of
fluid which enters the puncture, but rather on its activity. The sheathing
portion of the hairs varies much in length. Sometimes it exceeds the free
portion, as in Urtica ferox, one of the species, which gives a most danger-
ous sting. In some species of Urera and in one or two other genera, the
sheathing portion increases much with age, becomes woody, and forms a
true prickle or aculeus, analogous to the Rose and of some species of
Hibiscus.

Glandular hairs, properly so called, are rare amoug the Urticaceae. Spe-
cies of Fleury present examples of these hairs, as well as the ribs of the
lower surface of Parietaria communis, on which we also notice, as in
Forskolilea and some other genera, hooked or uncinate hairs. The spe-
cies of Forskolilea or of Droguetia exhibit in different parts of their in-
florescence a mass of woolly hairs analogous to those which cover the cot-
ton plant. None of the Urticaceae have webbed hairs. — Ed. N. Phil. Jour.

VARIETIES.

185

Silk Worms. — One of the most active and distinguished of the members
of the society of acclimation, M. Guerin Meneville, who has been espe-
cially interested in the introduction of new silk worms, has just succeeded
in acclimating in France a new silk worm from China, where it lives in
the varnish tree (Aylanthus glandulosa). This species is the true Bombyx
Cynthia of Drury, (1773,) figured for the first time by Daubenton, Jr., in
his colored plates which were published between 1760 and 1765, and raised
for some centuries in China, where its silk clothes the people. Roxburgh,
in 1804, supposed the Eria which is raised in British India, to be the same,
and this confusion has continued till recently, so that the Eria, (or Ar-
rindy-arria, as it is called in Hindoostan,) has gone by the name of Bombyx
Cynthia. The Eria is a different species living on the Ricinus ; and we
have several times spoken of it.

The study of the species by Guerin Meneville, has brought to light dif-
ferences between the two in the cocoons and the habits of the worms. The
cocoons carded give an excellent flock of silk which is used in China and
Bengal for very firm tissues. The color of the silk is a fine flax gray ; and
cloths made of it are not injured by the rain, or oil, and wear long.

Now that the introduction of the silk-worm is accomplished, attention
is turned to the extension of it industrially. Guerin Mineville proposes
for this end the making of plantations of Aylanthus, a tree that grows
easily upon poor soil ; and to place the worms upon them in spring that
were hatched in the month of May, and let them eat the leaves. Care
should be taken to preserve them from the birds, which is easily done by
an invalid workman incapable of other work, as has been the custom for
centuries in China. At the end of June the first crop may be gathered,
and a second in August. The cocoons for reproduction should be preserved
until the next May, which requires, as with the silk-worm of Ricinus, and
the Dipsacus cullonum, special care in the winter. — American Jour. Sci.
and Arts Nov. 1858.

On the Rate and Growth of Coral. — Mr. Theodore Lyman, referring to
a large fragment of Madrepore Coral, taken from the wreck of a British
man-of-war, and which he had exhibited at a recent meeting, said that he
had since ascertained that the vessel was lost about the year 1806, or half a
century since. The incrustation around the iron bolt, shows that the diam-
eter of the coral must have been about three inches, and such a shaft, he
supposes, would have supported a very high stem, so that the rate of growth
might have been perhaps half an inch a year. — Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Inst,
in Silliman's Journ. Nov. 1858.

Pepsin Wine. — "We find in " L'Union Medicale " that the following pep-
sin wine is extremely agreeable and efficacious : — Take of starchy pepsin,
prepared according to Messrs. Covisart and Bourdault's formula, one

186

EDITORIAL.

drachm and a half; distilled water, six drachms; white wine (of Lunch, j
fifteen drachms ; white sugar one ounce ; spirit of wine (33°) three
drachms. Mix until the sugar is quite dissolved, and filter. One table-
spoonful of this wine contains about fifteen grains of pepsin, and may be
given after every meal. — Atlanta Med. and Surg. Journ.

€5iiorial ^Department.

Dr. Edward R. Squibb. — More than a year since we took occasion to
remark that our friend Dr. Squibb of the U. S. Naval Laboratory, had, in
connection with two other gentlemen, commenced the Louisville Chemical
works. Having disconnected himself with that establishment at the end
of the year, in accordance with a reserved right, Dr. Squibb made arrange-
ments for opening a Laboratory for the supply of pure pharmaceutical
chemicals, at 149 Furman St., Brooklyn, (New York,) and in advance had
received the patronage of the medical department of the U. S. Army, for the
supply of chemicals, etc., of a quality equal to those prepared at the Naval
Laboratory. This establishment was just getting under way when a
slight accident, big with disaster, swept it from existence, and prostrated
its proprietor, a sufferer. Knowing the strong personal interest that is felt
for Dr. Squibb by his numerous friends, in and out of the Association, we
feel justified in quoting a few lines from a letter just received from him,
which will explain better than our own words the nature of the occurrence.

Brooklyn, Feb. 15th, 1859.

My dear Sir, — By the help of an amanuensis I am able to acknowledge your
kind favor of yesterday, and can proceed to give you some detail of the disaster
that has occurred to me. On the afternoon of the 29th of December, a new boy,
whom I was teaching to put up preparations, accidentally broke a small bottle
of ether. He was using a light to wax the stoppers, and had been so emphati-
cally cautioned of the danger of a light near ether, that when the bottle broke
he was so frightened that, as he says, " he lost his head and forgot to blow out
the light." Soon, of course, the vapor caught fire, and as the ether had run
among the other bottles they broke and added their contents to the burning
fluid. As soon as it caught fire, he cried lustily to an upper story for me ; — on
arriving I found the whole table and a portion of the floor in a voluminous light
blaze, and, passing behind, commenced to draw water from a faucet and throw
it upon the flame. At one time I had nearly succeeded in extinguishing it, but
unluckily a few larger bottles of ether, put up for hospital use, standing near,
were broken and enflamed. Had my panic stricken people given me but a little
assistance, instead of deserting the building, I should, even then, have succeed-
ed in saving the property. As it was, however, the flame rapidly gained on me,
and it was only when I saw the hopelessness of my efforts that it occurred to
me that I was behind the fire (now extended across the building) without any

EDITORIAL.

18T

way of exit. Finding I must pass through the flame I took the longest possi-
ble run, closed my mouth and eyes and jumped through it, supposing I should not
be burned. In the excitement of trying to save books, etc., T was not at first
aware that I was burned, but the bystanders, and a numbness of my hands and
face soon after made me aware of the fact, and I got home to my room, where I
have been confined to the present time with a good deal of suffering. The face was
rather superficially burned, and is now so nearly well that I trust in a week to
be able to leave the house, with possibly only the deformity (besides scars) of
eversion of one eyelid ; — the hands, however, do not get off so well, nor get on
so rapidly— the backs of both hands were deeply and badly burned, though it
is still hoped the tendons escaped, so that you will see that for a bad burn, and
perhaps a narrow escape with life, I am likely to get off with surprisingly little
deformity."

After alluding to the abundant sympathy and kindness of his friends he re-
marks, " My landlord rebuilt the house at once for my use, and the mechanics
who had just finished my apparatus and fixtures have them already replaced.
I had an insurance, which though it does not cover my losses by some seven or
eight hundred dollars, was promptly paid, and helps much in the reorganization.
Everything goes on more rapidly of course than in the original outfit, since the
mechanics know what is to be done, and get on easily by means of my chamber
consultations ; my eyes, which though uninjured were closed for five weeks, are
now open and enable me to make drafts, etc., and I hope confidently from all
these fortunate circumstances, that by the second week in March I shall be
again under way with renewed energy and determination of purpose."

Our readers will now be aware that Dr. Squibb, though thus disastrous-
ly checked in the very inception of his enterprize, is not discouraged in
his determination to proceed with the manufacture of pure Pharmaceutical
chemicals. We heartily wish him success as a just reward for the liberal
open manner in which, during the past few years, he has contributed his
experience for the benefit of our profession.

Quinby vs. Eckstein — Alleged poisoning by Belladonna — Verdict. —
There are circumstances connected with this case particularly interesting to
pharmaceutists, and we would be glad to have given our readers an abstract
of the evidence and the charge of Judge Spencer to the Jury, but our lim-
ited space wholly forbids it. The following is an outline taken from the
Judge's charge as published. The plaintiff, George W. Quinby, (a
preacher,) alleges that he placed in the hands of the clerk of the defendant,
F. Eckstein, Jr., who is a druggist of good repute in the city of Cincinnati,
a prescription written by Dr. Mighels, for extract of dandelion, instead of
which the plaintiff alleges he received belladonna, which was taken, and
caused him personal suffering and loss of the use of his limbs and reason
for a considerable space of time, was months deprived of the power of tran-
sacting business, and put to expense in medical attendance, for all of which
he claims damages in the sum of $10,000. The defendant admits that his
profession is that of a druggist, and that as such he puts up prescriptions,
but in all other respects denies the averments of the petition.

The Judge then lays down the rule of action applicable to the case as
follows :

188 EDITORIAL.

" It should be premised here, that the foundation of the action is the negligence
of the defendant. The business of a druggist was one that required him to ex-
ercise extraordinary care and prudence, so far, at least, as the public are con-
cerned ; and the reason for this is that in proportion as accidents may be fatal,
or the community may be injured, more or less, by neglect or omissions, persons
should be careful in avoiding these accidents. But all this is founded on the
idea of negligence, for the law does not require that an apothecary shall insure
that at all hazards a prescription is accurately put up.

It was claimed, on the part of the plaintiff, that irrespective entirely of any
care exercised by defendant, he was bound to put up the article required, and
that if he failed to do so, the other party would be entitled to recover for any
damage arising to himself from such a failure; and the case was put by counsel
that, ifa merchant was requested to put up a certain article of commerce, and
put up anything else, he was bound to respond in damages. This may be true,
but it do°s not follow he isresposible for all the consequences. No man would
be safe if he was required at all hazards to guard against accidents. If a mer-
chant dealing in flour should sell an article not manufactured by himself, that
looked fair, yet happenied to be mixed with poison, he would not be responsible
for any accident growing out of the sale, where the transaction was one in
which he was not at all negligent. The commodity not being as it was repre-
sented in the first instance, he would be bound to restore the price paid for it,
but where he had exercised prudence and care in the selection of the article, he
would not be responsible for accidental consequences.

The same rule applies to a physician or apothecary ; he is responsible only
on the ground of negligence. It might be illustrated in this way : If this med-
icine had been in the first instance properly put up, and the plaintiff did not im-
mediately take it with him, but left the store for a short time, (as was the case,)
and then returned and took it away — some other article might have been sub-
stituted in the meantime, by the intervention of an agent over whom the defend-
ant had no control — or that the defendant not being the manufacturer of the
article, obtained it as genuine, when in fact it turned out not to be so, but dif-
ferent from that which he supposed it was— in either of these cases he would
not be responsible further than for the price paid for the medicine."

The Court then reviewed the evidence and its bearing on theseprinciples.

"The first inquiry which presented itself was whether the article that was put
up was that which the prescription called for. If it was, there was an end of
the action. Here the burden of the proof rests on the plaintiff. He claims it
was belladonna. Were the Jury satisfied it was? Had the plaintiff sufficient-
ly accounted for the possession of the gallipot throughout the whole time ? As
to the identity of the box itself, the defendant claims there is a link in the chain
wanting — that a change in the article may have taken place, and that a boy
being sent into town with the medicine, furnishes a theory by which that change
may have been effected. In questions of this kind it was not required of the Ju-
ry to be satisfied beyond all doubt, but to exercise their judgment as men of
common sense, and say where does the weight of evidence lead to.

The next question was, whether the contents are belladonna. The plaintiff
alleged that it was analyzed in the city of Boston. This was an appropriate
means of determining its nature ; but so far as they undertook to rely upon
it, the Jury should look into the evidence, and say whether the party had com-
petent skill to perform the service, and applied the proper means to arrive at
the results. If this is not satisfactory, they should then examine the other evi-
dence referring to the ordinary means of ascertaining the nature and character
of the article.

It was incumbent on the part of the plaintiff, not only to show that he
received a different article from that complained of, but that it was belladon-
nas and that he received an injury from it, and traces the ills of which he com-
plains, directly to its influence. The testimony of experts must be availed of.

EDITORIAL.

189

An isolated experiment amounts to but little. It is by a series of experiments
that men become familiar with the effects of poison, and skilful in their use."

The defendant claimed that the sickness of Mr. Quinby was from
another cause, like apoplexy, or some affection of the nervous system, where
the symptoms simulated those of belladonna.

The defendant also presented the theory that the plaintiff was hypochon-
driac, and that much of the symptoms were imaginary. The Judge then
remarks :

"If they were satisfied that the article put up has been identified, that it was
belladonna, that it was poisonous and produced the effect ascribed to it, then
the plaintiff would be entitled to such compensation as he had pecuniarily suf-
fered, if there was negligence on the part of defendant, unless the plaintiff him-
self was guilty of some neglect on his part.

In regard to negligence on the part of defendant in a case of this kind where
a prescription calls for dandelion, and belladonna is put up, this makes out
prima facie a case of negligence. The druggist is bound to put up the article
called for, and if by mistake he puts up another, he is responsible for it prima
facie ; and it is no excuse that he used all the diligence he could, unless he can
lay the fault to some other person, over whom he had no control. If he relies
on the act of a third party he is bound to present the proof; as in the absence
of testimony going to exonorate him, the law presumes he is negligent.

As to any negligence on the part of the plaintiff himself in the taking of the
article, before he could be charged with it, a knowledge by him of the opera-
tion of the drug should be shown ; and it would be further considered whether
he did not show ordinary prudence in the means he did take to avoid accident.
If he was advised of the nature of the article, and was careless in taking it, then
he could not obtain a verdict ; but if his suspicions were not aroused, and he
took such means as men ordinarily take to avoid accident, there was then no
fault on his part."

The Court then explained on what principles the damages must belaid,
in case, under all the circumstances they found the defendant guilty of
negligence. The Jury then retired, and returned in an hour with a verdict
for plaintiff — damages $2,500.

The extraordinary features of this case, which have justly excited surprise,
are, the long lapse of time between the alleged error and the act of prosecu-
tion ; the loose character of the plaintiff's evidence, as regards the identity
and nature of the medicine obtained ; and the improbability of the result,
if extract of belladonna in the dose 2-3ds of a tea-spoonful had been taken,
which from Eckstein's would have been of the best quality ; besides, it
appears in evidence that before taking the medicine, it was sent by a boy
to the physician, who pronounced it all right. We have understood that
the defendant applied for a new trial, but have not heard the result.

The new Act of Parliament regulating Medicine — The new British
Pharmacopoeia. — Many of our readers are perhaps not aware that in the
year just passed, Parliament, after having considered the subject of medi-
cal reform during a long period, did pass an Act, tending to reconcile the
conflicting elements of British medicine, by establishing a " General Coun-
cil of Medical Education and Registration" which is made up of Delegates

190

EDITORIAL.

from the Colleges of Physicians, of Surgeons, and^of Apothecaries, (not
Pharmaceutists,) and from the Universities, together with six members
named by the Queen, with advice of the Privy Council. The first meet-
ing of this body was held at the Hall of the Royal College of Physicians
of London, Nov. 23, and elected Sir Benjamin Brodie, President. At this
meeting Dr. Christison, Sir James Clark and Dr. Apjohn were appointed
to recommend a committee for preparing the National Pharmacopoeia.
At the adjourned meeting held Nov. 24, they made the following Report,
viz :

" The Committee beg to suggest, — 1st. That the following gentlemen be ap-
pointed a Committee to prepare and publish the National Pharmacopoeia, with
ail convenient speed : — Dr. Christison, Dr. Thomas Watson, Sir James Clark,
Bart., Mr. Green, Dr. Apjohn, Mr. Syme, Dr. Williams, Dr. Andrew Wood, Mr.
Nussey and Dr. Leet, with power to add to their number, Dr Christison to be
convener. 2d. That this Committee shall have full power to communicate
with the three Colleges of Physicians, and to request their co-operation in pre-
paring the Pharmacopoeia, and to beg them for that purpose to appoint fellows
of the several Colleges, to be associated with the Committee of the General
Medical Council. 3d. That the Committee shall have power to communicate
with the Pharmaceutical Society for the same purpose. 4th. That the Com-
mittee shall have power to appoint a chemist or chemists, to carry on such
chemical and pharmaceutical researches as may be found necessary, and to pay
these gentlemen such remuneration as the Committee of the General Council
may]think advisable. 5th. That a sum of £500 be voted by the General Council
from the registration fees of existing practitioners, in order to defray the cost
of preparing the Pharmacopoeia for printing

The Report was adopted. It was moved by Mr. Lawrence, seconded by Mr.
Teale, and resolved — That it be an instruction to the Pharmacopoeia Committee,
that the Pharmacopoeia be published in the English language, with the list of
the Materia Medica and compounds in the Latin language."

It is with pleasure that we record this great advance in English Medical
reform. If the Act does nothing else but effect a fusion of the Pharma-
copoeias into one homogeneous formulary, it will deserve to be valued.
We wish the committee entire success in their great undertaking, and are
glad to find that they have not rejected the very valuable aid of the gen-
tlemen of the Pharmaceutical Society.

Revision of the Pharmacopoeia in 1860. — At the annual meeting of
the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, to be held March 28th, it will be
necessary to appoint a committee to revise the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, as
has been done in the two last revisions of that work in 1839 and 1849.
As the composition of the committee should be carefully considered, to
insure a valuable report, it is desirable that members should reflect on
the subject before the meeting convenes.

Correction. — The Editors of the " Journal of Materia Medica," &c,
have attributed an article on Ammonio Ferric Alum to our pen, which is
due to that of W. Hodgson, Jr., of Philadelphia. The error has arisen
from the article in question having been inserted in the editorial depart-
ment.

EDITORIAL.

191

A Treatise on Diseases of {he Air Passages : — Comprising an inquiry into
the history, pathology, causes, and treatment of those affections of the
throat called Bronchitis, Chronic Laryngitis, Clergyman's sore throat, etc.
By Horace Gkeen, M. D., LL. D., President of the Faculty and Emeritus
Professor of the Theory and Practice of Medicine in the New York Med-
ical College, &c. &c. Fourth, edition revised and enlarged, with an Appen-
dix. New York, Wiley & Halstead, 1858, pp. 348, octavo.
As the discussion of the subject of Dr. Green's work lies entirely with-
out the province of this journal, we have passed it by with the simple an-
nouncement of its title page.

Trials of a Public Benefactor , as illustrated in the discovery of Etherization.
By Nathan P. Rice, M. D., New York. Published by Pudney & Russell,
1859, pp. 460, 12mo.

This volume arrived too late to give a notice of it in this number. It is
written in view of the claims of Dr. Morton, of Boston, as the discoverer
of Etherization.

Medical Journals — Our Exchange List. — "We have for some time past
felt it due to the editors of several new medical journals to give expres-
sion to a few words on the subject of exchanges. There are but two phar-
maceutical journals besides our own published within the limits of the
United States, whilst the medical journals can be counted by scores.
Of the selected matter contained in our pages, nineteen-twentieths or more
come from kindred journals and these generally from beyond the sea.
With but two of these we exchange, and. hence the great part of our select-
ed matter is made up from journals paid for in advance. We have on our
list nearly all the American medical journals, of several years standing,
and though seldom benefitted by their matter, owing either to its being in-
apposite, or having been anticipated, we feel no inclination to discontinue
their intercourse, and are always glad to find that our pages can occasion-
ally be made useful to them, and they are entirely welcome to employ
them ; yet our extra copies are so few, that in some instances they have
been nearly exhausted by the demand incident to postal irregularities.
We hope, therefore, that those new journals who do not find us to respond
to their invitation to exchange, will not consider us discourteous, but at-
tribute our course to the necessity of self preservation.

Obituary — Soubeiran. — It becomes our duty as chronicler of events
interesting to pharmaceutists to announce that M. Soubeiran, the greatest
of French pharmaciens, died on the 17th of Nov., of a tedious and painful
disease. From an address by H. Buignet to the Society of Pharmacie, we
learn that he was born at Paris, the 4th Prairial, year 5th (May, 1796,^
and early manifested a marked taste for the study of the sciences.

192

EDITORIAL.

In 1813 he entered the pharmacy of M. Pouzin, of Montpellier. After
three years service he returned to Paris and completed his tuition under
M. Montillard, Rue St. Honore. At Montpellier, as at Paris, he had prof-
ited by his moments of leisure to earnestly pursue his theoretical studies.
After his graduation in the sciences, he met with two instances of brilliant
success. He was admitted as an interne of the hospitals, in his first year,
and gained all the prizes in the natural and physical sciences, offered by
the Concours of the Ecole de Pharmacie. He early became a contributor
to the Journal de Pharmacie. In 1826 he commenced a special course on
Pharmacie, which he continued to improve, and in 1832, on the death of
M. Henry by cholera, his rare qualities caused him to be chosen as his
successor. He made his new position useful to science by the increased
perfection of his teaching and in the publication of the first edition of his
Traite de Pharmacie, arranged in the order of the Natural System. In
1854 he was appointed to the Professorship of Physics at the Ecole de
Pharmacie, which he occupied more than twenty years, and was noted for
the excellence of his illustrations and apparatus. But it was in the Society
of Pharmacie that M. Soubeiran exhibited those rare qualities which dis-
tinguished him as a Professor. Elected General Secretary of this Society
on the demise of M. Robiquet, he identified himself so clearly with its inte-
rests that he became the soul of its labors, and directed all the discussions
with indefatigable zeal and with an authority due to his great learning.
His language was always brief and lucid, going directly to the point of the
subject, and explaining in precise and appropriate terms the most difficult
and delicate questions. On his election to the new Professorship of Phar-
macology in the faculty of medicine, he resigned his functions as General
Secretary, feeling that age was approaching and energy failing, as though
he had a foreknowledge of the terrible malady that caused his death. He
continued to manifest an interest in the Society up to the time when hip
last illness removed him from his labors.

Soubeiran has done much for Pharmacy in his excellent TraiU, which
passed through four editions, and which is certainly the most reliable and
jfhilosophical treatise among the numerous French works on his favorite
Bubject.

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

MAY, 1859.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE ACIDS EXISTING IN THE JUICES OP
RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES AND QUINCES.
By Thomas A. Lancaster.

(An Inaugural Essay presented to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.)

My attention was attracted to the subject of certain acid
vegetable juices, by a suggestion of my preceptor, William Hodg-
son, Jr., as a matter of importance to those interested in
organic chemistry, as the history of the chemical constituents
of those juices is but imperfectly known. Considering it there-
fore well worthy of further chemical investigation, I have at-
tempted the examination of the acid constituents of Rhubarb
Stalks, and the fruits of the Tomato and Quince.

I have no doubt that in a general way the properties of the
juices of rhubarb, tomatoes and quinces, are pretty well
known to the past and present students of chemistry ; but as
regards the true nature of their respective acidulous constituents,
no thorough and reliable explanation has yet been given, so far
as I can discover after much research through some of our best
chemical authorities.

In investigating this subject the labor was greatly increased
by the want of some work sufficiently detailing the mode of
proceeding, in order to certainly and readily distinguish between
citric, tartaric and malic acids.

Experiment 1.

Rhubarb — One pound of the freshly cut stalks of the Rheum
Rhaponticum, or culinary rhubarb, was grated and subjected to
strong expression through muslin, which yielded thirteen fluid

13

194

ACIDS OF RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC.

ounces of juice; the dregs were washed with a fresh portion of
water and pressed again ; the resulting liquors were then mixed
together and filtered, and evaporated over a slow water bath to
the consistence of a thin syrup, and set aside for a few days, for
further evaporation and to crystallize ; upon examining the
crystals, I found them, to be very irregular, and clotted together ;
upon recrystallizing them beautiful white crystals were obtained,
resembling in appearance "salt of sorrel," only more regular.
The crystals were of a rhomboidal shape, and had an excessive-
ly acid taste. They agreed in form, taste, and general appear-
ance with other samples of salt of sorrel.

The mother liquor then from the first crystallization was fur-
ther evaporated, and set aside again to crystallize ; but I found
that although still strongly acid, it would not crystallize, owing,
I supposed, to its excessive thickness or tenacious nature. Be-
ing aware that the mother liquor of tartaric acid and of crys-
tallizable sugar acted in the same manner, and there being
nothing else as yet to guide me in assigning a reason for it, I
attributed the same tendency to change by continued heat
to the acid in rhubarb.

2. Suspecting this acid liquor contained potassa, I proceeded
in the following manner to ascertain the fact. I evaporated
the above syrupy mother liquor to the consistence of an extract,
then placed it in a crucible and exposed it to a gentle heat for
about an hour, to destroy the organic matter ; the incinerated
remains were then treated with hot water to dissolve out the
potassa ; the solution was then evaporated to dryness, when
there remained evidently a portion of carbonate of potassa.
This dry carbonate weighed nearly two and a quarter grains,
indicating an equivalent of four and three quarter grains of
binoxalate of potassa.

3. One pound of fresh stems of rhubarb yielded by expres-
sion thirteen fluid ounces of juice, which when filtered only
measured twelve and a half ounces, leaving about half an ounce
of fibrous matter in the filter. The juice was then evaporated,
and allowed to crystallize ; as before mentioned, and upon a
second crystallization, it yielded crystals of a beautiful color, to
the amount of seventy grains.

ACIDS OF RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC. 195

Experiment for Oxalic Acid,

4. To prove whether it was really oxalic acid which existed
in the salt from rhubarb, six grains of the crystals were dis-
solved in a small portion of water, and the acid solution was
precipitated with lime water, affording a white deposit of oxalate
of lime. I then added an excess of acid (from rhubarb) to the
precipitated solution ; but it still remained insoluble in it. This
test clearly shows the presence of oxalic acid ; but whether
there is not a mixture of acids, this test cannot alone be relied
upon to prove.

Experiment for detecting the presence of other acids,

5. Not being positive of the accuracy of the above test, six
grains more of the acid were taken, and dissolved in a small
portion of water; the solution was precipitated with lime-water,
yielding a copious white precipitate of oxalate of lime ; the
precipitate, washed and carefully dried, was transferred to a
crucible, and a slow heat applied for about an hour, for the pur-
pose of detecting the presence of any other acid ; but after the
application of the heat, and the oxalate being converted into a
carbonate without blackening the precipitate, I consequently
concluded that no other acids were present, but that the acid
salt existing in rhubarb stalks is nothing more than an acid
oxalate of potassa.

The following experiment shows that it was a binoxalate :

Experiment for ascertaining the amount of potassa.

6. In examining the crystals of rhubarb, to ascertain the
amount of potassa contained in them, I proceeded in the fol-
lowing manner : Ten grains of the acid crystals were dissolved
in a small portion of water ; this solution was then precipitated
with pure chloride of calcium ; the precipitate, being oxalate of
lime, was then carefully collected, washed and dried, weighing
nearly four and a quarter grains ; thus agreeing as nearly as
could be expected, considering the small quantity under exam-
ination, with the atomic proportion of binoxalate of potassa, as
146 : 64 :: 10 : 4.4.

7. To prove the accuracy of the above, I took the same quan-
tity of acid salt, placed it upon a silver plate, and applied the
heat of a spirit lamp to destroy the organic matter. The charred

196 ACIDS OF KHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC.

mass was then treated with hot water, filtered, evaporated
to dryness, and when carefully collected, weighed four and a
quarter grains.

Seeing that the amount/ of potassa did not agree with that of
the binoxalate according to the tables in the U. S. Dispensatory,
and repeating the test over and over again, I then attribu-
ted the difference to some impurities existing in the crystals,
which I had not got rid of before the process of crystallization ;
but on examining the above processes, I found them correctly
made, and therefore believed that something was wrong in the
calculation.

On examining the U. S. Dispensatory, I found it to state the
atomic weight of binoxalate of potassa, without allowing for the
water of crystallization making it, 119-2, which had led me into
the above error of calculation. On heating a few grains of the
crystals, ebullition ensued, showing the existence of water of
crystallization ; which also showed, that there must be an omis-
sion in the quotation of the Dispensatory.

Being greatly surprised at the result, and suspecting some
fallacy existing somewhere, I examined the Dispensatory again,
along with Turner's Chemistry, and found that Turner quoted
binoxalate of potassa as containing three atoms of water, mak-
ing 146. instead of 119. Now resuming my calculations I
found that the acid salt in rhubarb agreed in the amount of po-
tassa to the binoxalate as stated above.

The Tomato,

I then proceeded to investigate the tomato (Solanum Lyco-
persicum), red variety, which from its very extensive and popu-
lar use needs no further comment than merely stating the origi-
nal source of the vegetable, which was from South America,
where it was very much esteemed amongst the Portuguese and
Spaniards for making a sauce, considered by them very nutri-
tive and cooling ; probably owing to the acidulous properties
contained in it.

According to my experiments, the acid seems to exist as an
acid salt, but the quantity of acid obtained in a crystalline form
from one pound is a very small amount.

8. One pound of freshly selected fruit of the Solanum Lyco-

ACIDS OF RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC.

197

persicum, or tomato, was grated and subjected to strong expres-
sion through muslin ; which produced eleven ounces of juice.
The dregs were treated with a fresh portion of water, and again
pressed ; the two liquors were then mixed and the mucilaginous
matter precipitated with albumen, boiling the juice to coagulate
the albuminous matter. It was then filtered and allowed to
evaporate slowly by means of a water bath to the consistence of
a thin syrup, and set aside for further evaporation, and to crys-
tallize ; but on examining the syrupy liquid, I found the pro-
cess of crystallization had not taken place as I anticipated, pro-
bably owing to the thickness of the acid liquid, by which I
considered it impossible to crystallize the juice alone.

Suspecting, from the action of the juice on litmus paper,
its not being a free acid, but existing in the fruit as an acid
salt, to endeavor to ascertain the fact more precisely I pursued
the following course.

The syrupy liquid from the above experiment was placed in a
crucible, and heat applied so as to destroy the organic matter
of the extract. The incinerated mass was then treated with hot
water, so as to dissolve out the suspected potassa ; the solution
was then evaporated to dryness, which gave as the result eleven
grains of a white powder, which appeared to be carbonate of po-
tassa, by the addition of a few drops of acetic acid liberating
apparently carbonic acid.

9. I proceeded again with one pound more of tomatoes, treat-
ing it in the same manner to get rid of the albuminous matter.
I precipitated the acid liquor with a concentrated solution of
acetate of lead and washed the precipitate thoroughly with
cold water. I then boiled the lead salt in hot water a few
minutes, it was then thrown on a filter and allowed to dry.

The precipitate was powdered and suspended in hot water,
and this raised to the boiling point, and while still hot it was
decomposed with sulphuretted hydrogen and the precipitate
thoroughly washed with successive portions of hot water ; the
acidulous liquor was then evaporated to the consistence of a thin
syrup, and allowed to crystallize. On examining the crystals I
found their form to be six sided tables, and their taste somewhat
like cream of Tartar. The amount of crystals from one pound
of the fruit was only ten grains.

198

ACIDS OF RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC.

A few grains of the crystals were burnt and the residue was
proved to be lime by dissolving it in muriatic acid, and precipi-
tating it with oxalic acid, throwing down a white precipitate of
oxalate of lime ; thereby proving lime to be the base ; this
salt then obtained by the process for malic acid appears to be
acid malate of lime.

It also agrees with acid malate of lime in its atomic propor-
tion, as 207.5 is the equivalent of acid malate of lime in the
crystalline state; and it will be seen by the following experiment
that it is the same in the crystals obtained from tomatoes.

I took twenty parts by weight of the acid malate, and burnt
it until all the organic matter was destroyed, which left a pro-
duct of two and a half parts, being about one-eighth; this ex-
periment may indicate pretty clearly that the crystallizable
principle in tomatoes is acid malate of lime, associated in the
juice, as appeared afterwards, with citric acid, or rather with
acid citrate of potassa, which will not crystallize.

My attention was at this point of my experiment called by
Professor Procter to an analysis of the tomato by Dr. Plummer,
published in the Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 23d, page 165. He
examined the yellow variety of tomatoes and detected citric
acid. I applied his tests to the red variety, and found them to
produce the same results, from which I have no doubt at all that
the uncrystallizable salt exists as citrate of potassa with excess
of citric acid.

10. One pound of tomatoes was treated as before, yielding
eleven ounces of juice ; it was then clarified filtered, and neu-
tralized with ammonia, which produced a dark wine-red color ;
it was then evaporated down for the purpose of obtaining dry
citrate of ammonia, but owing to the large quantity of organic
matter, I was able to obtain nothing but an extract.

Thus failing in this experiment, I was unable to proceed fur-
ther in arriving at the definite amount of citric acid. I used
other alkalies with precisely the same results.

The Quince.

The history of the quince (Cydonia Vulgaris) no doubt we are
well acquainted with, being cultivated as an ornamental tree in

ACIDS OF RHUBARB STALKS, TOMATOES, ETC.

199

our gardens, and the fruit much improved, owing to the great
demand there is for it in making tarts and jellies.

But the examination of the juice was at first tedious and
baffling, owing in a great measure to the large amount of mucil-
aginous matter diffused through the fruit. The great difficulty
to contend with in trying to crystallize the juice alone without
combining it with other salts, arose from the mucilaginous mat-
ter [pectin, &c] which on cooling had a tendency to gelatinize.

But with repeated experiments I am happy to state the result
is more than I anticipated.

11. I extracted the juice from one pound of Cydonia Vulgaris,
or quince, treating it in the same way as the tomato, and obtain-
ed twelve ounces of juice.

The acid juice was then precipitated with a concentrated so-
lution of acetate of lead, and the precipitate thoroughly wash-
ed with cold water.

The washed precipitate was then boiled in hot water a few
minutes, and allowed to stand until the precipitate subsided ; the
clear liquor poured off, it was allowed to boil again ; and while
it was suspended in the hot water, was decomposed with sul-
phuretted hydrogen, and the black precipitate washed with suc-
cessive portions of hot water. The filtered liquor was then
evaporated over a slow water bath to four ounces, and set aside ;
on cooling, it crystallized in beautiful transparent needle-shaped
crystals. The mother liquor was poured off, and the crystals
thrown on bibulous paper and allowed to dry in a very dry at-
mosphere. The mother liquor was further evaporated, and set
aside to crystallize. The amount of bimalate of lead thus ob-
tained from one pound of quince was twenty five grains.

The crystals are of a beautiful white needle-shape, and deli-
quescent. On boiling the salt in hot water it assumed a pitchy
consistence, which on cooling is rendered very brittle.

In the above mentioned process, the potassa, uniting with the
acetic acid of the lead salt, was washed away from the precipi-
tate and lost ; but by evaporating a fresh portion of juice and
burning the product, I found that one pound of the fruit
yielded ten grains of dry carbonate of potassa.

It will be perceived from the foregoing remarks on the acid
juices above named, that from rhubarb stems was obtained bin-

200

ON NITROBENZOLE.

oxalate of potassa, KO, 2 (C2 03) -f 3HO; from the quince malic
acid, M, HO, and from the tomato, acid malate of lime in con-
nection with acid citrate of potassa.

The relative proportions are as follows : one pound of rhubarb
stems yielded 13 ounces of juice, which produced crystals of bin-
oxalate of potassa to the amount of 70 grains. The same
amount of quinces, (one pound,) which produced 25 grains of
crystals of malic acid. The tomato, one pound, yielded 11
ounces of juice, which produced 10 grains of crystallized acid
malate of lime, besides an unascertained amount of acid citrate
of potassa.

I am sorry to say that the season had by this time so far ad-
vanced as to not allow time to investigate some of our other im-
portant vegetable acid juices, which I had at first in view, and
which are of deep interest to the history of organic substances ;
but should time afford me another opportunity, a further consid-
eration of these important juices may be expected hereafter. In
offering this chemical investigation as a small contribution to the
list of our chemical analysis of organic substances, I cannot but
indulge the hope that my endeavors have not been altogether
ineffectual, though the results frequently baffled me ; but that
the object at which I first aimed has at length been in part, if
not wholly, obtained so far as the juices above mentioned are
concerned.

Philadelphia, 11th mo. 1st, 1858.

ON NITROBENZOLE.
By Dr. F. Mahla, of Chicago.

The article, which is at present so much used for perfumery-
purposes, known under the general name of nitrobenzole, is not,
as it is generally supposed, the nitro-combination of the benzole
alone. The following will show that the article which is sold
in commerce and represented to be nitrobenzole is a mixture of
different substances.

Some time ago I got from a drug-house of Baltimore a bitter
almond oil, which I supposed to be adulterated with the artifi-
cial bitter almond oil, because its color was rather dark yellow

ON NITROBENZOLE.

201

Searching for a good method to find out such a falsification,
I looked over my different literary works for its chemical proper-
ties, and found there that the descriptions of nitrohenzole as
they are contained in the different works do not accord with each
other. Wohler, in his "Elements of Organic Chemistry, 1848,"
describes it as a substance smelling like the oil of cinnamon,
while others say it had the smell of the true bitter almond oil.
To ascertain which of these statements was correct, I concluded
to prepare some nitrobenzole myself.

I thought first to make it out of commercial benzole, and pro-
cured some samples from different manufacturers, but found to
my astonishment that none of these substances, said to be ben-
zole, contained any accountable amount of the true benzole.
One of these samples, from the'coal oil factory of Dr. Blaney of
this city,* was subjected to a closer examination by heating it in
a glass retort, in which I inserted a thermometer through the
tubulus.

At 235° F. the liquid began to distil slowly, the quicksilver
still rising, although the heat employed was always the same.
The first point at which it proved to be stationary, was for a
short time 266° F., and as soon as the quicksilver began to rise
again a new receiver was adapted to the retort. The same was
done another time at 293° and a third time at 300°.
The three obtained products were perfectly colorless, and re-
mained so, with the exception of the last one, which became soon
darker, assuming a deep yellow color by the action of the light.
In the retort remained still a portion of the original substance,
but my object being to ascertain whether this article contained
benzole or not, I thought it not necessary to go farther, because
the benzole begins to boil already at 186° F.

Not succeeding to find any commercial benzole, out of which
I was able to prepare the pure benzole, I concluded to make
some from the benzoic acid. Two ounces of this acid were there-
fore distilled with about six ounces of hydrated lime, and about
5 h drachms of pure benzole were obtained. This was carefully
introduced in small quantities into an equal quantity of a mix-
ture of concentrated sulphuric and nitric acids, kept cool with
ice. After the action was over, the whole was for a few days

*Dr. Blaney used to make it out of gas-tar.

202

ON NITROBENZOLE IN BITTER ALMOND OIL.

more agitated and then poured into cold water. After washing
the oily product different times with water, it represented a
clear nearly colorless liquid, with a smell between cinnamon
and bitter almond oil, but more resembling the first one than
the latter. This I found also stated in a notice contained in
Gmelin s Handbook of Chemistry, 1856.

Basing upon this, I thought it not impossible, that the nitro-
benzole, as it is sold in commerce, contains, if it does any, but
very little of this substance, and is in most cases only a mixture
of nitro-combinations of various homologous carbo-hydrogens,
which are found among the products of the distillation of coal-
tar, viz. toluol, etc. etc.

I heated, therefore, a portion of commercial nitrobenzole dis-
solved in alcohol with gaseous ammonia and sulphuretted hydro-
gen for a day, but could not, either with nitric acid or chloride
of lime obtain any of the characteristic reactions of anilin.

I resume, therefore : the commercial nitrobenzole is not what
it is represented to be, and deserves another name.

ON THE PREPARATION OF NITROBENZOLE AND ITS DETECTION
IN BITTER ALMOND OIL.

By Dr. F. Mahla.

Before I had finished the above described operation, I found
in one of my German periodicals a method for the discovery of
an adulteration of the bitter almond oil with nitrobenzole. This
method is based upon the fact, that genuine bitter almond oil,
treated with an alcoholic solution of caustic potassa, is trans-
formed into the benzoateof potassa, while nitrobenzole under the
same treatment changes into a dark brown resin, insoluble in
alcohol, but soluble in ether. This resin can be obtained from
an ethereal solution in yellow crystals, forming the azobenzid.
The test is best made in the following manner :
To 15 grains of the suspicious oil, dissolved in
2 drachms of alcohol, are added
15 grains of caustic Potassa,

*[Note. — The test referred to in the German periodical is that of John M«
Maisch, of Philadelphia, published originally at page 544, 1857, of this Journal'
— Ed. Amer. Jour. Pharm.]

ON HYDRARGYRI IODIDUM.

203

and the whole beaten until about one-half is evaporated. If the
oil is pure, a brownish yellow solution without any crystalline
deposit will be obtained ; if it contains nitrobenzole, a larger or
smaller quantity of a hard brown crystalline mass will precipi-
tate in the colorless supernatant liquid.

I will only add that in preparing nitrobenzole, it often occurs,
after mixing the raw benzole with the acids, that the product as-
sumes a dark brown color, and the manufacturer, to make it
saleable, throws the whole with a proportionate quantity of
water into a still and distils it over.

The remainder contains like the wash-waters a pretty large
quantity of picric acid.

ON HYDRARGYRI IODIDUM.
By Roland Seeger, of Philadelphia.

In the lately published Proceedings of the American Pharm-
aceutical Association, among other papers of great interest by
Dr. E. R. Squibb, one concerning the article which forms the
subject of this essay attracted my attention. I was the more
interested in this subject from thr» fact, that the conclusion
which the high authority arrived at — to wit — the abandonment
of the preparation, was certainly to be regretted, as the practi-
tioner has found it a valuable remedy in combatting disease.

I find the first mention of this protosalt of mercury in M.
Henry's paper, which appeared in the August number of the
" Journal de Pharmacie " for 1828, translated to the pages of
our own Journal for October, 1829 page 204. This, the origi-
nal process, was the double decomposition of the proto-nitrate
of mercury by a solution of iodide of potassium.

This plan was objectionable in consequence of the difficulty
attendant upon the preparation of a pure mercurous nitrate;
and I find on page 353 of the third volume of our Journal,
translated from the "Journal de Pharmacie" for August, 1831,
a memoir by M. Berthemot, reviewing the labors of M. Henry on
this subject. So unsatisfactory were the results of his experi-
ments, that he recommended the process of triturating the

204

ON HYDRARGYRI IODIDUM.

elements in their atomic proportions as a substitute, which plan
has held ground till the present time.

There have, nevertheless, objections been urged against this
process— and not without reason — for it is found that there is
always some metallic mercury or red iodide present as a con-
tamination ; the latter may be removed by washing with strong
alcohol, but this will not remedy the mercurial contamination.
M. Boutigny, of Paris, proposed to escape these sources of
trouble by grinding the proto-chloride of mercury with the pro-
per proportion of iodide of potassium, to a fine powder ^ washing
with boiling water and drying in the dark, but it has been found
to fail, the product being contaminated with calomel and metal-
lic mercury.

From the most careful examination of the whole subject, both
by experiment and the sifting of all that has appeared in every
authority accessible to me, I have arrived at the conclusion, that
the true process is, the double decomposition of a proto-salt of
mercury by pure iodide of potassium, and this opinion I find
supported in Gmelin's invaluable Treatise, vol. vi. page 35,
where he states, that the mercurous acetate when ground to-
gether with pure iodide of potassium, and permitted to remain
for some time in contact and then washed, would yield a proto-
iodide of mercury, which is free from the objections urged
against the product of the formula which have been noticed in
the earlier part of this paper.

The most ready way of preparing the mercurous acetate, I
have found to be the decomposition of the proto-chloride of mer-
cury, by equal quantities of caustic potassa, dissolved in four
times its weight of distilled water, washing till solution of nitrate
of silver gave no evidence of chloride of potassium ; then heat-
ing acetic acid on an excess of the oxide, filtering while hot, and
then drying the flaky crystals, which should be treated as be-
fore stated.

The formula (see Watts' note in Gmelin's Handbook, vol vi.
35) which I offer for its preparation is —

Take of Proto-Acetate of Mercury, 259 grs.

Pure Iodide of Potassium, 162.5 grs.

Grind the crystals of the mercurous acetate to a fine powder,
then add the iodide dissolved in a small quantity of water, tri-

ON LIQUOR FERRI IODIDI.

205

turate for 15 minutes very thoroughly, then wash with warm
water, and dry in the dark.

In view of the conflicting opinions of chemists in regard to the
equivalent number of mercury, it is much to be regretted that the
example of the Dublin College has not been followed, in giving
names to the two iodides, which are founded upon their constant
and distinctive peculiar colors, thus obviating the perplexing
confusion to students, which the frequent use of different names
for the same article occasions.

ON LIQUOR FERRI IODIDI.
By Dr. Robert Battey.

Complaints are often made of the difficulty encountered in
keeping and dispensing the officinal Liquor Ferri Iodidi in good
condition. Various suggestions have been made, by way of
remedy for the evil, some proposing modifications of the formula,
others the use of small ground stoppered vials of transparent
or opaque glass.

In my own experience this trouble was early encountered and
easily overcome by the use of clean iron wire as an additional
protecting agent. I much prefer it in the form of wire to iron
filings, or iron by hydrogen, which I have heard spoken of.
Immediately upon the completion of the preparation, I take a
piece of fine iron wire, clean it well with sandpaper, coil it
around a glass rod or cedar pencil, draw out the coil to nearly
the length of the bottle and drop it in. If the bottle be a
large one, I use two or three of these coils. In dispensing small
quantities, I have found it convenient to use a straight piece of
larger wire passing through the center of the corks (I never
use glass stoppered vials) and to the bottom of the vial. I do
not deem it necessary that the wire pass to the bottom of the
vial, as the charge commences at the surface, but have thought
that it gave some additional security if long kept on hand.

With this expedient I have encountered no difficulty in keep-
iag from two to five pounds of the solution in one shop bottle,
and dispensing it. day by day, in small parcels. I have not
found the presence of the wire in the vial to detract from its

206

ON PODOPHYLLIN.

good appearance, or to be in any respect objectionable, if it be
bright and either neatly coiled or passed through the cork, evi-
dencing care and design in the arrangement. Upon several oc-
casions has this precaution been marked and openly commended
by physician and patient.

I have occasionally by this means restored (in appearance
at least) deteriorated samples, but think in this, as in every
thing else, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of
cure.

I would suggest that the formula be allowed to remain un-
altered, and the use of the wire added to the directions follow-
ing it in the Pharmacopoeia.

Rome, Georgia, Feb. 1859.

ON PODOPHYLLIN.
By Harvey Allen.
( An Inaugural Essay.)

As my object was to endeavor to find in which resin the vir-
tues of Podophyllum peltatum resides, I will not attempt a de-
scription of the plant, or an analysis of it, but will confine my
remarks to Podophyllin, the so-called active principle.

By analysis, Podophyllum is said to contain " albumen, gum,
starch, extractive, lignin, gallic acid, fixed oil, traces of volatile
oil, and two resinous principles, one soluble in alcohol and ether
and the other soluble in alcohol only • both resins were found
to possess the active properties of the root ; six grains operated
as a drastic cathartic with some emetic effect."

It was suggested to me that the ethereal resin was the active
one, and these few experiments were made to ascertain if such
was the case. One pound avoirdupois of Podophyllum peltatum,
in coarse powder, was macerated with alcohol for a day ; it was
then transferred to a percolator, and alcohol added, until it
passed without taste; six pints were used. The resulting tincture
was then evaporated very carefully by means of a water bath to
the consistence of a thin syrup, and thrown into about six times
its bulk of water, by which the resin was precipitated, at first
almost white ; it was then separated by filtration and carefully

ON THE NEW GERMAN SYSTEM OF WEIGHTL. 207

dried ; the yield was two hundred and thirty-five grains, of a yel-
lowish white color, of scarcely any smell, and of a feebly bitter,
not unpleasant taste : it was found to be quite active in the dose
of three quarters of a grain.

A portion of this resin was repeatedly treated with ether, the
ethereal solutions poured off and allowed to evaporate sponta-
neously ; a greenish yellow resin was obtained, which was found
to constitute four-fifths of the weight of the original resin. This ,
through the kindness of one of the Professors of the College,
was repeatedly tried in one of the hospitals in this city, and
found to be very active in the dose of half a grain ; I also gave
a portion of it to two other physicians whose experiments cor-
roborated the above ; so I think that there is no doubt but that
the ethereal resin is the active one. The resin insoluble in
ether was of a reddish, brown, color and in the dose of two grains
it produced no effect. To sum up the result of my experiments ;
the etheral resin, as obtained by exhausting the root with alco-
hol, evaporating, and precipitating with water, and treating with
ether, constitutes four-fifths of the resin found in the root ; that
it is the active one, and the dose to begin with is half a grain ;
that the alcoholic resin is comparatively, if not entirely, inert ;
still, as it exists in such a small proportion, it can scarcely be
considered as objectionable if the resin is properly prepared.

For the sake of experiment a portion of podophyllin, of a
light brown color, manufactured in this city, was treated with
ether; only three-fourths of it was soluble in that menstruum and
strange to say, it had to be given in the dose of one and a half
grains to produce any effect ; what it was owing to, I know not.

The alcoholic resin was not tried.

Of a sample of still darker color, manufactured in Cincinnati,
only one fourth was soluble in ether ; it was not tried, as I
think the ethereal is the active one, no matter in what propor-
tion it may exist in the various samples.

Philadelphia, February, 1859.

ON THE NEW GERMAN SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS.

To the Editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy :

Dear Sir, — The " Archiv der Pharmacie," May, 1858, page
257, &c, contains tables for the reduction of the former medi-

208 ON THE NEW GERMAN SYSTEM OF WEIGHTS.

cinal weight to the weight which is hereafter to he the lawful
standard in Prussia, and vice versa. The following extracts
will convey an idea of the new system, and also show its rela-
tion to the old, now discarded, one.

1 grain

— Loth. — Quint.

— Cent. 3-65399 Korn.

5 "

<< , <<

1 "

8-26996 "

10 "

i c a

3 "

6-53992 *■

1 scruple

tt (t

7 "

3-07985 "

1 drachm

_ " 2 "

1 "

9-23954 "

1 ounce

1 " 7 "

5 "

3-91630 "

1 medicinal lb. =

12 "

21 " — "

4 "

6-99557 "

1 civil lb. =

16 "

28 " — 11

6 "

2-66076 "

1 Korn.

•273 grains.

5 "

1-367 "

10 Korn. =

1 Cent.

2-737 «?

10 Cent. =

1 Quintchen

27-374 "

10 Quint. =

1 Loth.

4 drachms, 1 scruple,

13-740 grains.

30 Loth. =

1 lb.

17 ounces, 52-20 grains

This new system of weights appears to have been legalized by
the various German States comprising the " Zollverein," where-
from it has received the name " Zollgewicht." I do not know
how its unit was obtained, but from its term Korn (English rye,
grain or seed,) it is to be inferred that the medium weight of
some seed, probably rye, has been selected for it.

Dr. L. F. Bley, the editor of the « Archiv," makes the fol-
lowing remarks : « The introduction of these new weights for
the use in medicine will be a source of annoyance until the
physicians have become thoroughly acquainted with them. All
difficulties might have been obviated if the French grammes-
weight had been chosen, which has long been adopted in science."

In the above tables it must be remembered that the old Prus-
sian grain is equal to *96 grs. Troy, and the old Prussian medi-
cinal pound = 5415-1 grs. Troy, and by calculation the weight
of the new Prussian, or rather "Zoll pound," is found to be
7720-47 grs. Troy.

It is to be regretted that by this act still more confusion is
gained, and from the arbitrary unit and the arbitrary division
we may infer that it will have to give way to a more rational
system. The labors of our American Committees on weights
and measures, we will hope, will produce something nearer to
perfection.

Yours, very respectfully,

John M. Maisch.

Philadelphia, Oct. 20th, 1858.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

209

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.
By Edward Parrish.

(Concluded from page 113.)

Having extended the previous essays of this series beyond the
limits originally contemplated, I shall conclude with a rapid
glance at several interesting Pharmaceutical Institutions visited
in Paris.

There is so much crowding upon the notice of the stranger in
this great metropolis, that if his time is limited he must neces-
sarily make choice of some objects of examination and study
upon which to concentrate his attention ; and while I felt that
all the great historical, political, scientific and social institutions,
and in fact every thing that illustrated the peculiar phase of
civilization pervading the French Capital, required to be ex-
amined as far as my time allowed, I must by no means neglect
the opportunity to visit the famous JEJcole de Pharmacie,
which is connected with so many illustrious names in those de-
partments of science tributary to our branch of the healing art.

The school was unfortunately in recess, but by the kindness
of Prof. Gaultier de Claubray, whose name is widely known for
contributions to chemical science and for an elaborate work on
Toxicology, I had an opportunity of visiting its Cabinets, Library,
Lecture Rooms, Botanical Garden and Practical Schools, which
occupy the site of an ancient convent, called Edpital de Lour cine y
and of the first botanical garden in France, founded in 1580.

The building stands back from the street, protected by a wall,
and has a porter's lodge at the entrance gate. Its appearance
is more modern than most of the Paris institutions of learning ;
a portion of it has been erected within the past year. If the
reader will follow me into the middle passage way, in the main
story, we may first enter the examination room, which is a hall
of perhaps 20 by 40 feet, handsomely furnished with seats for
about 300 persons ; the ceiling is high and the walls nearly
covered with oil paintings, representing the deceased members
of the institution ; at one end a platform is erected with
desks for the Professors, and another at which the can-
didate is placed for examination. At stated times, annually,

14

210

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

this hall is crowded with an audience eager to witness the ex-
aminations, which here, as in the University, are conducted
publicly. From an opportunity I embraced of witnessing the pro-
cess, as practised upon the medical students, though in each case
in presence of only a small auditory, my conviction is strength-
ened that no advantage is gained by its publicity which is not
counter-balanced by its unequal effects upon students of varying
temperaments and different degrees of timidity.

Besides the extensive cabinets used by the Professors, em-
bracing each department of our science, separately, there is one
appropriated to the students for study, and used in the examina-
tions. Here I observed a method of displaying specimens some-
what similar to that mentioned in describing the English muse-
ums. In flat glass cases of convenient height, glass dishes are
arranged containing nests of crystals or well selected specimens
of drugs, over which are laid plates of glass for keeping out the
dust and preventing undue exposure to evaporation.

The lecture rooms are twro in number capable of accommoda-
ting, perhaps, 300 students. The basement which was formerly
occupied by the practical laboratory is now used for some of the
heavier chemical operations and for storage.

Passing into a newly erected wing of the College, we reach the
practical laboratory, which is divided into several apartments
all lighted from above, and perfectly adapted to the purposes
to which they are appropriated. There is a dark room, with
arrangements for the admission of light for the photographic
experiments, which enter into the course of instruction in physics.
Each apartment accommcdates 18 students, and the series com-
municate by a gallery raised six or eight feet above the floor,
which also communicates with the private laboratories and offi-
ces of the Professors. This gallery affords the Professor a com-
plete view of all the students, and of the work tables which are
arranged in rows at right angles to it. These work tables are
of two kinds separated by aisles, those designed for testings,
nitrations, &c, containing the appropriate apparatus and re-
agents, and those for evaporation, burning off precipitates, and
ultimate organic analysis. On the last named tables, at suitable
intervals, were closets, inclosed with sash, and leading into
fines, so as to carry off noxious gases, an arrangement highly con-

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

211

ducive to the comfort and health of the students and their teach-
ers. The tables were covered with glazed tiles set in cement,
believed to be the least objectionable covering on the score of
cleanliness and durability yet tried for the purpose.

The situation of the two series of tables is such that each
student has a certain space on the test counter, and a corres-
ponding space on the counter for heat operations, and stand-
ing between them, manipulates upon either or both at pleasure.
The fuel used was of two kinds : gas conveyed by flexible tubes
to gas furnaces, and charcoal burned in small counter furnaces.
Each apartment has an ample blow-pipe table, and every con-
venience for glass blowing operations, of which, I was informed,
the construction of thermometers, barometers and specific gravity
apparatus, are included in the plan of instruction.

Passing from this suite of chemical rooms which realized my
highest ideas of a perfect laboratory for instruction, I was con-
ducted into the adjoining botanical garden, which, though not
nearly as extensive as the public gardens, was particularly adapt-
ed to the instruction of a class of students in the science of
Botany. A limited number of plants are arranged according
to their several orders, genera and species, in beds just wide
enough to permit of their convenient cultivation, and to allow
of their ready inspection by the students. The mode of label-
ling them is worthy of mention ; an upright rod driven into the
ground very near the plant has a plate secured to it at a suit-
able angle, to be conveniently read in passing. The names of
the genera are engraved on metal plates, the specific names on
porcelain plates which are secured to the rod by wire. M.
Chatin, the Professor of Botany, to whom I was honored wTith a
note of introduction, was away from Paris ; he had accompanied
a class of students to Switzerland, in search of objects of botan-
ical interest and instruction. In retracing my steps through the
various rooms of the school, it was my good fortune to meet
with the venerable Prof. Guibourt, whose name has been for
so many years prominently connected with the investigation of
materia medica. He was appropriately surrounded by books
and specimens, and his dignified and philosophic appearance and
manner were well calculated to inspire a stranger with respect.
The faculty of this school includes five Professors; their salaries,

212

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

which are 4000 francs and upwards, annually, are paid in part
by Government, and partly derived from the class. The very
large compensation realized for instruction, at some of the
Medical Colleges in the United States, is scarcely dreamed 0f
in Europe, where many Professors, whose lives are consecrated
to the advancement of science, and whose discoveries have bene-
fitted mankind at large, are satisfied with salaries which, while
they keep them in comfortable circumstances, do not allow of
the luxurious expenses which the successful merchant or manu-
facturer may so easily secure. On the other hand, the absence
of those unendowed colleges in which scientific instruction is
brought within the range of ordinary competition, and in which
the profits of the Professor are as precarious as those of any
other class of business adventurers, is here a positive advantage
to the whole class of scientific men.

The Paris School of Pharmacy has about 300 students annu-
ally ; these gentlemen all pursue the practical course in the
laboratory, besides the lectures. Many of them are engaged
in some of the twenty-two Hospitals in Paris, where their wages
as Pharmaciens afford them support, while they have sufficient
time in the intervals of their duties for the lectures and practi-
cal instructions. Each student resorts to the laboratory three
times a week, and spends about three hour3 in its exercises.
Of the three years of practice, the first is devoted to the prepa-
ration of chemical and pharmaceutical products ; the second to
experiments in physics, and the third to analysis and the detec-
tion of poisons. The degrees are of two kinds, the first en-
titling the graduate to practice pharmacy in Paris, Montpelier,
or any where at pleasure ; the second allowing him to practice
only in the smaller towns and provinces. The few students re-
maining in the laboratory at the time of my visit were engaged
in finishing the final preparations to be shown as evidences of
their skill, at the examinations.

The most interesting of the Pharmaceutical manufactories
visited in Paris was that known as the PharmaeieCentrale des Ho-
pitaux et Hosjrices. This is the general manufactory and dis-
tributing establishment for the numerous Hospitals and Alms
Houses {Hospices) of the city, with the exception of the Military
Hospitals, which have a separate pharmacy. It was under the

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

213

direction of the eminent Soubeiran, Professor of pharmacy and
organic chemistry in the Ecole de Medicine, whose painful mal-
ady had at the time of my visit progressed to near its fatal ter-
mination, recently announced. This institution, like so many
of the modern embellishments of Paris, is erected on the ruins
of an ancient convent ; situated on one of the broad quays ex-
tending along the south side of the Seine, in the immediate
neighborhood of the Cathedral of Notre Dame, and of the far
famed Jardin des Plantes) it presents an exterior appearance
quite unlike a drug store or manufactory. The residence of the
Superintendent occupying part of the front, aids in giving a
character of unusual neatness and elegance to the building.

Here, as elsewhere, I received those polite attentions for
which the French are so celebrated, and as I was conducted
through every part of the establishment, might have recorded
many details of French Pharmacy which would have added to
the practical value of this essay ; but on examining my notes,
now after the interval of six months, I regret to find that many
of the most important facts, by being intrusted to memory alone,
have been rendered too vague and inaccurate for use.

A beautiful steam engine and boiler are among the most con-
spicuous objects on entering the manufacturing department ;
these are used both for the application of heat and for power,
for the former, steam jackets surround the copper pans, diges-
ters, syrup kettles, stills, &c; for the latter, a shaft communi-
cates with a variety of apparatus for comminution, stirring, &c.
The mills seem adapted to the preparation of only a limited
number of products used extensively in Hospital practice, and
not so perfectly prepared elsewhere. For dividing certain herbs
and roots for infusion, a pair of cylinders rotating in the same
direction, serve to pass the drug in thin layers on to a horizon-
tal surface against which a sharp knife edge impinges so as to
cut them with a clean smooth edge.

Another form of mill designed for crushing drugs consists of
four horizontal iron cylinders, set in a frame, with a slide for
regulating their distances apart; one pair of these is rough and
the other smooth ; the drug, which must not be too coarse, is
passed in through a hopper. This apparatus, with a sifting
machine and appropriate seives, serves to prepare flaxseed for

2U

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

use in cataplasm, a very important item in the Pharmacy of the
Hospitals. As the proper composition of Cataplasma Lini has
been a subject of some discussion in our pharmaceutical bodies,
I was curious to know the practice of the French Hospitals, and
on enquiry was informed that flaxseed is prepared in rather coarse
powder, by passing successively between the rough and smooth
cylinders, and that the so-called cake of commerce, flaxseed
deprived of the oil, is reduced to a much finer powder; these are
then mixed in the proportion of one part of the fine cake meal, and
two parts of ground flaxseed, to constitute the material for poul-
tices ; mixed with certain proportions of mustard flour, the same
materials are used for sinapisms.

Among the mechanical contrivances worked by the steam en-
gine, my attention was arrested by one for crushing almonds,
which consists of two stone cylinders moving almost in con-
tact with each other, and reducing the almonds to an oily
pulp ; for obtaining the fixed oil this is subjected to the
powerful action of a hydraulic press. When designed for orgeat
syrup the almonds are previously blanched by maceration in water
and handling, as with us, a matter of no slight labor when we
consider the very large quantity of this syrup consumed in
French practice.

An enormous quantity of simple syrup is manufactured at
the Pharmacie Centrale, and the apparatus for its preparation
is a prominent feature in the establishment. The syrup kettle,
which is of copper, has a capacity of perhaps over a hundred
gallons, it is heated by steam, and of course the sugar is dis-
solved with perfect facility. The arrangements for drawing it
off and refrigerating it are complete ; as the immense body
of syrup would be very long cooling and would be troublesome
to transfer to suitable vessels for preservation and distribution,
a tube of considerable capacity is arranged to pass to the bot-
tom of the syrup kettle ; this is connected with a force pump by
which the syrup is pumped through a coil of pipe immersed in a
refrigerating tube, from which it runs into a series of cisterns from
which it can be conveniently drawn by cocks. The syrup kettle is
charged three times a week, so that these cisterns require to be
of considerable capacity to provide for the occasional surplus of
supply. In a large conical bag adjacent to the series of pans

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTES OF TRAVEL.

215

and syrup kettles, I observed a quantity of sarsaparilla syrup
slowly filtering through animal charcoal, a process which I be-
lieve is unknown among us.

In one of the large jacketted pans was a mass of Iceland
moss paste, a preparation very unlikely to be introduced into
an English or American Hospital. In another was an enormous
quantity of simple cerate in process of preparation, from yellow
wax and olive oil ; the wax being previously strained and
run into squares, forms a pure and smooth cerate requiring no
straining. Blistering plaster is supplied to the Hospitals in the
form of a tisane, ready spread for use ; it contains the powdered
cantharides, and has exactly the right consistence to adhere at
the temperature of the body.

Among the more strictly chemical processes, that for pre-
paring carbonic acid water for the Hospitals, was among the first
to arrest attention ; the gas is liberated in a glass bottle, from
which it is discharged by a bent tube into a common gas holder,
thence by force pumps it is thrown into stationary iron foun-
tains partially filled by means of another force pump, wTith water
or with the medicated aqueous liquids required; from these
fountains the surcharged carbonic acid water is drawn off into
suitable bottles, through a bottling machine, and well corked for
distribution among the several Hospitals in which this refreshing
drink, variously modified by medicinal agents, is quite an impor-
tant article.

The apparatus for Quevenne's iron consists of two mercury
bottles placed in a perpendicular position in a charcoal furnace,
the pipes from the hydrogen generator and for the discharge of
waste gas and vapor of water being joined by screws to the top
and bottom ; cix pounds is produced by one charge. Kermes'
mineral was in course of preparation by the carbonate of soda
process ; it is one of the leading articles of their manufacture.
Fuming nitric acid is produced to supply their own demand,
being distilled in the usual way by use of a glass retort. Cal-
cined magnesia is produced from the carbonate, which they pre-
fer to purchase, by disposing four or six pots, in a common
furnace, one upon another, each nearly filled, and the upper ones
having small holes drilled in them. In every process that we ob-
served, there was evidence of a skill and neatness of manipula-

216 ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

tion, in keeping with the elegance of the apparatus and the
liberal provisions of this noble Government Institution.

Somewhat similar in its plan of operations to the Phamaceu-
tical manufactory just described, is the Pharmaeie Centrale des
Pharmaciens in the Faubourg St. Germain, Paris ; this is the
property of a Stock Company, and is under the superintendence
of M. Dorvault, a pharmacien of eminence, somewhat known in
this country by his work entitled, _Z7 Officine ; it is a general
manufactory of chemical and pharmaceutical products, which
are sold to the trade exclusively by wholesale. Although less
prepossessing in its situation and external appearance, this
establishment is the scene of a much greater variety of pharma-
ceutical operations than the foregoing, and if thoroughly ex-
plored, note book in hand, would afford a still larger fund of
pharmaceutical information ; as my opportunities for observa-
tion were limited, owing in part to the absence of M. Dorvault,
in attendance upon a Pharmaceutical Convention at Rouen, and
in part to the pressing nature of the business of the establish-
ment, which seemed completely to occupy all its employees, and
above all, as I have fully reached the limits I had allotted to
this essay, I shall close without attempting the meagre notice
which my opportunities would allow of this, the original source
of a large share of those preparations, which, marked with the
names of the numerous eminent French Pharmaciens, reach our
country, and add to the variety upon our shelves. Taking leave
of Paris, I would also take leave of the kind reader, with whom
it has been my desire to share in some degree the pleasures and
advantages of my transatlantic wanderings.

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

By Henry Thayer, M. D.

An article in the last number of the Journal of Pharmacy on
the above named subject, having taken for its text a paper that
I read before the American Pharmaceutical Convention, I avail
myself of a few moments leisure to pay it some attention, as
the conclusions arrived at, although in some respects similar to
my own, do not seem to be warranted by the course of reason-
ing.

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

217

If the writer confounds me with those who strive to prove
that strong alcohol is the great and only extracting and pre-
serving menstruum, lean only say that he i smistaken ; that I
have rather preferred to avail myself of established scientific
principles, to building up new and doubtful theories. In my pa-
per I said nothing concerning the practical application of my
ideas, merely considering the abstract value of two substances
as preservative agents. In an article written and published last
year, I recommended the use of both sugar and alcohol in fluid
extracts, remarking that sugar " assists the solution of the pre-
cipitates and disguises the disagreeable taste of many extracts."
I advocated the use of alcohol, because I believed with the
writer of the article, that it effectually counteracts fermentation
and mould, and because I did not believe with him that in fluid
extracts it is liable to acetous fermentation. Let it be under-
stood, that in speaking of sugar as not a safe preservative, I re-
fer to purely saccharine extracts. If the partial employment of
alcohol is allowed, there can be with me no controversy.

The article starts with a proposition which is fatal to the uso
of sugar as a preservative. In substance it is this ; that if the
alcoholic principles of a plant are insoluble in water or a solu-
tion of sugar, the latter as a menstruum is inadmissible.

Sugar aids the solvent power of water, but this aid is not af-
forded in sufficient degree to dissolve the alcoholic principles
which exist or should exist in concentrated fluid extracts. It
is enough to point to the cincho-tannates from calisaya bark, to
the resins of mandrake, cannabis indica, jalap, to the principles
which, although evaporated in vacuo, we find abundantly deposi-
ted from henbane, foxglove and other narcotic plants, to lupulin
from hops, and to the many principles, not understood, which
alcohol extracts from all or nearly all other plants. These pre-
cipitates are not due to the absorption of oxygen ; they are not
apotheme. They deposit the same when evaporation is conduct-
ed in a vacuum. They are medicinal principles, deposited be-
cause the menstruum loses its power of solution in consequence
of the evaporation of alcohol. I believe that the instances are
very rare, where the alcoholic or hydro-alcoholic principles of
any root, bark or leaf will dissolve in a solution of sugar, in the
proportion of one pound of raw material to the pint of liquid,

218 ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

without more or less precipitation. It is true that close flannel
will strain out these principles, but the resulting preparation
will not be of much worth. If they are suspended only, they
are " sure to separate, and thus detract from the nicety of the
preparation."

I find on the next page an admission of importance, it is
this : that a certain proportion of alcohol tends to prevent and
arrest vinous and acetous fermentation and that we know so
little concerning " natural ferment," as I called it, that in near-
ly all cases we are " deprived of the means for removing it."
Farther on the subject of fermentation is again alluded to, but
only to remark, that « the necessary quantity of sugar will
counteract it," while alcohol will not do it, because alcohol has
" a tendency to undergo acetic fermentation through the influence
of sundry vegetable substances." Although the subject of fer-
mentation is thus lightly passed over, I deem it one of some
importance, and worth looking at for a moment.

" Natural ferment M does its work independently of oxygen.
Vinous fermentation will occur equally well in closed or open
vessels. Sugar is food for fermenting substances to consume,
the only substance which this ferment will infect, while alcohol
kills its action and stops all the phenomena of vinous fermenta-
tion. But it is said, that " the necessary quantity of sugar "
will accomplish the same end. Not entirely. The variations
of temperature, whether induced by changes of weather, sea-
sons or climate, which occur, either induce fermentation direct-
ly, or by first inducing crystallization, that chief enemy," in-
directly give the exciting substance a chance to act. I do not
see how difference in the solubility of sugar in water caused by
variations of temperature occurring at different seasons, can be
a more serious objection than fermentability, when the latter is
a direct effect resulting from the former, nor do I see why differ-
ence of temperature arising from different seasons is a serious
objection to the use of sugar, when an argument founded upon
the same variations resulting from difference of climate, is pro-
nounced untenable. If these variations of temperature affected
only the specific gravity of solutions of sugar, we should hear
very little about them ; it is the effects following this difference
in specific gravity that we fear.

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS. 219

The laws which govern vinous and acetous fermentation are
entirely different. The former is easily excited and rapid in
its operation ; the latter is hard to excite and slow in its opera-
tion ; the former proceeds without the aid of oxygen; the latter
consumes large quantities of oxygen. Vinous fermentation is
easily induced in closed vessels, acetous fermentation requires
free and continued exposure to the air, and a ferment differing
in nature from that required for the former. Acetous fermen-
tation occurs in syrups and saccharine fluid extracts, but here it
must be preceded by the vinous. I think then, that the natu-
ral change of sugar which takes place without oxygen is more
to be feared than the natural change of alcohol which requires
oxygen.

The writer differs from my opinion that saccharine fluid ex-
tracts are more liable to undergo fermentation than officinal
syrups, because « the nearer the density of organic matter ap-
proaches solidity and dryness, the less is its proneness to under-
go such a change." Unfortunately, the directions for using
sugar in fluid extracts do not point to any nearer approach to
solidity. From twelve to fourteen ounces troy of sugar, and
the contained vegetable matter, form a fluid extract that " will
generally be nearly of the density of our ordinary syrups," the
theory being, I suppose, to approach as nearly as possible to the
specific gravity 1.319 in both preparations. In syrups there is
more sugar and less vegetable matter ; in saccharine fluid ex-
tracts there is less sugar and more vegetable matter.

But there are changes other than acetous fermentation pro-
duced by oxygen in vegetable matter. This is illustrated by
the deposits which occur in officinal tinctures. These deposits,
it is argued, are due to the natural absorption of oxygen by al-
cohol. Not entirely. They are owing in as great a degree to
the natural evaporation of the alcohol, which, lowering the per-
centage of the menstruum, and in consequence its power of solu-
tion, allows a part of the contained matter to fall. The article
allows that greater changes would take place if water was sub-
stituted for alcohol ; so would greater changes take place if for
alcohol solution of sugar was substituted. " The decomposi-
tion would have been in another direction," a quicker and more
fatal one. The real advantage in using alcohol as a menstruum,

220

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

is not that by it two or three ways of decay are excluded ; an
equally important advantage is that by its presence, in greater
or less proportions, valuable medicinal principles are obtained
that otherwise would not be extracted.

Iodide of iron possesses no qualities calculated to produce
changes in a solution of sugar; it belongs to the mineral king-
dom. Let us take an illustration from the vegetable kingdom.
Saussure found that during twenty-eight days, oil of lemon ab-
sorbed each day twice its own volume of oxygen. To this ab-
sorption is due its proneness to change. If to one fluid pound
of simple syrup we add one ounce of fresh oil of lemon, and to
one fluid pound of alcohol we add one ounce of the oil, which
menstruum will longest preserve the oil from change ?

Although the use of essential oils to improve the flavor of
fluid extracts may be admissible, I do not see how they can be
called " antiseptics similar to alcohol," when they so easily and
rapidly undergo change by absorbing oxygen, and do not act by
abstracting moisture from membranes and all similar substan-
ces."

There is no better illustration of the subject of transparency
in fluid extracts, than the cincho-tannates already alluded to.
In making fluid extract of calisaya bark, these principles are
copiously deposited during evaporation, neither water or sugar
will dissolve them ; by the use of close flannel we lose them, but
the presence alcohol in proper proportion dissolves them. I
believe this to be a speaking example in favor of the employ-
ment of alcohol.

Recapitulating the points treated on, the article gives the
following as the sixth reason to prove " the superiority of sugar
over alcohol." "By the addition of a slight quantity of alco-
hol when necessary, the tendency to fermentation and moulding
will be effectually counteracted." Exactly.

It may be that in some instances where, from the nature of
the case, a formula cannot be devised which will at all times and
seasons be applicable, a departure therefrom may be justifiable,
but to allow such departures can hardly be safe, as a general
rule. Fortunately, in the case of fluid extracts, no such difficulty
exists, as formulae can be adopted which will be universally
applicable.

ON THE PRESERVATION OF FLUID EXTRACTS.

221

Before concluding, allow me to remark that the value of ex-
periments in chemiatry or pharmacy is not affected by the local-
ity which originates them. An eastern, western, northern or
southern location does not add to or detract from one jot or one
tittle of their value. The skill with which they are conducted
and the truths which they develope are all that is to be consider-
ed. Experiments to prove theoretical reasoning are seldom so
valuable as experience gained in conquering difficulties occurring
in practice.*

Cambridge, Mass, March 31, 1859.

* Note. Since reading Mr. Thayer's paper, we have carefully reperused
that of Mr. Maisch, to which it refers, and do not think that the latter had
in view any particular writer or manufacturer, but addressed himself to
the subject itself, in doing which he necessarily had to allude to those who
had written upon it. It struck us that Mr. Maisch's paper was unusually
free from prejudice. What it needed was an acquaintance with the actual
changes that occur in concentrated tinctures, or fluid extracts, such as Mr.
Thayer prepares, and which lie had not an opportunity to gain. The best
place to derive this knowledge would be at an agency of the manufacturer,
where a stock of all kinds is kept, and there inspect the unopened bottles
as they are offered to the trade, A hasty examination of a variety of al-
coholic fluid extracts, at an agency in this city, resulted in finding at least
two-thirds of them with sediment, in variable quantity. We confess that
after reading all that has been written, that we incline to the opinion that
the preservative agent will have to vary in kind and properties to suit the
circumstances of the case, and that an attempt to use only alcohol or only
sugar will result in disappointment, either pharmaceutically or therapeuti-
cally.

In considering the changes which these preparations undergo by age and
exposure, it is necessary to study the composition of the soluble matter
of each drug, and the tendency to a disturbance of solubility by the mu-
tual reaction of the contained principles. Let us instance what we mean
in a familiar example. It is now pretty generally conceded that the resins
and crysophanic acid in rhubarb are largely concerned in the cathartic
power of that drug, although its collective medicinal power includes other
principles. If we make a watery infusion of- rhubarb, it will be found that
these principles, almost insoluble in water in an isolated state, are found
in solution, through the aid of associated substances, just as insoluble
cantharidin is naturally soluble in water, as it exists in the fly. If we treat
coarsely powdered rhubarb by direct percolation with alcohol of 70 per
cent., we easily get a concentrated solution of all that is soluble in the
drug, desirable to be extracted. If now, we concentrate this carefully by

222

NOTE ON PROPYLAMIN.

evaporation, it may reach a syrupy or extractive consistence without any
loss of transparency, or separation of solid matter : and if before all the
alcohol is dissipated, we add sugar in the proportion of ten ounces to the
pint of the resulting fluid, we obtain a perfectly transparent extract which
retains its clearness, though devoid of alcohol ; yet if it be mixed with
water, an immediate opacity occurs from the precipitation of resinous
matter.

On the other hand, the officinal tincture of rhubarb gradually lets fall
a deposit, which Messrs. De la Rue and Muller have recently shown to
consist chiefly of crysophanic acid and the three resins of rhubarb, not-
withstanding the menstruum is diluted alcohol. What is thus true of rhu-
barb applies to many other drugs, yet it will not do to infer that because
sugar is a good agent for fluid extract of rhubarb, that therefore all others
must be similarly preserved. On the contrary such substances as cimici-
fuga, jalap, podophyllum, etc., should either possess a highly alcoholic
menstruum, or contain an alkaline solvent. The question to be resolved
is, can we make fluid extracts that contain all the valuable ingredients of
drugs, that are capable at the same time of resisting the mutual reaction
of their proximate principles, and such external agencies of deterioration
as heat, light, and oxygen, and thus be entitled to the character of perma-
nent preparations ; or must we, after all, class them with those prepara-
tions which should be kept but a moderate period, and prepared in quanti-
ties to suit the demands of the dispenser ? That we may be able to arrive
at this desirable knowledge, let the brethren south and north, east and
west, give the results of their experience as regards the permanence or
changeableness of the products now in use, as well as in the study of the
subject in new aspects. — Ed. Am. Journ. Pharm.

NOTE ON PROPYLAMIN.
By William Procter, Jr.

Since noticing this substance in the March number, I have
made an experimental essay in obtaining it for medicinal use.
One quart of herring pickle obtained from the top of the barrel,
was mixed with an excess of liquor potassse and distilled in a
large flask attached to a condensing arrangement. The re-
ceiver contained distilled water slightly acidulated with muriatic
acid. The process was continued until a pint of distillate was
obtained, the contents of the receiver being kept slightly acid,
by adding diluted H,C1 from time to time. The distillate was
now evaporated carefully until indications of crystallization
were noticed, when it was set a side to cool. The mother liquid,

STEAM APPARATUS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES. 223

by further evaporation, yielded another crop of crystals — nearly
as white as the first, making about half a drachm in all. It is
probable that the pickle, taken after the herring have been re-
moved, so as to have been more in contact with the fish, would
contain a greater amount of the alkaloid. The best way to
prescribe propylamin will probably be as a chloride, so as to
avoid loss by evaporation, and its disagreeable odor when in a
free state. After solution in water, the addition of an equiva-
lent of liquor potassse will liberate it if desired. But should it
be considered preferable to have the alkaloid itself, the chloride,
placed in a small retort, with sufficient liquor potassae to disen-
gage the propylamin, will yield that principle to distillation,
using an apparatus, close joints and thorough refrigeration. ^

The salt as thus obtained is perhaps sufficiently pure for me-
dicinal purposes, but it may contain a little muriate of ammonia,
from which it may be freed by solution in strong alcohol and
recrystallization.

STEAM APPARATUS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES.
By J. R. Nichols.
To the Editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy :

Having devised a steam apparatus, which answers so admira-
bly the purposes of the chemist and pharmaceutist, I am induced
to send you a description of it, together with a cut illustrating
the same. The apparatus is automatic in several important
particulars, regulating its air draft, and steam pressure, and
supplying itself with water. It also feeds its own fire with fresh
coals as combustion proceeds, so that it is only necessary to
supply them once in twenty-four hours. The cut will aid in
explaining its construction.

An annular boiler is placed in a vertical position, and encased
within cylinders of sheet iron, so as to afford space for draft,
and for insulation by confined air. Its lower opening is placed
over a grate, so that the boiler forms its own fire pot, the fire
being built within the annular space. It is thus made very
efficient, without the annoyance and expense of tubes, and there
is no obstruction of flues. The boiler may be made of iron or
copper. The door which is shown as removed, covers two open-

224 STEAM APPARATUS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES.

ings ; the lower opens into the ash chamber, below the grate ; the
upper, into the space around the boiler, so that if the ash door
is accidentally left open the draft is checked and no injury can

result. The apparatus is air tight, the open valve upon the left
affording the only ingress of air to support combustion. This
vault is opened and closed by steam pressure in the following man-

STEAM APPARATUS FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES. 225

ner : When the steam begins to form in the boiler, it presses
upon tbe water and forces it out and up the open tube connect-
ing with vessel E. As it rises, it also passes through the flexi-
ble pipe attached, and flows into vessel E, when by its weight
it passes down the spiral spring and closes the draft valve at F.
This checks combustion, and consequently the formation of steam
and as steam pressure diminishes, the water in the tube falls and
passes out of vessel Ey and the spiral spring raises it and opens
again the shaft. Thus, steam pressure perfectly controls com-
bustion. If but little steam is used, but little fuel is consumed.
The vessel E is placed thirty-four inches above the water level
in the boiler, thus allowing just one and a half pounds pressure
to accumulate, before the draft is checked. This pressure is
sufficient to force the steam through six hundred feet of pipe with
facility. The tube upon which it slides is open constantly, so
that if the safety valve and air draft both become obstructed
all the water will flow out of the boiler, at three pounds, thus
making explosion impossible.

Fuel is fed into the cylinder at the top of the apparatus by
removing the cover. It holds a supply for twenty-four hours,
and as it is consumed below, it falls down to the fire by its gravity.

The arrangement for feeding water is exceedingly simple and
effective; it is not clearly shown in the cut. But little water is
required except when the process of distillation is going forward,
as the steam is condensed in the retorts, evaporators, radiators,
&c, and returns to the boiler again through the same pipes that
convey it away. D is a safety valve lifting at one and a half
pounds. 0 0 are pipes for conveying steam. A, steam and water
cocks. i, handle for grate. The apparatus is portable, and may be
placed in a basement, or in the laboratory of the pharmaceutist.
One has been in use in my laboratory for many consecutive months,
without any disarrangement or instance of failure. By con-
necting radiating coils, it is made to do the work of warming the
building in addition to its other duties. Broad jacketed pans ot
tinned copper are used for evaporations. The steam is let in at
the bottom through an inch coupling, and as it condenses it
flows back again to the boiler. The heat is controlled per-
fectly by an air cock attached to the pan, so that any
temperature between 100° and 212° F. may be maintained.

15

I

226 ON THE KINO OF EUCALYPTUS RESINIFERA.

It cannot rise much above that point, but that is sufficient for
quite dense liquids. The retorts are also of copper and jacketed,
■with the exception of that for spt. etheris nitrici, which is of
lead, and heated by a coil in the interior. The temperature is
easily and perfectly controlled ; the apparatus is well adapted
for the perfect production and distillation of this ether. A
much higher temperature is required for the manufacture of sul-
phuric ether than can be attained by its use. For all the pur-
poses of drying, distilling, evaporating, warming, &c, nothing can
more convenient, safe, and economical. It meets the require-
ments of sand baths, water baths, distillatory apparatus, dryers,
&c, and will warm the establishment of the chemist and phar-
maceutist, at the same time. The amount of coal consumed
depends of course upon the work done. But I have found fifty
pounds in the twenty four hours to be sufficient for constnt use
in the laboratory, and for heating the rooms.
Boston, Mass, April 5th, 1859.

NOTE ON THE KINO OF EUCALYPTUS KESINIFER.A.
By William Procter, Jr.

Some time ago, Dr. Wood, when preparing the last edition of
the U. S. Dispensatory, placed in my hands for examination a
sample of Botany Bay kino, accompanied by a twelve ounce
bottle of the juice of the Eucalyptus resinifera, from which it is
produced. A condensed statement of the results of its examina-
tion will be found in a note at page 454 of the 11th edition of
the Dispensatory, (1858.)

These specimens are entirely authentic, having been brought
to New York directly from Australia, and presented to Dr.
Wood by Mr. S. W. Osgood, druggist, of the former place. The
examination made for Dr. Wood, only had reference to the kino
itself, the drug he was describing, but it has occurred to me
that it may be of some interest to extend the inquiry to the
juice itself, as regards the proportion of solid matter it contains,
its astringency, and other properties, and offer it in a short
note.

The Kino. — This consisted of the extract proper mixed with

ON THE KINO OF EUCALYPTUS RESINIFERA.

227

pieces of a very loose textured brown bark to which the kino
was adherent, as though, in removing it from the tree on which
'the juice had hardened, the bark adhered to it. Much of the
kino was broken up into grains and small particles of the bark
interspersed. The fragments when held to a strong light are
translucent and of a garnet color, their taste is astringent and
bitterish with a slightly sweetish fore taste. It has no odor.
The grains are very friable and easily reduced to powder of a
light mahogany color. The action of water on the powder is
peculiar ; the greater part of it coalesces by contact with that
fluid into a soft mass of putty-like consistence ; by continued
malaxation with water it yields 67 per cent of its weight to that
fluid, and probably more of it would have dissolved by continu-
ing the process. The undissolved residue consisted chiefly of
apotheme, soluble in alcohol and alkaline liquids and resulted
probably from the action of the air.

The slowness of action of water upon this kino will probably
account for some of the discrepancies which exist in the results
of other investigators, who have stated its solubility in water
as varying from 17 per cent, to entire solubility except impu-
rities.

This kino dissolves entirely in alcohol sp. gr. 835 with the
exception of impurities. On diluting the tincture with water no
change in its transparence occurs at first, but on standing, a
slight flocculent precipitate occurs. This result would seem to
indicate that nearly the whole of the kino might be dissolved by
water if time enough was given.

The following chemical reactions were obtained with the
aqueous solution. Lime water caused a fawn colored precipitate.
Sesquichloride of iron a greenish black precipitate, which sepa-
rates and leaves a clear greenish liquid; gelatin causes an abundant
flocculent precipitate ; sulphate of copper produces a light gray
deposit; corrosive sublimate a cloudiness, tartar emetic a fawn
colored precipitate depositing slowly from the water.

The Juice of Eucalyptus resinifera was in a twelve ounce bot-
tle tightly corked and sealed. It was perfectly transparent, of
a deep red brown or dark wine color, and adherent to the
bottom was a small portion of transparent solid matter, evident-
ly deposited from the juice. On opening the bottle, the liquid

228

ON THE KINO OP EUCALYPTUS RESINIFERA.

was found to possess a slight peculiar odor somewhat like must.
Its consistence is like a mixture of one part of syrup with two
of water, its specific gravity ; is 1.048. When it is evaporated to
dryness it yields 13 per cent of extract similar in appearance
and taste to the kino. Its taste is strongly astringent, followed
by a sweetish rather unpleasant impression that recalls the odor
of the juice. When heated to ebullition the fluid remains per-
fectly transparent ; when mixed with three times its bulk of
water it becomes cloudy, but does not immediately precipitate ;
on heating gently, transparency is resumed, to again cloud by
cooling; a little alcohol renders it permanently transparent.

When the juice is agitated repeatedly with ether, it communi-
cates its color to that fluid, and on evaporating the ether, a small
quantity of soft red extract results, astringent to the taste, and
striking a greenish black color with sesquichloride of iron.

With reagents, this juice behaves much as the aqueous solu-
tion of the kino ; it is precipitated abundantly by gelatin,
acetate of lead, and lime water. Tartar emetic and corrosive
sublimate, each precipitated it, and the persalts of iron strike a
dirty greenish black color. Neither liquor potassa nor ammo-
nia cause any cloudiness, but darken the color of the aqueous so-
lution. Dr. Pereira believed that Botany Bay kind contains,
besides tannic acid, a peculiar pectin-like body, which he has
called eucalyptin. He indicates eucalyptin by its property of
being precipitated from the alcoholic tincture of this kino on the
addition of ammonia, or solution of potassa. When half a
drachm of the juice was diluted with two drachms of alcohol, the
solution was precipitated by both ammonia and potassa, of a
dark brown color — corroborating the observation of Pereira.

As the specimen of Eucalyptus juice above described is seve-
ral years old, and does not exhibit the slightest indication of
decomposition, there can be little doubt of its being a valuable
astringent medicine where it is within the reach of the physi-
cian. It is quite probable, however, that if exposed to the ac-
tion of the air, it would gelatinize and lose its astringency, as
its tannic acid appears analogous to that of the Pterocarpus eri-
naceus.

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS 229

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.
By the Editor.

On the vermifuge properties of Ailanthus glandulosa, of China.
— This tree, so well known in the United States as a shade tree,
and recently so much decried, owing to the strong peculiar odor
of its flowers, is the subject of a notice in the Journal de Phar-
macie for March, by Prof. Hetet of the Ecole de Medicine of
Toulon. This tree, which belongs to the natural family Xan-
thoxyleae and allied to the genus Rhus, is also identical or
closely related to the Japanese Varnish tree, and within a few
months has acquired more importance in view of its leaves being
used as food for a species of sjlk worm, Bombyx cynthia, which
has recently been introduced into France.

If a piece of the bark of Ailanthus is chewed, it gives a de-
cided bitter taste, and soon after a general unpleasant feeling, ac-
companied by nausea and prostration, similar to that derived
from tobacco by novices, or from henbane. These physiological
effects seem to have given rise to the term caco dendron (Ehrh.)
formerly given to the tree.

These qualities induced the author to enter on an investigation
of its effects on animals, and to analyze it, but he afterwards as-
certained that M. Payen Annals de Chimie t. xxvi. p. 239, had
already given an analysis — in which it appears to contain lig-
nin, chlorophylle, yellow coloring matter, pectin, bitter sub-
stance, aroma tic resin, traces of volatile oil, nitrogenous matter,
and some salts.

The powdered bark has a greenish yellow color, and when re-
cent has a strong virous odor and very bitter taste. The color-
ing matter is not valuable as a dye. The pectin is very abundant.
By treatment with alcohol, the resin, volatile oil and bitter prin-
ciples are dissolved, and on evaporation a soft, oleo resinous ex-
tract, strongly odorous, is obtained.

M. Hetet has experimented therapeutically and physiologically
with the powder, aqueous alcoholic extracts, and oleo resin on
dogs. All have proved successful, that is to say, in all cases
they have produced abundant stools, with the expulsion of
taenia.

230

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.

The powdered bark was given in doses of 8 grains ; the aque-
ous extract, in doses of four grains, and the oleo-resin in three
grains. The pure resin proved purgative in six grain doses, but
did not expel worms. The author attributes the prostrating ef-
fects of the bark to the volatile oil, as the resin did not produce
them. The effects of this oil is so decided that an assistant
charged with evaporating the extracts has been seized with ver-
tigo, cold sweats, and vomiting every time he neglected the pre-
cautions adopted to avoid the vapors ; and the author himself had
experienced them to some extent, from similar emanations, and
he also had observed the effects of the extract on a dog, acci-
dentally taken.

Being satisfied of the emetico-cathartic and anthelmintic power
of the ailanthus, the author sought to verify it in practice,
and gives several cases in point.

1st. F , a laborer in the arsenal, having sharp pain in his

left side, stomach and abdomen, was examined in reference to
the debris of taenia, and evidence of their existence noticed. The
usual vermifuges, such as pomegranate bark, castor oil, etc., did
not relieve him. The powder of ailanthus having been pre-
scribed at the instance of the author, soon expelled several frag-
ments, and another dose of a gramme (15J grains) relieved the
patient of the worm, four and a half yards in length, including
the head.

Returning to the hospital ten weeks after for another affec-
tion, he states on enquiry that it had not returned since.

2d. The Abbe L having noticed portions of tape worm

came to the hospital, and under treatment considerable portions
of the worm were expelled, but he became impatient and left be-
fore he was cured.

3d. L , aged 49, a cooper by profession, had long suf-
fered from the tape worm, and exhausted the nostrums of char-
letans. He took the powder of ailanthus, alternately with cas-
tor oil and glauber salts, during several days, the dose varying
from 12 to 30 grains. After 15 days treatment the patient
passed a complete worm 5| metres (18 feet) long.

The author believes that the ailanthus has also febrifuge pro-
perties, and that its administration is entirely safe.

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS. 231

Oarapa touloucouna is the name of a tropical tree growing in
Guiana, the bark of which has recently been investigated by M.
E. Caventou (Journ. de Pharm. Mar. 1859.) This beautiful tree
attains the height of 70 to 80 feet, and from three to five feet in
diameter. It belongs to the natural family Meliaceae. Its bark
is in pieces from 6 to 10 inches long, li to 3 inches wide, and
about 4 lines thick. Its external surface is deep gray, rugose;
the epiderm is removed in places, so as to show a reddish surface;
on some specimens white lichinoid plates occur. The interme-
diate surface is yellowish, and perfectly smooth. When chewed it
is bitter, and the author supposed it contained a febrifuge al-
kaloid, but he proved to be mistaken. The following is the re-
sult of his analysis : — 1st, Touloucounin', 2d, soluble red color-
ing-matter; 3d, insoluble red coloring-matter; 4th, yellow color-
ing-matter, 5th, green fatty matter, besides gum, wax, traces of
starch and lignin. Touloucounin is a bitter resinous substance,
does not crystallize, has a slight acid reaction, insoluble in ether,
very soluble in alcohol and chloroform, and but slightly soluble
in water, requiring 1400 parts of this solvent. Its ultimate com-
position is C20 H14 O8.

M. Caventou has suggested several pharmaceutic formula
which are probably premature, in view of the fact that it has not
been used sufficiently to develope its therapeutic properties.

Ethereal Oil of Horse-chestnuts (Marron d'Inde). M. Genevoix
(Bulletin de Therapeutique) states that the ethereal oil of horse-
chestnuts has been employed recently as a topical agent in the
early stages of gout and rheumatism.

It is prepared, by percolating the feculent matter of the ker-
nel of this seed with ether, which removes fixed oil, and by evap-
oration yields it ready for use. Ten kilogrammes of the chest-
nuts (21 pounds) yielded but ten grammes (2j drachms) of the
oil. This oil is applied to the part by means of a camel's hair
pencil, several times over if the pain is severe, and the part then
covered with wax-paper, wadding, or flannel, and the patient
kept quiet. The dressing may be renewed two or three times a
day.

New mode of preparing Medicated Suppositories, with butter

232

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.

of cacao. — Dr. Pfeiffer (Journ. de Pharm., Mar. 1859) recom-
mends the following method of making suppositories. The but-
ter of cacao is fused, run into conical moulds, and before cooling
a piece of tube is inserted into the base of the suppository till
the fat solidifies, when it is removed. The cavity thus produced
is the receptacle for the medicinal matter, be it extract, powder,
or liquid, which is then closed up with a portion of the butter
softened for the purpose. The particular advantage proposed
to be gained, is that the suppositories may be medicated extem-
poraneously.

Solubility of some Alkaloids in Chloroform M. Pettenkoffer

(Rep. de Pharm. Fevrier, 1859) has determined the per cent-
age of solubility of the following alkaloids in chloroform. 100
parts of the menstruum at the ordinary temperature dissolves of

Morphia

• •

. 0.5T

Narcotina

31.17

Cinchonia

4.31

Quinia

57.47

Strychnia

. 20.16

Brucia

•

56.70

Atropia

. 51.19

Veratria .

58.47

Dentrifice. — M. Denique (Journ. de Pharm. D'Anvers} has
given the following recipe for tooth powder, viz : —
Take of Bone phosphate of lime . . . 150 parts.
Pumice stone ..... 150 "

White Talc 250 «

Cream of tartar ..... 100 M

Orris Root 80 «

Rose Pink (or lake in drops) . . 200 "

Ceylon Cinnamon . . . . 30 «
Calcined Alum . , . . . 30 «
Essence of Bergamot . ... 8 M
Essence of Cloves . . . 2 «

Triturate carefully the lake and ground pumice stone till they
are sufficiently divided ; add then the powders of cream of tar-
tar, orris root, etc., and lastly the talc ; pass through a very
fine silk sieve ; the essences are added afterwards, and mixed by
trituration.

THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING EXTRACTS. 233

ON THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING
EXTRACTS*

By F. Vielquth, Jr., and Julius Nentwich.

The aim of the authors was to present in the form of extracts,
all the soluble substances of the medicinal plants, to the exclu-
sion of those which might have a deteriorating influence; this
they believe to gain by the proper method of exhausting the
plants, by the proper temperature during evaporation, and by
the quickest possible dispatch of the work. The best form for
keeping and preserving the extracts was to be inquired into,
and the authors think the dry pulverulent state to be the most
advisable to preserve extracts from the change induced in the
presence of moisture and air.

As the exhausting menstruum, water is used for plants abound-
ing in sugar, dextrin, extractive, tannin and bitter principles,
and containing no resins, volatile oils or alkaloids insoluble in
water ; albumen and starch, if present, can be removed by mace-
ration or cold displacement, and boiling of the tincture. Alco-
hol and water are used when principles are present which are
soluble in alcohol ; if exhausted by a boiling temperature,
Mohr's apparatus (M. R. k Pr. Pharmacy, p. 264,) may be ad-
vantageously used, and the lower vessel be of tin. Alcohol
alone is employed for the extraction of alkaloids, resins, volatile
oils and bitter principles, not easily soluble in water; chloro-
phyll and vegetable wax detract from the virtue and stability of
the extract, and are to be removed by the addition of some
water to the evaporated tincture, and the employment of a
weaker alcohol in the first place. Ether is used when it is a
better solvent than alcohol.

To determine the quantity and quality of the narcotic ex-
tracts, prepared from the fresh and the dried herb, the follow-
ing experiments were made :

* Prize essay to the question propounded by the Moravian Pharmaceu-
tical Association, for 1857, as published in Wittstein's Vierteljahresschrift,
1858, p. 321-348 and 481 to 502. The essay was accompanied with speci-
mens of all the extracts in form of dry powder of excellent quality. The
above is a short abstract of that lengthy, very interesting essay.

J. M. M.

234 THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING EXTRACTS.

Of 20 pounds fresh herb of Aconitum Napellus, one half was
dried at 30° C. (86° F.,) leaving 2 J pounds, which furnished 3J
ounces extract; of the remaining 10 pounds fresh herb 4-| ounces
extract was obtained in the same manner ; but the extract from
the dried herb contained 0.322 grms., the other only 0.202
grms. of nearly pure aconitine. It will, therefore, be prefer-
able for pharmaceutists to prepare the narcotic extracts for their
own use, as from good dry herbs they will be sure of obtaining
a more active extract.

The quantity of the exhausting menstruum is a great object,
as with an increase of it the solution must be exposed for a
longer time to heat and air. But also the mode of extracting
must be kept in view. Mohr's press box and his displacement
apparatus are recommended for the various processes. For the
cold displacement the authors have constructed a suction pump,
which from the receiving vessel withdraws the air, so that the
pressure of the atmosphere forces the liquid in the percolator
through the finely powdered substance. Before evaporation the
liquids are to be decanted or strained, by which precaution a
burning of the extracts is prevented, and the liability to fer-
ment lessened.

For the evaporation of larger quantities of liquids, the authors
have constructed a peculiar apparatus, consisting of a copper
boiler, into which a smaller copper kettle is fitted. Water is
heated in the boiler and the steam passed under a well tinned
evaporating trough ; the liquid after having been heated in the
kettle, is drawn into a reservoir, from whence it runs into the
trough, which is divided by partitions running alternately from
both sides of the trough, to within a short distance of the oppo-
site side; the trough stands on an inclined plane, the lower end
of which is by means of a pipe connected with the kettle. The
advantages of this arrangement are, that the liquid is constantly
kept in motion, the temperature never rises above 70° C, (158°
F.,) and that by the continued evaporation the access of air is
almost entirely prevented. For smaller quantities, porcelain
evaporating dishes are used, heated by a water bath.

The authors distinguish four different degrees of the consis-
tency of extracts : 1, consistence of extr. graminis, 1340 grs. of
which fill a 1000 gr. flask at 14° C, (58° F.,) % consistence of

THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING EXTRACTS. 235

extractum taraxaci, spec. grav. 1.380, at 14° C ; 3, consistence
of extractum radio, glycyrrh. which is obtained by evaporating the
liquid to the spec. grav. 1.090 at 14° C, pouring it into a tared
evaporating dish, and evaporating it now to just one-fourth of
its weight; 4, dry and in form of powder. Many extracts,
like extr. hyoscyami, are hygroscopic in such a degree, that
they cannot be kept in powder, or cannot be dried at so low a
temperature as to preclude an injurious effect of the heat; they
require the addition of an indifferent powder, and a number of
experiments have convinced the authors that finely powdered
liquorice root is preferable to any other substance. The ex-
tracts to be dried, when evaporated to the second consistence,
are with constant agitation heated in a water bath to 60° C.
(140° F.,) until they cease to lose weight; one-fourth of their
weight of water or one-eighth of alcohol is then added again,
well mixed and an equal weight of pulv. radic. liquir. alcoholis.
stirred in, and the whole rapidly evaporated to dryness at 60°
C; 2 grs. of this contain 1 gr. pure extract. For pills or
powders these extracts may be used as they are ; for mixtures,
straining is necessary after their solution; for ointments they
are dissolved in four parts of water, strained and evaporated to
two parts ; repeated trials have convinced the authors, that this
manipulation requires no more time than the cold dissolving of
the extracts before their admixture with the ointment. The fol-
lowing extracts can be kept in powder without any addition :
Extr. cascarillae, chamomillae, cinchonas fuscae, Colombo, guaiaci, -
juglandis, millefolii, quassiae, ratanhae, salviae, tormentillae. The
following require the addition of powdered liquorice root : Extr.
absinthii, aconiti, acori, angelicae, arnicae, belladonnae, cardui
bened., centaurei min., chelidonii, cichorei, conii, digitalis, dul-
camarse, filicis maris, gentianae, haemostaticum, (ergotae Bonj.,)
hyoscyami, hellebori nigri, lactucae virosae, mezerei, nucis vomicae,
saponariae, sarsaparillae, scillae, trifolii fibr., Valerianae.

To arrive at reliable results, the authors employed the same
quantity of menstruum, for preparing the same extract by the
process of decoction, infusion or percolation, and evaporated all
extracts to dryness, the only reliable standard for comparison.

\

236 THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING EXTRACTS.

Table I.

Embraces the results from those plants which are best ex-
tracted by water ; the column marked A, contains the officinal
names of the extracts; B, the names of the plants; C, the time
of their gathering ; D, the weight from one thousand parts of
the fresh plants, dried at 30° C; in the cas eof extr. cichor. and
tarax., the first numbers are the results from the roots, the se-
cond from the herbs ; E, the quantity of water in thousands em-
ployed in each experiment for one thousand parts of the dry
plant. The following columns contain the quantity of powdered
extract obtained from one thousand parts of the dry plant, extr.
cichor. and tarax. from equal weights of the root and herb : 1,
by maceration ; 2, by infusion for twenty-four hours ; 3, by two
decoctions ; 4, by cold displacement, extr. card, ben., liquir. and
ratanhae, with the employment of the suction pump.

A.

B.

C.

1).

&

1

•I

3

-t

Ext. Card, bened.
" Cent. min.
" Cinch, fuse.

Centaurea benedicta, L.
Gentiana Centaureum, L.
Cortex Ciuchonse Loxec.

before flowering
while in flowers

180
330

18
12
18

219
215
93

240
136

105

261

149
122

239
89

" Cichorei.

Cichoioum intybus, L.

(•281

tise

12

245

214

209

" Dulcamara.
" Gentian se.
" Giaminis.
" Liquir. liquid.
" Quassise.
" Ratanhze.
" Rhei Russ.
" Saponar.
" Soil! ee.

Solanum dulcamara, L.
Gentiana Pannonica, Scop.
Triticum repens, L.
Glycyrrhiza glabra, L.
Quassia amara, L.
Krameria triandra. R. & Pavon.
Rad. Rhei Russici.
Saponaria officinalis, L.
Scilla maritima.

fall
fall
spring
fall

spring

352
143
204
367

171

12
12

8
10

8
10
12
12
10

109
202
220
127
43
97
306
36-1

107

28:;

^'29
206
45
101
312
343
159

101
193
230

55
113
262
179
230

204
174

98

" Taraxaci.

* " Torment.
" Trifolii fib.

Leontodon Taraxacum, L.

Tormentilla erecta, L.
Menyanthes trifoliata, L.

fall

spring

before flowering

C278
1 187
282
I 172

8

10
12

402

107
178

374

229
205

307

253
270

Centaurea benedicta contains much sulphate of lime, which
must be separated by decantation before finishing the extract,
which in one ounce contains one drachm of nitrate of potassa.
Extract, gentianae ought to be re-dissolved, filtered, and again
evaporated, on account of the pectin. Extract, glycyrrh., pre-
pared by infusion, keeps in the dry state unaltered without any
addition. Extract, ratanhae, prepared by displacement with the
suction pump, is entirely soluble in water, the residual root
yielded to boiling water 62.5 parts of dry extract, the greater
part of which was insoluble in water. On account of pectine,
the preparation of extr. rhei, by cold percolation is preferable.

THE MOST CORRECT METHODS FOR PREPARING EXTRACTS. 237

Table II.

Embraces the extracts which are prepared by means of alco-
hol and water, the columns correspond with the former, E, con-
taining the quantity of alcohol, spec. grav. .863, and water in
thousands, their proportion in all cases being 1, 2 ; column, 1,
the results of digestion for twenty-four hours, at 30° C; column
5, the results by cold percolation with the aid of the suction
pump.

Extr. Absinthii,

" Acori,

" Angelicas,

u Arnicae raclic.

" Cascarillae,

« Chamomillae,

" Colombo,

'* Ouaiaci lign.

" Hellebori nigr.

" Jugland. nuc.

« Millefolii,

" Salvise,

u Sarsaparillae,

" Valerianae,
For Ext. Sarsap. cold

B.

Artemisia Absinthium, L.
Acorus Calamus, L.
Angelica Archangelica, L.
Arnica Montana, L.
Croton Eleuteria. Schto.
Matricaria Chamomilla, L.
Menispermum palmatum, L.
Guaiacum officinale, L.
Helleborus nigei-, L.
Juglans regia, L.
Achillea Millefolium, L.
Salvia officinalis, L.
Had. Sarsap. Hondur.
Valeriana officinalis,
displacement is preferable, so a

flow. comm.
late in fall
early spring
fall

the flowers

fall

flow. comm.
flowering

sprmg

to leave the starch behind

D.

E.

1

•2

3

4

5

156

4:8

259

:;o:;

324

270

207

157

3:6

140

145

155

143

'200

187

3:6

270

32S

345

170

3:6

130

150

103

136

139

2:4

79

88

101

95

100

186

6:12

1.37

252

2S2

149

158

3:6

220

253

345

204

2:4

56

OS

77

48

56

318

2:4

37

49

55

38

4:8

228

•240

■J02

238

468

6:12

241

253

202

150

5:10

172

216

232

212

3:6

116

112

133

185

3:0

112

•224

233

199

230

Table III.

Contains the results of the alcoholic extracts, the columns, A,
B, C, D, as above, 1, 2, 3, the yield by digestion for twenty-four
hours ; 1, of 1000 parts fresh herbs ; 2, of the same previously
dried, with 1000 parts of alcohol each ; and, 3, of 1000 parts dry
herb with the proportionate quantity of alcohol; 4, by cold dis-
placement of 1000 parts of dried herb with the employment of
the suction pump, and 3000 parts alcohol of .863 spec. grav.

A.

Extract. Aconiti,

" Belladonna fol.

« Chelidonii,

" Conii macul.

« Digitalis fol.

" Hyosc. fol., 2 years'

" " 1 years' growth,

* Lactucaj,

" Nucis vomicse, with 3000 ala

8 Secalis cornuti,

13.

Aconitum napellus, L.
Atropa belladonna, L.
Chejidonium majus, L.
Conium maculatum, L.
Digitalis purpurea, L.
Hyoscyamus niger, L.

I

Lactura virosa, L.

c.

1).

1

2

3

4

before flow.

243

29

22

88

176

while flow.

170

52

33

186

221

before flow.

170

25

31

181

before flow.

140

37

104218

commence fl.

133

28

18

137

'271

before flow.

115

IS

18

158

90

13

150

before flow.

125

20

16 125

106, in Mohr's appar., 121 p.

(<

133

Table IV.

The ethereal extracts were made by macerating 1000 parts of
the dry powdered substance, at 15° C. employing 3000 parts
ether, spec. grav. .730, loss of ether }y and by decoction in
Mohr's apparatus, with 6000 parts ether, loss one-quarter.

238

CHLORINATED LUNAR CAUSTIC.

Extractuni Filicis maris, 93 parts by maceration, 146 parts by decoction.
" Mezerei, 61 " " 82 " "

In conclusion, the authors quote the interesting tables from
Buchner's K.epertorium, 1843, concerning the quantities of ex-
tracts yielded by alcoholic tinctures, and also tables of solubi-
lity, volatibility, and the influence of heat on the vegetable alka-
loids and their sulphates.

CHLORINATED LUNAR, CAUSTIC.
By J. Lawrence Smith, M. D.

Prof. Chemistry, Medical Department University of Louisville.

About two years ago my attention was directed to the impor-
tance of giving strength to the fused nitrate of silver, without
interfering materially with its purity. I then satisfied myself
of the value of the introduction of chloride of silver into lunar
caustic. No practical developement was given to this fact until
lunar caustic became an object of manufacture at the Louisville
Chemical works ; I then prepared some of it, with a certain pro-
portion of chloride of silver, in the manner to be described, and
distributed it among surgeons and physicians. Having heard
from many of those who have fairly tried it, I am fully prepared
to submit it to the medical profession as an improved form of
lunar caustic for many purposes ; and I am still more encour-
aged to do this, from the fact that Dr. Ed. R. Squibb has lately
submitted it to the Pharmaceutical Convention as being of suffi-
cient importance to be added to the officinal pharmaceutical
preparations of silver.

Those who use lunar caustic, know that it is subject to two
objections; first, its great friability (which is also variable, de-
pendent upon the temperature of the mould in which it is cast) ;
and secondly, its too great solubility, so that in touching a moist
surface, almost invariably more is applied than is designed or
required.

Nitrate of potash and nitrate of soda are often fused with ni-
trate of silver, but these are objects of adulteration, and the use
of them gives scope to an unlimited deterioration of this valua-
ble caustic, and therefore should be discountenanced as much as

CHLORINATED LUNAR CAUSTIC.

239

possible ; and as there is a very simple test by which the puri-
ty of lunar caustic may be established, physicians can protect
themselves against this adulteration. The test will be found at
the end of this note.

To make the chlorinated lunar caustic, I originally added a
small quantity of chloride of sodium to the nitrate of silver, so
that when the mass was fused, about eight per cent, of chloride
of silver resulted from the decomposition. This method was
found objectionable, as it introduced a small quantity of nitrate
of soda in the mass, so the following is the method proposed for
general adoption :

Take Cryst. Nitrate Silver, . . .480 grs.

Dry Chloride Silver, . . . . 38$ «
Fuse the mixture, and cast in the ordinary moulds.
Dr. Squibb suggests the following method :
Take Nitrate Silver, ..... 960 grs.
Muriatic Acid, .... 40 "

Distilled Water, • . J fluid oz.

Mix the acid and water in a suitable vessel, add the nitrate of
silver, reduce to dryness, fuse, and cast in moulds ; this intro-
duces five per cent, of chloride of silver in the lunar caustic.

Either of these methods may be employed, but I prefer, for
manufactural purposes, the first formula, as the dry materials
are used, and the execution of it is not subject to the delay
of getting rid of water by slow and careful evaporation, and
moreover, the varying strength of commercial muriatic acid
may make a difference in the proportions, if not previously
tested.

I have placed this lunar caustic in the hands of a number of
surgeons and physicians, all of whom concede to it valuable
properties in reference to its solidity and diminished solubility.

It has been in the hands of Drs. Miller, Flint, Yandell, Mar-
shall, and others in this city ; Dr. Pope, of St. Louis ; and Drs.
Gross and Bache, of Philadelphia ; and the reports from them
all lead me to propose this form of lunar caustic for general
adoption. As regards the exact per centage of chloride of silver
to be used, this must be left to experiment by the surgeons.

A very large quantity of lunar caustic, contains a greater or
less proportion of nitrate of potash or any other cheap salt, and

240

CHLORINATED LUNAR CAUSTIC.

as this often falls into the hands of physicians when they desire
the pure article, it is well to have a ready and simple test that
every physician may apply. The following one, proposed by
Dr. Ed. R. Squibb, answers the purpose perfectly well :

" A. small fragment of nitrate of silver, crushed to powder with
a knife-blade upon a piece of paper, the powder spread out over
the paper, and the paper and powder then rolled up in a small
match-like roll, twisted, set on fire, and burned, leaves a tasteless
residue of pure silver. But if the nitrate of silver contains even
one per cent, of any saline impurity, the residue, instead of be-
ing tasteless, will have the sharp alkaline taste of the base of the
adulterating salt. With this test, no one need be deceived by
No. 2 lunar caustic, nor by the adulteration of the crystallized
nitrate with chlorate of potash, &c; and even the small pro-
portion of sal prunelle that is often added to the so-called pure
or " No. 1 caustic " to make it run well, is detected in a minute
with equal certainty. This test answers equally well for the
purity of the chlorinated lunar caustic."

Instead of crushing the lunar caustic on a piece of paper,
wrapping and then burning, I have found it preferable to dis-
solve it in a little water, moisten a piece of paper with the solu-
tion, dry it, roll the paper up and burn. By this modification
I have never failed to produce complete decomposition, whereas
in manipulating the lunar caustic as prepared by Dr. Squibb, I
have failed more than once to produce a complete decomposi-
tion, and upon tasting the residue, found undecomposed nitrate
of silver.

With these facts before them, physicians need never be de-
ceived with impure lunar caustic. — Louisville Seminary Month-
ly Medical News, Feb. 1, 1859.

BEHAVIOUR OF BORACIC TO TARTARIC ACID. 241

ON THE BEHAVIOUR OF BORACIC TO TARTARIC ACID.
By H. Rose.

In the combinations of cream of tartar with boracic acid and
borax, the boracic acid is supposed to act the part of a base ;
several facts, however, are against this view.

The solution of boracic acid in alcohol burns with a green
flame, owing to the formation of borate of ethyle ; boracic acid,
united with a strong base, does not show this green color, which
only appears after the addition of a strong acid, particularly
sulphuric acid. Several organic acids, principally the tartaric ,
act like strong bases, by depriving the boracic acid of this pro-
perty ; a considerable quantity of the organic acid however is
necessary ; a mixture of 10 equiv. tartaric (C4 H2 05 -f HO) to
1 eq. boracic acid, dissolved in alcohol, burns without the char-
acteristic green color, which appears instantly on the ^addition
of sulphuric acid. Among the inorganic acids, only the phos-
phoric has a somewhat similar behaviour, but it requires a
larger proportion of it, and sulphuric acid restores the color
also in this case. In a like manner the addition of sulphuric
acid is required to the different kinds of tartarus boraxatus, to
show the green coloration of the flame peculiar to boracic acid
burning with alcohol.

All attempts to displace the basic water of tartaric acid by
boracic acid proved of no avail, and therefore in order to de-
termine which of the two acids in their combination acts as a
base, a solution of 1 eq. of boracic to 10 eq. of tartaric acid
was subjected to the action of a Grove's battery, consisting of
but 2 elements in order to prevent the decomposition of tartaric
acid. The poles were made of strips of platina separated by a
clay cylinder. After several hours the liquid on the poles was
examined, when that from the positive pole on the addition of
strong alcohol burned with a green flame, which was not the case
with the liquid from the negative pole, until after the addition
of sulphuric acid. After this result it will be incorrect to con-
sider the boracic acid the base whe'n combined with tartaric acid.
Uric acid is of precisely the same behaviour.

The reaction of boracic acid with curcuma paper has been!

16

242

BEHAVIOUR OF BORACIC TO TARTARIC ACID.

asserted as a reason for its alkaline behaviour. But the reac-
tion of alkalies takes place immediately with a brownish red
color, assuming a violet shade on drying, or even disappearing
entirely after some time, if the alkaline solution has been very
weak (lime water) ; the brown coloration produced by boracic
acid, however, takes place after drying the paper; though char-
acteristic, it is not strong, but may be decidedly deepened by pre-
viously mixing the boracic acid with a stronger acid, such as hy-
drochloric, nitric, tartaric, but especially dilute sulphuric acid,
all of which increase the coloration more than acetic and other
weaker acids ; the paper, after drying, is then of a deep red
color.

Curcuma paper is turned brown instantly by a solution of
borax, the color fading on drying, usually leaving a reaction
of boracic acid. The reaction of borax therefore is similar to
that of a weak alkaline solution ; but it ought to be much
stronger, if the reactions of boracic acid and the alkalies were
occasioned by the same cause. The shade of the reaction by
boracic acid mixed with another acid is a little different from
that by pure boracic acid, but it is often an excellent means to
discover the presence of small quantities of borates.

Though somewhat varying in the shade, similar reactions on
curcuma paper are obtained by solutions in strong acids of
zirconia, and of the acids of the following metals : titanium, tan-
talum, niobium, tin. — [Monatsber. d. Acad. d. Wissensch. zu
Berlin, Bee. 1857.)

Note by Prof. A. Buchner. — Several years ago, Prof. A. Vo-
gel, jun.,had drawn attention to the difference between the reaction
of alkalies and boracic acid upon curcuma paper, (Rep. f. Pharm.
3d ser. iii. 178). He dilutes a tincture of curcuma to a light
yellow color and adds a concentrated solution of borax, whereby,
owing to the alkaline nature of the salt, a brown coloration is
produced, reassuming the original yellow on the addition of sul-
phuric acid ; if more sulphuric acid is added, boracic acid is
liberated, reacting with a reddish brown color, which is not
changed again to yellow by % larger quantity of sulphuric acid.
—(From Neues Bepert. f. Pharm. 1858. 193—197.)

J. M. Mv

!

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

243

INQUIRIES INTO THE FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

By Hugo von Mohl.

(Translated from the Botanische Zeitung, Jahrg. XIV., p. 33, 1857, by BerthoM
Seeman, Ph. D., F. L. $., with corrections by the Author.)
4 Concluded from page 165.)

After this examination of the tragacanth gum, I proceeded
to that of the stems, extending it to those of the following spe-
cies belonging to the section Tragacanthce, viz: Astragalus an-
qustifoUus, Lam., A. aristatus, L'Herit., A. Anacantha, M. B.,
A. aureus, Willd., A. Barba Jovis, De Cand., A. breviflorus,
De Cand., A. bunophilus, Boiss., A. campylanthus, Boiss. A,
Caucasicus, M. B., A. cephalanthus, De Cand., A. chromolepis,
Boiss., A. compactus, Willd., A. creticus, Lam., A. cyllenius,
Boiss. et Heldr., A. denudatus, Stev., A. echinoides, L. Herit.,
A. echinus, De Cand., J., erianthus, Willd. ,A. gossyspinus Fisch.,

A, lagopodiodes, Vahl., A. leiocladus, Boiss., A. massiliensis,
Linn., A. mierophgsa, Boiss., A. murinus, Boiss., A. persicus,
Fisch. et Meg., A: plumosus, Willd., A. pseudotragacantha, M.

B. , A. ptychophyllus, Boiss., A. pycnocephalus, Fisch., A. turni-
dus Willd. Amongst these there were only four species in the
stem of which no tragacanth formation could be discovered, viz.,
A. aristatus, L'Herit. (from the Pyrenees,) A. massiliensis,
Linn., A. angustifolius,'Ln,m., and A. echionoides, L'He'rit. In
all the others, the formation of gum tragacanth, in a more or
less abundance, was apparent.*

The structure of the stems is in general as follows : — The
wood consists of thin annual layers, and is extremely tough, easi-
ly tearing lengthways into thin filaments. It incloses a thin
column of pith [em enges Marh^, is crossed by numerous medul-
lary rays, and does not exhibit anything unusual. The same
may be said of the bark which contains perfectly formed liber,
and is covered by a strong tough periderm. But the pith and
a great part of the medullary rays are very curious ; for, in-
stead of presenting a thin-walled parenchymatous texture, they

* The question whether the transformation of the cells into gum tragacanth
to be described below, also takes place in species belonging to other sections of
thegenus I have not specially investigated; but I may remark that I met with
the same transformation in two species belonging to the section Incani, which
I selected at random, viz., A. brachycarpus, M. B., and A. a?iffulosus, D. C,

244

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

appear to the naked eye as a hard, transparent, gum-like mass,
which becomes gelatinous in water. There is also often to be
found upon the cut surface of the stem a dry projection of gum,
which has issued from the interior of the pith.

Aided by the microscope, we perceive at first sight that the
gum-like mass which fills the pith cavity [MarJckohle], and the
medullary rays, or which has issued from the pith in the place
where it has been cut, does not consist of dried mucilage [nicht
aus einem eingetrockneten Grummischleim']y but actually of the
cells of the pith and medullary rays, which have undergone a
more or less complete transformation into gum tragacanth.

Generally this transformation has not occurred to all the cells
of the pith and medullary rays ; but the outer layers of medul-
lary ray, which are nearest to the cells of the wood, consist reg-
ularly (and, in like manner the outer part of the pith, situated
nearest to the woody fibres, consist, not unfrequently) of the
usual, thin-walled, parenchyme-cells, the membrane of which
becomes violet on the application of an iodized solution of chlo-
ride of zinc : — -These unchanged cells, however, form generally
only a very thin stratum, consisting of a few cells, whilst all the
remaining cells constituting the central mass of the pith and
medullary rays are transformed.

That the peculiar condition of these cells is the effect of a
transformation of ordinary parenchyme-cells, and not a condi-
tion peculiar to the cells of these parts from the first, is proved
by the pith and medullary rays of the tops of branches, which
present nothing unusual.

The transformed cells differ in respect to their physical condi-
tion from common cellular tissue in presenting a substance, which,
when dry, is very hard, transparent, and gummy, and which,
when wet, is swollen and slippery. Placed under a microscope,
these cells (if their transformation has not advanced too far)
exhibit the angular form and the close approximation of paren-
chyme-cells, but their walls are very thick, and evidently com-
posed of numerous very thin strata ; their primary membrane
may be exactly distinguished from the secondary incrassating
strata \_Verdichungssohicten,'] and is not incrassated, as is dis-
tinctly seen in a transverse section of the pits in which the pri-
mary membrane lies free. The whole form of these cells, the

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

245

evident stratification of their membrane, the jelly-like softness
of the latter when moistened, render them very similar to the well
known cells of the cotyledons of Schotia.

In this transition state into gum tragacanth, occur, according
to circumstances, partly those cells which border the still unal-
tered layers, partly also those which form the centre of the pith
and the medullary rays, as I observed in the young stems of
Astragalus eyllenius, Boiss., which plant, according to Orphan-
ides, is one of those from which tragacanth is collected in
Greece.

When the transformation has progressed a degree further,
the various cells swell in water to a globular form, and become
more or less perfectly separated from each other, but still re-
taining their complete integrity ; while, on the application of
iodine, no mucilage is observed issuing from them into the water.
In the latter respect, I found, however, in some pieces (Astraga-
lus aureus, Willd., A. pseudo-tragacantha, M. B., A. compactus,
Willd., A. pycnocephalus, Fisch.) a striking exception. There
appeared in the water surrounding the cells a mucilaginous sub-
stance, which, it would seem, was soluble in water, and on appli-
cation of iodized solution of chloride of zinc, instantly assumed
a beautiful indigo blue color. The amorphous contents of the
cells as well as those of the unchanged medullary rays and of a
part of the cells of the bark, were colored in like manner. The
tint, however, was not lasting, for within a few hours the blue
had entirely disappeared, giving place to a yellowish tinge. This
phenomenon reminds us again of the cells of the cotyledons of
Schotia, from which water extracts a mucilage, which is rendered
blue by iodine, and is coagulated by alcohol. In other cases,
as in Astragalus eyllenius, water extracts from the transformed
cells a mucilage, which iodine renders yellowish ; but this, like
the mucilage that is rendered blue by iodine, is an exception.

When the transformation of the cells into gum tragacanth
has advanced further, it is impossible to distinguish whether the
membranes (which swell up very much in water) are composed
of many thin layers or not. This transformation into a mass of
homogeneous appearance, proceeds in the cell membranes from
without or within ; for I observed (in Astragalus marinus} cells
in which the change had extended only to the outer half of the

246 FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH.

walls of the cells, while the inner, by a sharp line separating it
from the outer homogeneous mass, still showed fine stratification.

Finally, the last transformation into perfectly formed traga-
canth takes place when the cells lose their outer solid definition
[Begrenzung^ and these outer layers become merged into a
more or less uniform, mucilaginous mass ; in which condition (as
is also often the case in exuded gum"! the inner layers may still
be present in their perfect integrity.

The cells transformed in the manner described, present, at
least when moistened, a much greater diameter than the thin-
walled cells out of which they were formed ; thus, one of the
larger, unaltered cells of the medullary rays of Astragalus de-
nun at us has a diameter of 0/;/.00G4, whilst a transformed, yet
sharply defined cell of the inner part of the same medullary ray,
was 0'/r.035, that is about five times tiiesize; in Astragalus
echinus the size of the transformed medullary cells had increased
to 0/r/.06, and thus attained about the same size as the cells
contained in exuded tragacanth.

The cells are affected by the action of iodine, according to the
degree of transformation they have undergone. The unchanged
cells of the pith and medullary rays are rendered deep violet in
twenty-four hours by the action of an iodized solution of chlo-
ride of zinc. The same occurs in the cells which have only been
transformed in a slight degree and still possess the form of angu-
lar, but thick-walled cells of parenchyme. This coloring is, how-
ever, not uniform throughout the whole thickness of the walls
and of the cells, but it is principally the outer and inner layer
that is vividly colored ; several thin layers among the seconda-
ry strata exhibit also a violet color. Whether the [apparently]
uncolored strata situated between these two colored ones were
entirely without color, or were of very pale violet, I could not
make out. A similar condition is often observable in other thick
walled parenchyme-cells, which soften and swell up in water, as
for instance, in those of Schotia.

The more the breaking up of the cells, and their transforma-
tion into gum tragacanth progresses, the more pale violet does the
general body of them become ; while uncolored, or faintly col-
ored strata, more and more preponderate over the colored ones,
and the colored strata, especially the outer, show a fainter col-

FORMATION OF GUM TRAGACANTH. 247

oring, perhaps only in consequence of their larger mechanical
extension.

The observations here detailed will leave no doubt that gum
tragacanth is neither a secreted sap, dried by exposure to the
air, nor an independent cryptogamic organism ; but that its for-
mation is owing to a more or less complete transformation of
the cells of the medullary rays into a gelatinous mass, which,
when brought into contact with water, increases in volume to
several hundred times the original size of the cells.

Whether the production and exudation of the gum takes place
in one and the same place of the stem only once, or whether it is
repeated several years, can of course only be found out in the
native country of the tragacanth plant ; but perhaps the conjec-
ture, that the appearance of the gum continues through a long
time, is not too bold. The transformation of the pith can of
course only take place once in any given part of the stem, and
this source will become exhausted after the exudation of the
gum formed has sooner or later been effected. It may be differ-
ent, with respect to the medullary rays, as not all medullary
rays of a given part of the stem undergo their transformation
at the same time. At least in the younger stems examined by
me, only a part of the medullary rays had undergone this trans-
formation, while the remainder still exhibited the ordinary struc-
ture of thin- walled cells. We may also venture to assume thai;
the great solidity of the periderm covering the stem, is the reason
why the forcing of the gum through the bark takes place every
year out of a limited portion of the medullary rays, and that
consequently, perhaps, many years may elapse before all the
medullary rays of a stem have discharged themselves.

Looking around in the vegetable kingdom for analogous trans-
formations of cells into mucilage, we find them to be by no means
of rare occurrence. Alexander Braun ( Verjungung der Pflanze,
p. 203) remarks that, in a manner quite analogous, a softening
of the membrane of the cells, their swelling up into a gelatinous
form and diffluence [zerflie&seri], are phenomena of common occur-
rence in the natural order Palmellacece and Clirooooccacece, and
that analogous changes in the membranes of the cells are met
with in Hydrodictyon and Botrydium, and that the jelly-like
softening of the membranes of the mother cell of pollen granules

248

SOLUBLE PYROPHOSPHATE OF IRON.

is connected with the decomposition afterwards affected. I have
also convinced myself that the formation of the abundant inter-
cellular substance of the albumen of several leguminous plants,
as Gleditschia and Sophora, indicates in a manner perfectly an-
alogous the transformation of outer cellular strata into a homo-
geneous jelly, in which, often for a long time afterwards, traces
of the primary membrane of the cells can be recognized, until
even these entirely disappear. Nor do I doubt that the forma-
tion of the intercellular substance of Fucoidece, of Chondrus
crispus, &c, is indicative of an analogous event. We have
consequently, in the formation of gum tragacanth, a special in-
stance of a widely diffused process of disorganization of cellulary
membrane, proceeding from exterior to interior, at one time
affecting the whole wall of the cells [die ganze Zellwand]; at
another, attacking only the outer layers, and ending with their
transformation into a more or less soluble jelly. On the other
hand, I consider it less appropriate to range, as Unger does, the
formation of gum tragacanth, in the same parallel with the for-
mation of secondary and tertiary gelatinous cell-membrane, such
as occur in the testa of Cydonia, Linum, Collomia, Ruellia, &c;
at least I am not aware that these, before they possess the con-
dition of gelatinous membranes, were previously in the condition
of membranes of cellulose. — London Pharmaceutical Journal^
Jan. 1859.

ON SOLUBLE PYROPHOSPHATE OF IRON.

By M. Robiquet,

To obtain the soluble, or citro-ammoniacal pyrophosphate of
iron, M. Robiquet dissolves the pyrophosphate of iron in a
gelatinous condition, (as obtained by precipitating the pyro-
phosphate of soda with persulphate of iron,) in a solution of
citrate of ammonia. When the liquor is clarified, it is kept
during some minutes at ebullition, filtered and evaporated at a
gentle heat to the syrupy consistence, spread on plates with a
brush and the desiccation finished in a stove.

The product obtained is presented under the form of light
yellowish transparent vitreous scales. If instead of drying it

ANALYSIS OF THE BOOT OF BRYONIA ALBA. 249

on plates, the operation is performed in a capsale of the tempera-
ture of the water bath, the salt is obtained in beautiful bottle
green transparent masses, like soluble cream of tartar.

Thus prepared citro-ammoniacal pyrophosphate of iron is
very soluble in water, its solution does not possess the charac-
teristic disagreeable taste of the salts of iron, and the chemical
properties of the metal are in part masked, as in the tartrate of
iron and potassa and the pyrophosphate of iron and soda. Ac-
cording to M. Robiquet 100 parts of this salt contains of
Pyrophosphate of Iron (anhydrous) 61.736
Citrate of Ammonia 28.967
Water of combination 6.315

Repertoire de Pharmaeie.

ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT OF BRYONIA ALBA.
By G. F. Walz.

Ten lbs. of the dry root were exhausted by alcohol of 0-830 sp.
gr., the alcohol distilled off in the water bath, and the residue
evaporated to dryness. This extract was treated with cold
water ; the reddish yellow solution had an acrid bitter taste,
was rendered turbid by sugar of lead, but precipitated with a
yellow color by subacetate of lead. This precipitate after hav-
ing been thoroughly washed, was decomposed by hydrosulphuric
acid ; the solution was evaporated to dryness to drive off acetic
acid, when the residue weighed about 5 drachms. Absolute
ether took up the greater part of it with a reddish brown color,
and left after evaporation a crummy mass, which was partly
dissolved by absolute alcohol, while the balance was separated
in white crystals — bryonitin. The residue which had not been
dissolved by ether, proved to be gum, reddish brown coloring
matter and bryonin ; the coloring matter was removed by sugar
of lead, the gum by subacetate of lead, and after the removal
of the lead, the bryonin was precipitated by tannin, a little ad-
hering bryonitin being dissolved by ether. The sulphuret of
lead obtained as above, was exhausted with alcohol, which left
a brown, brittle, glossy and bitter residue, insoluble in ether and
not precipitable by an alcoholic solution of sugar of lead.

250

ANALYSIS OP THE ROOT OF BRYONIA ALBA.

The liquid filtered off from the precipitate by subacetate of
lea<l, was freed of lead by hydrothionic acid ; the sulphuret of
lead, after having been well washed, was exhausted by alcohol,
this evaporated, the residue redissolved in absolute alcohol,
which left behind gum, a little coloring matter and traces of
bryonitin. From the residue, after the evaporation of the alco-
hol, ether dissolved a part, which after distilling off the ether,
was insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol with the exception
of a little bryonitin. That part insoluble in ether, was partially
dissolved by water; alcohol took up the remainder which proved
to be the brown glossy body mentioned above. The aqueous
solution contained coloring matter, gum, much bryonin with
traces of bryonitin.

' The solutions of that matter which was soluble in ether, but
was freed of bryonitin by absolute alcohol, were mixed and pre-
cipitated by acetate of lead in alcohol ; the precipitate, after de-
composition, furnished a peculiar fatty matter, while the solu-
tion left a bitter resinous yellowish red substance.

The obtained bryonitin was dissolved in ether, treated with
animal charcoal, the ether distilled off, and the-residue dissolved
in boiling water, which left behind a brown resin, and furnished
by crystallization pure bryonitin.

The watery solution from which the lead had been removed
by hydrothionic acid, was of a pale wine yellow color and in-
tensely bitter ; its precipitate with tannin, on being heated in
the liquid, contracted to a shining resin-like mass; the acid solu-
tion, on being neutralized with carbonate of soda, afforded some
more precipitate, but retained tannic acid and some bitter
principle. After treating successively with subacetate of lead,
sulphuric acid and soda, on evaporation an intensely bitter ex-
tract was left behind, containing only traces of bryonitin, a
little gum, sugar and bryonin.

The tannic precipitate was dissolved in alcohol, digested with
lime, and evaporated ; ether took up a little of the bitter resin;
the residue, after redissolving in water, precipitating by tannin
and decomposing by oxide of lead, dissolving again in water
and treating with animal charcoal, was pure bryonin.

The resinous residue of the alcoholic extract, washed with
water, was treated with absolute alcohol ; the insoluble residue

VOLATILE OIL OF THE SEED OP CICUTA VIROSA. 251

dissolved in ether leaving a tasteless gummy mass behind. The
ethereal solution, after evaporation and treating with boiling
water, yielded bryonitin. The part insoluble in water, was
added to the other ethereal solution. The alcoholic solution,
after repeated treatment with ether, acetate of lead, alcohol, &c,
yielded more bryonitin and a soft fatty matter of a peculiar
smell but devoid of all bitterness.

The results are : the aqueous solution of the alcoholic extract
contains much bryonin, little bryonitin, yellow resin soluble in
ether, brown fat, coloring matter soluble in water and alcohol ;
the portion insoluble in water contains little bryonin, more
bryonitin, yellow resin soluble in ether, brown fat, coloring
matter soluble in alcohol.

Bryonin on being treated with acids splits into sugar and
two bodies, of which one is soluble in ether — bryoretin, and one
insoluble in that liquid, hydro-bryotin. Of each of these bodies
the author has made three elementary analyses, of which the fol-
lowing is an abstract.
Bryonin loses at 100° C 5*65 per cent, water.

Anal Med : Calcul.

C 96 59-91 60-00
H 80 8-37 8-33
0 38 31-72 31-66

Anal. Med : Calrul. Anal Med: Calcul.

Bryoretin: C 42 63-09 63-13 Hydrobryotin C 42 60-00 60-43

H 35 8-78 8-77 H 37 9-36 8-87

O 14 28-13 28-10 O 16 30-64 30-70

Bryoretin =C 42 H 35 O 14

Hydrobryotin = C 42 H 37 O 16

Sngar = C 12 H 12 O 12

Bryonin-f4HO=C 96 H 84 O 42

The sugar was estimated by Fehling's test.
JSfeues Jahrb. f. Pharm. and Wittsteins Vierielj. 1858. 550-558.

J. M. M.

ON THE VOLATILE OIL OF THE SEED OF CICUTA VIROSA.

By Julius Trapp.

The author obtained from 10 lbs. of the seed collected in au-
tumn and dried, by distillation with water, 2 oz. of a nearly col-
orless thin volatile oil, lighter than water and of the taste and
smell of the oil of cuminum cyminum. In accordance with

252

COMMERCIAL OTTO OR ATTAR OF ROSES.

Bertagnini's method it was treated with a concentrated solution
of bisulphite of soda, when gradually the mixture congealed to
a white crystalline mass, in consequence of the combination of
soda with the aldehyd of the oil. The crystals were expressed
from the excess of the ?oda solution, washed and repeatedly
recrystallized from diluted alcohol, the crystalline scales were
of a pearly lustre, efflorescent in the air, little soluble in abso-
lute alcohol and ether, insoluble in cold water, and decomposing
with water at a boiling temperature; they contained 8-67 percent,
sodium, and are a combination of cumin-aldehyd with bisulphite
of soda ; the formula C20 H16 Na S2 O10 demands 8-52 Na.

The expressed liquid, which was partly absorbed by the bibu-
lous paper, furnished on distillation with water about J oz. of a
volatile oily carbohydrogen, of the smell of cymen from cumin
seed and distilling over at 176° C. (349° F.) On treating this
colorless limpid oil with fumigating sulphuric acid, diluting with
water, neutralizing with carbonate of lead, filtering and evapo-
rating, scaly crystals were obtained containing the same amount
of lead as the sulphocymenate of lead C20 H13 Pb S2 06. From
the mother-liquor the baryta salt was prepared containing the
per centage of baryta required by the sulphocymenate of baryta
Cx H13 Ba S2 06.

These experiments lead to the conclusion that the carbohydro-
gen of the volatile oil of cicuta virosa is indentical with cymen,
and the whole volatile oil of the water-hemlock seed identical
with oil of cumin seed. — Bulletin de St. Petersb. xvi. — Buck-
ners N. Repert. 1858, 471. J. m. m.

COMMERCIAL OTTO OR ATTAR OF ROSES.

At the Pharmaceutical Meeting, Edinburg, Jan. 13th, Mr.
Mackay read an interesting communication on the Commercial
Otto or Attar of Roses. In the introductory part of the paper
he glanced at the various recognized modes of producing this
article in the East Indies, China, Persia, Damascus, Asia Minor,
and Adrianople. He stated that although the chief supplies
both of commercial and virgin otto were sent from Constanti-
nople and Smyrna into England, there was little or none made

COMMERCIAL OTTO OR ATTAR OP ROSES.

253

in either of these places. The principal place of manufacture
he understood to he the neighborhood of Adrianople, where the
genuine or virgin otto was put into circular drums or vases, and
after being stitched up in thick felt jackets were sent to the
capital of Turkey, where a system of adulteration took place,
by mixing the genuine article with geranium, scentless sandal
wood, or some other objectionable oil. After this adulteration,
it was filled into Turkish otto bottles, and sent home here as
good or bad commercial otto, according to the amount of adulte-
ration practised. The tins were also sent home intact, and
hence the reason why the best otto was to be had not in original
Turkish bottles, but in separate ounces or pounds, under the
term virgin.

He then referred to the difficulty of detecting the precise
quantity of geranium oil added to otto. The test given was to
mix the otto with pure concentrated sulphuric acid, but this did
not answer the purpose. He submitted several samples of vari-
ous priced ottos under the influence of sulphuric acid, and it was
observed that two of the most costly, one being 26s. 6d. and the
other 28s. per ounce in London, were affected in color by the
acid. The ordinary commercial otto certainly showed a deeper
tinge of color, but what was somewhat remarkable, the oil of
geranium itself, some of which he also showed under the in-
fluence of the test, was no deeper in color than commercial otto,
at present worth from 17s. to 20s. per ounce. While, however,
the acid thus failed in showing either the fact or the quantity
of geranium oil as an adulterating medium in the case of com-
mercial otto, there was a decided evidence given of the presence
of sandal wood oil by the addition of sulphuric acid, which he
proved by submitting a specimen of otto, which contained nearly
a half of sandal wood oil, as well as by the action of the acid
upon the oil itself. In the former case the color changed rapidly
and became very dark, while in the latter the effect was to pro-
duce instantly an almost complete dark brown color approaching
to black. This, he thought, showed that, along with the peculiar
odor emitted, the presence of sandal oil could be easily distin-
guished.

In referring to the uses to which otto was put, and speaking
of the large demand for this article among perfumers, he gave a

254

CONTAMINATION OF DISTILLED WATERS WITH TIN.

very graphic account of a personal visit he had made to the
manufactory of Jean Marie Farina, at Cologne, on the Rhine.

He concluded his remarks by stating his conviction that the
best and truest test for the quality of this article lay in its pecu-
liar fragrance, and if there be added to this respectability of
merchant, congelation, and price, he thought a more genuine
article might be got, than testing by the acid process. This
opinion he gave, because though the acid test answers a certain
purpose, so far as depth of color is concerned, it only does so in
cases which would be more easily detected by the organ of smell,
or, in other words, the distinctive red color will only be given
when the adulterating oil is in such quantities as to be easily
distinguishable, and thus to rank it under the name of Commer-
cial Otto, but certainly not having any pretension to be recog-
nized as Pure Virgin Otto. — Pharmaceutical Journal and
Transactions, Feb., 1859.

ON THE CONTAMINATION OF DISTILLED WATERS WITH TIN.

By Flach, Apothecary of Kevelaer.

Liquids distilled from a metal still have a peculiar smell,
which is not observed on distilling the liquids in a glass appa-
ratus, i It is apparent that this so-called still odor (Blasen-
geruch,) has its origin in the employment of metal, and must be
similar to the smelling of metals. To find out the nature of the
compound imparting the smell, the author has made a series of
experiments and demonstrated the presence of tin in all waters
distilled and condensed in a tin worm.

From a copper still with head and worm made of pure tin,
eight gallons of water were distilled, the first 3i gallons reject-
ed, the next gallon with the addition of 60 drops pure nitric acid
set aside. After four months, on examination, a number of
small white floccules like slime had been separated, which for
the greater part would pass through the filter, but could be
taken out with a glass tube. Under the microscope the floc-
cules appeared to consist of blue and a few yellowish globules,
interwoven like the cells of mould. When heated they run to-
gether, and were darkened by sulphuretted hydrogen, the blue

COMBUSTIBILITY OF POWDERED IRON.

255

globules were soluble in hydrochloric acid, the yellow insoluble;
the solution on evaporation yielded feathery needles and rhom-
bic prisms, re-action of sub-oxide and oxide of tin. The pre-
sence of tin was likewise proven before the blowpipe upon char-
coal, and with phosphate of soda and ammonia, the above dis-
tilled water after evaporation gave the re-action of tin, with
ammonia, ferrocyanuret of potassium, and hydrosulphuric acid,
caustic potassa evolved ammonia, but not a trace of copper
could be detected.

All his other experiments proved the presence of tin in dis-
tilled waters from the tin worm, whether this was new or had
been used for a considerable time. The author likewise thinks,
the quantity of ammonia in distilled water larger than in pump
water, which he analyzed, and which contained only traces of
it. He supposes some water might be decomposed by the tin, this
metal uniting with the oxygen, while the hydrogen in the nascent
state with the nitrogen of atmospheric air, forms ammonia, (?)
The slimy precipitate in distilled medicinal waters contains
nearly all the tin, and the slime which is often observed on the
inside of a tin head or worm, and which has a greasy touch, is
tin. In conclusion, the author draws attention to the traces of
tin sometimes found in mineral waters, and suggests they might
be owing to the tin of the distilled water employed. — Arcliiv d.
Pharmacie, 1858, Aug, 156-163. J. M. M.

COMBUSTIBILITY OF POWDERED IRON.

Professor Magnus of Berlin, at the last Medical and Philo-
sophical Convention, at Karlsruhe, has drawn attention to a
curious behaviour of powdered iron. It is well known, that iron
reduced by hydrogen is very combustible, and may be ignited
by contact with a flame, when it rapidly burns to peroxide.
Powdered iron obtained from filings or in any other similar way,
is under ordinary circumstances not inflammable ; such iron
made by a mechanical process on a large scale in Tyrol, for me-
dical and pharmaceutical purposes, has repeatedly been sold for
iron reduced by hydrogen ; as it is very subtile, the fraud can
only be detected by its not taking fire on being approached with

256

PREPARATION OF ROCHELLE SALTS.

a flame. But as Magnus has shown by a very simple, but in-
teresting experiment, it may be made combustible in a high de-
gree if it is magnetized. If a magnet approaches that delicate
powder, this is attracted and held up by the magnetic poles, and
if now a burning splint is neared, the iron powder takes fire
which rapidly spreads, and if the magnet is shaken, many sparks
are falling down, being the burning particles of iron. — Buchners
Neues Bepertorium, 1858, 472. J. M. M.

ON THE PREPARATION OF ROCHELLE SALT.
By Rebltng.

The author, after noticing the difficulties and the loss sus-
tained in the attempt of freeing this salt of tartrate of lime,
states that he has succeeded in preparing it from the crude and
the depurated commercial cream of tartar, and also from tar-
trate of lime. The following embraces his directions : —

From tartrate of lime — Take of tartrate of lime 10 parts,
purified soda 6 parts, purified potash 2f parts ; boil with twenty
to twenty-four parts of water for half an hour, stirring occa-
sionally until a filtered sample is not rendered turbid by carbo-
nate of soda when heated to boiling ; after setting aside for a
quarter of an hour to allow the carbonate of lime to settle, the
liquid is poured through a porous paper filter, the residual lime
is twice washed with water, and is afterwards thrown on the
filter for the tartrate to be entirely washed out. Tartrate of
lime yields a little above its own weight of Rochelle salt.

From commercial cream of tartar. — Cream of tartar generally
contains 8 — at most 10 per ct. of tartrate of lime, which must be
decomposed into bitartrate of potassa, in order to obtain all tar-
taric acid as Rochelle salt. Take of finely powdered cream of
tartar 16 oz., crystallized soda 14 oz., purified potash J- oz.,
water 44 oz. ; boil for half an hour, until a filtered portion is
not precipitated by soda ; then filter and crystallize. Almost
the whole of the mother liquor will furnish clear crystals ; when
they cease to form, the liquor may be precipitated by muriatic
acid to obtain cream of tartar, or it may be neutralized with
pure bitartrate of potassa, when even the soda, which had been

PREPARATION OF LIQUID TARTRATE OF POTASH, ETC. 257

added in exces3, will be regained. The alterations in this pro-
cess are the addition of potash, the employment of soda in slight
excess, the boiling of not longer than half an hour, and the use
of much less water.

From crude tartar The hard crusts of crude tartar contain

more tartaric acid than the powder, which is mixed with some
earthy matter. The crusts contain about eleven or twelve per
cent, tartrate of lime, but their value as compared with cream
of tartar is 100:80 ; from this it follows that the same quantity
of potash, but less soda is to be taken. The tartar must be
very finely powdered ; the deeply colored liquid cannot well be
filtered ; it is to be cooled down to between 25 and 35° C, (75 to
95° F.) when the white of an egg, previously well-beaten, is mixed
with it, and the liquor heated again to the boiling point. The
crystals require a recrystallization, the last portions several
times; the remaining mother liquor is best precipitated by muriatic
acid, but the precipitate is colored, and the color enters into the
Rochelle salts prepared from it. The author could not remove
the coloring matter either by chlorine or by alum; after boiling
with animal charcoal the liquid filters well, but is not much de-
colorized. The last portions of all the above mother liquors
may be rendered turbid from traces of lime ; they then require
to be boiled over and filtered. 10 parts of Rochelle salts were
obtained from 7 parts of commercial cream of tartar, and from
8-8 parts of crude tartar.

The author found that 100 grs. Rochelle salt, perfectly neu-
tral, when dissolved in 150 grs. of water took up 2-5 grs. of
tartrate of lime, part of which separated on cooling, but after
twelve hours the liquor still contained f gr. of the lime-salt in
solution ; the same quantity of distilled water did not dissolve
any appreciable quantity of tartrate of lime. — Archiv der
Pharmacie, 1858, Aug., 149-156. J. M. M.

ON THE PREPARATION OF LIQUID TARTRATE OF POTASH,
AMMONIA, AND PEROXIDE OF IRON.
By M. Carrie.

The potassio-tartrate of iron being incapable of preservation
in aqueous solution, on account of its tendency to rapid decora-

17

258

PRESERVATION OF ROSES AND ORANGE FLOWERS.

position, M. Carrie, a pharmacien in Paris, has conceived the
idea of insuring its' solubility, and particularly of preserving it,
by the addition of ammonia. The following is the mode of pre-
paration recommended by the author : —

Take sixteen ounces of bitartrate of potash ; dissolve one-half
in three quarts of warm distilled water ; saturate this solution
with pure sesquicarbonate of ammonia ; add the remainder of
the bitartrate ; raise to a moderate heat, adding by degrees, and
to excess, recently precipitated and still moist peroxide of iron;
afterwards filter, to separate the uncombined oxide ; evaporate
at the heat of a water-bath, until the cold liquor marks seven
degrees on the saccharometer ; add a few drops of liquid
ammonia ; shake ; allow it to deposit during twenty-four hours ;
filter again, and preserve for use.

The preparation of tartrate of potash, ammonia, and peroxide
of iron thus obtained, is, according to M. Carrie, a liquid of an
agreeable taste, possessing a reddish-brown color, keeping for
an indefinite period, and containing one part of iron in nine of
water. — Bulletin General de Therapeutique, 15th July, 1858,
p. 13, Dublin Hospital Gazette and Pharm. Journ.

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRESERVATION AND DIS-
TILLATION OF ROSES AND ORANGE-FLOWERS.

By M. Stanislaus Martin.

The ancient Greeks and Romans, surfeited with the excesses
of the table, had recourse to perfumes to stimulate their blunted
senses. At Rome, the odor of the rose was in such request,
that Lucullus expended fabulous sums, in order to be able to
have it at all seasons. During the past century, the odor of orange-
flowers was so much in vogue, that the cultivation of Louis the
Fourteenth's orange-trees was a source of considerable expense,
for the great king would have one of these favorite shrubs in
each of his apartments. In our days too, Fashion, that despotic
and capricious queen, who, as Montaigne says, twists and turns
the understanding of the French, also demands perfumes. The
poor will have them, as well as the rich ; and their consumption
is such, that the perfumers of large cities, particularly those of

PRESERVATION OF ROSES AND ORANGE FLOWERS.

259

Paris, monopolize all the sweet flowers which are brought to
market, and leave none to supply the wants of Pharmacy ; the
consequence is, that the commercial value of such flowers almost
always attains to a very high price. Roses are sold for from
fifty to sixty francs the hundred-weight ; the same quantity of
orange-flowers brings from 250 to 300 francs ; so that the Phar-
maciens are obliged to purchase in the south of France distilled
waters, which never possess the sweetness of perfume presented
by those manufactured in Paris.

I am certain that this inconvenience may be obviated. Five
years of trial and experiment have proved to me that provincial
Pharmaciens may preserve odoriferous flowers for several years,
or send them from one part of France to another, without their
losing their perfume. The preservative agent is sea-salt, that
corpus divinum of Homer and Plato.

The Hebrews were acquainted with the antiseptic properties
of common salt ; they employed it in the preservation of their
meats. This substance likewise played an important part in the
sacrifices of paganism ; it was thrown on the flesh of the victims,
to retard their putrefaction.

In the middle ages, the alchemists said, cum sole et sale omnia
fiunt. It was surely this thought that suggested to Wilhelm-
bulkels the idea of making use of chloride of sodium in the cur-
ing of fish. The plan succeeded so well with him, that Charles
the Fifth, being in the Low Countries, went to Bier-Vliet to see
the tomb of the humble fisherman, wishing thereby to honor
the memory of one who had rendered so great a service to his
country.

The use of kitchen salt has already been applied to the pre-
servation of medicinal plants. Trouvain, in his Apothecaire
Charitable, Baume, Morlot, Lemery, Guibourt, and several other
Pharmacologists, speak of it — only the directions have been for-
gotten. However, it would be rendering an immense benefit to
revive the plan, particularly as the mode of operating is very
simple. It is sufficient to arrange the rose-leaves or orange-
flowers in vessels of stone-ware or glass, interposing a stratum
of salt between each layer of flowers, until the vessel is quite
full. Care must be taken to choose the driest flowers, and to
avoid bruising them ; otherwise they would ferment, and the

260 MERCURY— ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

water obtained from them would acidify, and would in time ac-
quire a smell of valerianic acid, as M. Omar Dabat has observed.

Waters obtained from salted vegetable matters have an aroma
as strong and as sweet as those distilled from plants gathered
only a few hours previously; that from the rose appears to ac-
quire even greater strength. I have kept petals of the rose for
two years ; the distilled water yielded by them resembled the
Indian attar, or the Athenian essence of roses spoken of by the
Jesuit Rapin.

Salt, which has served for the preservation of undried plants,
may be used for fresh distillations; it is sufficient to subject the
decoction to strong expression, to evaporate the fluid to a suita-
ble consistence, and to allow it to crystallize by rest. — Bulletin
General de Therapeut, Dublin Hosp. Cfaz. and Pharm. Joum.

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES IN REFERENCE TO
THE EXAMINATION OE BLUE MASS, AND REMARKS
ON BLUE MASS.

By Charles Bullock, of Philadelphia.

Much of the powdered blue mass of the shops is prepared by
the simple process of drying and powdering. An examination
of the character of the mass from which samples of the powder
were obtained was, therefore, desirable, to judge properly of
the changes it had undergone after pulverization.

For this purpose, a sample of the mass prepared 18 months
was examined for oxides of mercury. The process adopted was
that of former examiners. The mass, after treatment with suc-
cessive portions of hot distilled water to remove the soluble
matter, was boiled with dilute acetic acid. The filtered liquid
evaporated to a small bulk, gave no indication of mercury when
treated with sulphide of ammonium.

To one hundred grains of blue mass, one grain of black oxide
of mercury was added, and the experiment repeated ; not a trace
of oxide of mercury could be detected by the process.

From results so unsatisfactory, I was induced to make some
examination to determine the cause of error, and to arrive at a
reliable method of detecting small amounts of oxides of mer-
cury, when mixed with a large bulk of organic matter.

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

261

To show more fully the character of mercury and some of its
salts, — claiming attention in connection with blue mass, — I
give, in addition to my experiments, the observations of some
others.

1st. Metallic Mercury "remains unaltered, when agitated
for any length of time with oxygen, common air, nitrous oxide,
nitric oxide, carbonic acid gas, or alcohol." — Proust $ Vogel.

2d. Mercury in a state of minute division, — as precipitated
from its solutions by protochloride of tin, — was not affected by
glacial acetic acid when heated over it, and yielded nothing to
hydrochloric acid, sp. gr. 1.12, diluted with seven volumes of
water.

3d. Black Oxide of Mercury, of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia,
(mercurous oxide), was prepared by acting on hydro-sublimed
calomel by caustic potash in excess, washing the oxide till the
washings were no longer disturbed by nitrate of silver, and dry-
ing in the dark. While washing the calomel previous to acting
on it by potash, it was observed that the washings were affected
by both nitrate of silver and sulphide of ammonium, a fact
which was subsequently found to be stated by Mialhe, who gives
the solubility of calomel in various solutions of the alkaline
chlorides. It is also stated by Simon, that calomel is taken up
by boiling water.

Biack oxide of mercury was found to be soluble to an appre-
ciable extent in distilled water at 60^ F., giving an evident re-
action with sulphide of ammonium. At 212° F., distilled water
takes up a much larger quantity, affording a deep brown color
with sulphide of ammonium, and a white turbidity, with solu-
tions containing half grain to the ounce of chloride of sodium,
or chloride of ammonium, but is not disturbed by hydrochloric
acid.

The precipitates afforded by the chlorides were insoluble in
the cold in an excess of the precipitants, but were completely
re-dissolved by dilute hydrochloric acid. [Hydrochloric acid,
when diluted so as to merely redden litmus, did not disturb the
solution of the oxide.]

Water boiled over the oxide, and allowed to stand seve-
ral days, contained more of the oxide in solution than was taken
up at 60° F.

262

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

Black oxide of mercury is insoluble in cold alcohol of 95 per
cent,, also in concentrated sulphuric ether, (when free from
acidity.) Ether saturated with water does not dissolve a trace ;
cold water saturated with ether dissolves an amount which may
be readily detected.

4th. To distilled water, which had been boiled over the oxide,
and filtered while warm, five grains of conf. of rose were added
and boiled ; after close filtration, the liquid ceased to be dis-
turbed by sulphide of ammonium.

The precipitated matter, when warmed with dilute nitric acid,
gave a brown color, with sulphide of ammonium.

5th. Hot distilled water holding the oxide in solution, was
not deprived of it by boiling with cane or grape sugar.

6th. To a warm solution of the oxide in distilled water, tannic
acid was added, and the solution immediately assumed a red color,
changing to pale yellow when boiled. After standing some
hours, a slight deposit took place ; examined under a glass of
considerable power, it had the appearance of a minutely divided
powder of a grey color, without lustre. The precipitate was
collected on a small watch-glass, washed with alcohol to remove
any organic matter, and dried ; when rubbed with the point of a
knife, metallic globules, visible to the unassisted eye, were col-
lected. The liquid, from which the deposit was obtained, ceased
to be disturbed by sulphide of ammonium.

7th. One part of the oxide was added to three thousand parts
of distilled water, and boiled in a flask ; when nearly cool, half
of one part of tannic acid was added ; a glass tube was tightly
adapted to the mouth of the flask, with the remote end dipping
to near the bottom of a test tube, containing a clear solution of
caustic baryta. The mouth of the test tube was closed by a
stopper of cotton, to prevent free access of air ; when the con-
tents of the flask where heated, the color passed from red to pale
yellow ; the bubbles passing through the baryta solution caused
it to become turbid ; addition of nitric acid caused effervescence,
and the solution became clear.

To prove this experiment, it was repeated, omitting the tan-
nic acid; the baryta water did not show any indications of car-
bonic acid, from the contents of the flask.

The solution containing the oxide after treatment with tannin,

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

263

did not coagulate gelatin ; a solution of tannin of the same
strength, (half grain in three thousand grains of water,) mani-
fested decided results with gelatin.

When tannic acid is added to water, which has stood twenty-
four hours after hoiling over the oxide, an immediate red color
is produced, changing to yellow more slowly than when heated ;
after standing twelve hours, mercury in a metallic state is de-
posited, and the solution is no longer affected by sulphide of
ammonium.

Black Oxide of Mercury prepared from calomel by the pro-
cess of the U. S. P., examined under a microscope by transmit-
ted light under a power of near three hundred diameters, ap-
peared as an amorphous powder. When placed on an opaque
object, and examined by reflected light under a lower power,
numerous globules of metallic mercury are seen, the globules
varying from the l-400th of a millimeter in diameter, down.
The mercury is visible in a strong light under a good pocket
lens, magnifying two diameters.

According to Donovan, " if too little caustic potash be added
in the first instance to calomel, there is formed a basic hydro-
chlorate of mercurous oxide, which abstracts oxygen from the
separated oxide, and is itself converted into basic hydrochlorate
of mercuric oxide, so that a farther addition of caustic potash
produces a mixture of deutoxide, protoxide, and metallic mer-
cury."

Duflos prepares black oxide of mercury "by adding one part
of caustic potash lye to twelve parts of absolute alcohol, and
decanting the liquid from the resulting precipitate. ll-12ths is
mixed with a solution of mercurous nitrate, constantly stirring
till the liquid slightly reddens litmus paper, the remaining l-12th
is then added, and the precipitate left to subside, it is then de-
canted, washed with water, and dried at a moderate heat in the
dark. The mercurous oxide thus obtained is black, with a tinge
of yellowish brown, giving up nothing to dilute hydrochloric
acid, but dissolves completely in strong acetic acid."

Mercurous oxide was prepared according to Duflos' method,
care being taken to have the nitrate of mercurous oxide free from
mercuric nitrate ; when digested at 80° F. with pure hydrochlo-
ric acid, sp. gr. 1.12, diluted with an equal bulk of water, it was

264 MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

almost completely converted into calomel. The acid solution
was filtered and evaporated to dryness on a watch-glass, a few
drops of water added, and a drop of dilute sulphide of ammo-
nium. A black precipitate was immediately produced.

Duflos' black oxide of mercury was treated with dilute hydro-
chloric acid, (one part of acid, sp. gr. 1.12, and seven parts of
water,) the filtered solution evaporated to dryness, and re-dis-
solved in warm water, afforded a yellow precipitate with caustic
potash. When treated with dilute acetic acid and the mercurial
salt precipitated by chloride of sodium, the filtrate evaporated
to a small bulk also gave a yellow precipitate with caustic
potash.

Whether chlorhydric acid takes up anything from black oxide
of mercury, when pure, could not with certainty be determined,
owing to the difficulty of obtaining a pure black oxide. The
partial solubility of calomel in dilute HC1, prevents the appli-
cation of delicate reagents.

According to Guibourt, " it is impossible to procure this oxide
pure, because, during washing, even in the dark, it is resolved
into a mixture of protoxide and metallic mercury. Light, even
diffused daylight, or a gentle heat, resolves the dioxide into me-
tallic mercury and the protoxide."

Black oxide of mercury prepared by Duflos' method, exam-
ined under the microscope by reflected light, shows metallic
globules varying from the l-800th of a millimeter, down to the
smallest points visible under a power of 163 diameters. The
globules are smaller, and more numerous than in the oxide pre-
pared from calomel.

" Hydrocyanic acid added to mercurous salts throws down
half of the mercury, and forms cyanide of mercury." — Rose.

Red Oxide of Mercury. — The commercial red oxide, which
was preserved in the dark, was employed in the following ex-
periments :

" Aqueous mercuric oxide is slightly soluble in water." —
Thompson, G-uibourt, and Donovan.

" The oxide obtained by use of nitric acid, and the precipi-
ated oxide, dissolves sparingly in cold, somewhat more abun-
dantly in hot water." —Anthon.

Water digested at 60° F. on red oxide of mercury, gives an

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC. 265

evident reaction with sulphide of ammonium ; at 215° F. a much
larger portion of the oxide is taken up, giving a deep brown
color on addition of sulphide of ammonium.

Water, which had been heated over the red oxide, and after
decanting allowed to stand twenty-four hours, gave a much
stronger reaction with alkaline sulphides, than was obtained
from the cold solution. But the reaction is more feeble than
with the black oxide.

Tannic acid precipitates the mercury from the aqueous solution
of the red oxide as metallic mercury. This reaction takes
place in the cold, but more quickly when heated.

Red oxide of mercury is completely insoluble in cold alcohol of
95 per cent., also insoluble in concentrated sulphuric ether
(free from acid) when saturated with water.

Mercuric oxide gradually blackens when exposed to sunshine,
" being resolved (according to Guibourt,) into oxygen and me-
tallic mercury," or according to Donovan, " into oxygen and
mercurous oxide."

" Heated solutions of sugar reduce it (according to Vogel) to
mercurous oxide.' '

Under a microscope, mercuric oxide shows translucent orange-
colored crystals.

Acetate of Mercurous Oxide "is soluble in one hundred and
thirty-three parts of water, at 53 or 59° F., but is not soluble
in cold alcohol. When boiled with water, it is resolved into 11
per cent, of mercury, and a solution of mercuric and mercurous
acetate containing excess of acid." — Q-arot.

" Sugar converts it into mercury and black oxide." — Vogel.

Both acid and neutral solutions of mercurous acetate are de-
composed by ammonia, hydrochloric acid, and the soluble metal-
lic chlorides " visible even to the 80,000ths degree of dilution."
(Pfaff,) The precipitates by hydrochloric acid, and the chlorides
in highly dilute solutions, are completely soluble in excess of the
precipitants when heated, the solutions remaining nearly clear
when cold. The solubility of the precipitates is more apparent
from the acid than from the neutral solution.

The chlorides do not precipitate an acid or neutral solution,
so that the filtrate is not affected by sulphide of ammonium ; it
is not, however, affected by potash.

266 MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

Acetate of Mercuric Oxide " is soluble in four parts of water
at 50° F., and in 2.75 parts at 65°F."— GW.

" Boiled with sugar it is converted into mercurous acetate."
— Vogel.

An acid solution of mercuric acetate is not affected by caustic
ammonia.

" Not in any case is it affected by ammonia, when the acid is
in excess." — Cfarot.

Ammonia added carefully till slightly in excess, produces no
disturbance of the solution.

Caustic potash precipitates the red oxide from the acid solu-
tion, but not so completely that sulphide of ammonium does not
affect the filtrate. « If the solution is very acid, no precipitate
is produced, or a very slight one." — Grmelin.

Acetic acid containing a small amount of alcohol, when heated
over red oxide of mercury, forms mercurous acetate with the
production of acetic ether.

A solution of mercuric acetate, which had stood for several
days, was found to afford precipitates with soluble chlorides,
though it was not when prepared so affected ; an examination
into the cause, showed the acetic acid to contain alcohol. Alco-
hol was then added to a solution of mercuric acetate, and dis-
tilled. Acetic ether was obtained.

" With a neutral solution, ammonia gives a turbidity with one
part of the salt in 20,000 parts of water."

Hyposulphite of soda gives with acid, as well as with neutral
solutions, a lemon yellow color, changing gradually to brown.
This reaction is very characteristic of the salt of the red oxide,
and is quite marked in a solution containing 1 part of the salt
in 6,000 parts of water. The presence of chloride of sodium,
or chloride of ammonium, when the solution is very dilute, en-
tirely prevents the reaction.

As a Summary of the Investigation, we have the following : —

1st. Mercury, when pure, is not affected by any exposure to
which it is liable. In a state of minute division it is not acted
on by boiling glacial acetic acid, and yields nothing to coll mu-
riatic acid; when highly diluted.

2d. Black oxide of mercury is soluble to a very appreciable
extent in hot water, the solution, when cold, still retaining a

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC. 267

portion of the oxide. The oxide as prepared both by the U. S.
Pharmacopoeia and the process of Duflos, contains metallic mer-
cury and red oxide of mercury.

3d. The oxides of mercury in solution in water are complete-
ly precipitated in a metallic state by tannic acid — the reaction
occurring in the cold as well as by application of heat. The
oxides are insoluble in pure washed ether, and in strong alcohol.
Heated solutions of cane or grape sugar do not precipitate them
from aqueous solutions. Hydrocyanic acid with black oxide of
mercury throws down half the mercury and forms cynanide of
mercury.

4th. Acetate of mercurous oxide is resolved by boiling water
into mercury, and acid solutions of mercuric and mercurous ace-
tate.

5th. Acid solutions of mercuric acetate are under no circum-
stances affected by ammonia.

6th. If the acetic acid contains alcohol, heat converts a por-
tion of the mercuric acetate into mercurous acetate, with produc-
tion of acetic ether.

7th. Chlorides do not precipitate solutions of mercurous ace-
tate so completely that sulphide of ammonium does not affect the
filtrate. Caustic potash, however, does not affect the solution
after close filtration.

We have then as causes from which errors may arise in exam-
ining for oxide of mercury in blue mass,

1st. The solubility of both oxides in hot water to a notable
extent, and the conversion of the oxide into metallic mercury by
the tannic acid contained in the rose leaves.

2d. The solubility of calomel in highly dilute solutions, in
dilute hydrochloric acid, as also in large excess of the solutions
of the chlorides, thus affording no results with these reagents.

3d. The partial conversion of mercuric into mercurous acetate
when heated with excess of acetic acid, which contains alcohol
as an impurity.

4th. The conversion by boiling of acetate of mercurous oxide
into mercury, and the salts of both oxides.

5th. Ammonia affording no reaction with the acetate of mer-
curic oxide when the solution is acid.

6th. The difficulty of precipitating salts of the black oxide by

268 MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

0

chlorides so completely, that the solution is not afterwards af-
fected by alkaline sulphides.

Separation of the Oxides in acetic solution. — The oxides are
readily recognized by appropriate regeants when in separate so-
lution, but when the two are mixed, and the solution dilute, the
separation and recognition of the acetate of the red oxide is not
so readily effected.

The acid solution is the only reliable one which offers ; for the
mercurous salt if evaporated to obtain a solution free from ex-
cess of acid, is liable to conversion into the mercuric salt.

The mother water from which crystals of the neutral acetate
of mercurous oxide were obtained, was found to contain acetate
of mercuric oxide.

Caustic potash affords a yellow precipitate, with slightly acid
solution of mercuric oxide, containing 1 part in 900 of water.
The presence of a small amount of chloride of sodium or ammo-
nium does not prevent the reaction, while the mercurous salt is
precipitated by the chlorides, so that potash does not disturb the
filtered solution.

When acid solutions made in the cold, of the acetates, con-
taining a grain each to the ounce, are mixed, and a quarter of
an ounce of the mixed solutions, equal to a quarter of a grain of
each oxide, precipitated by chloride of sodium, the liquid close-
ly filtered and evaporated to near dryness, at a temperature not
exceeding 200°F., re-dissolved in a small portion of water di-
vided into two portions and treated, one with caustic potash, and
the other with caustic ammonia, satisfactory evidence of the pre-
sence of red oxide is adduced ; without the evaporation following
the precipitation of the numerous salts, the result is very unsat-
isfactory.

The process which answered best to detect the Oxides of Mer-
eury in Blue Mass, was to wash the mass in the dark, with small
portions of cold distilled water, in a small flask, by agitation
and decantation, till all coloring matter and sugar was removed ;
then digest cold, with one part glacial acetic acid, and four parts
of water ; filter, and if any mercury is present, as will be shown
by trying a small portion of the filtrate with sulphide of ammo-
nium, evaporate the acetic solution at a low heat, nearly to dry-
ness ; re-dissolve in a small portion of water ; precipitate the

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC. 269

mercurous salt by a dilute solution of chloride of sodium, filter
closely ; render the filtrate alkaline, by careful addition of caus-
tic potash ; if any precipitate occurs, wash it by decantation in
a test-tube ; treat it with dilute hydrochloric acid ; evaporate
the clear solution to a few drops, and add caustic potash, which
will produce a yellow precipitate if any mercuric oxide is pre-
sent. In this way I was enabled to detect with certainty one
half of one per cent, of the two oxides, when mixed with the
mass. Instead of washing the mass with water, pure ether mixed
with alcohol, can be employed. Cold water, is, however, suffi-
ciently accurate, and allows the coloring matter to be removed
more quickly. Dilute chlorohydric acid can also be used, if the
red oxide alone is sought for, although a small portion of calo-
mel is formed from the black oxide ; if it is present, and dis-
solved, there is no conversion of any part of it into red oxide.
The objection to its use is, that it takes up a much larger por-
tion of coloring matter than acetic acid, thus diguising the effects
of delicate reagents.

Blue Mass examined under a microscope shows globules of
mercury, the largest of which measures about the _1 of a mille-
metre in diameter (=3^5 of a line.) A specimen made ten
months which had been kept from the light, but with access of
air, yielded nothing to dilute acetic acid.

Examination of Powdered Blue Mass.
1st. A specimen made two months yielded nothing to dilute
acetic acid.

2d. Specimen made eight months yielded nothing to acetic
acid.

3d. Specimen made two years, and which had been preserved
in a box, thus excluding light, but admitting air, was found to
contain mercurous oxide ; by a comparative estimate with solu-
tions of known strength, the amount of oxide present appeared
to be from half to one per cent. Repeated trials were made for
the presence of red oxide of mercury, but none could be detected.

4th. Specimen, a portion of the preceding, which has been
kept in a close show bottle in a window exposed to light for
twelve months, and during the winter, to direct sunshine during
part of the day.

270 MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC.

The examination of this specimen detected no red oxide of
mercury, but the black oxide in about the same proportions as
in the 3d.

From the characters of the oxides of mercury, it would ap-
pear that mercuric oxide is not formed from the direct action of
the air on mercury or mercurous oxide, but results from the de-
composition of the mercurous oxide by the action of moisture
and light, by which the mercurous oxide is reduced in part to
a metallic condition, the other part passing into mercuric
oxide.

The general freedom of the blue mass from black oxide of mer-
cury, and the dry condition of the powdered mass, would seem
to be unfavorable for the production of red oxide of mercury in
powdered blue mass.

METHOD OF PREPARATION.

Powdered Blue Mass. — Nearly all of the powdered blue mass
met with in the market is made by drying the mass, powdering,
and then making up the deficiency in weight by adding some in-
ert powder — generally liquorice root. As thus met with, its
color varies according to the degree of fineness of the powder ;
some of the samples we examined were of a dark slate color,
while others resemble in color the mercury with chalk.

Two samples Obtained from good manufacturers showed under
the microscope globules of mercury somewhat larger than in
the mass ; the globules were less evenly distributed than in the
mass.

Mercury is readily extinguished by trituration with powdered
liquorice root, adding from time to time sufficient water to keep
it in the consistence of a paste.

The globules are not visible under a lens of two or three di-
ameters, but if the pasty mass be rubbed between the thumb and
finger till dry, the liquorice powder is rubbed out, leaving glo-
bules of mercury adhering to the fingers ; when dry, the pow-
der is in a rough coarse state ; an attempt to pulverise it revives
the mercury. If, instead of water, alcohol is used, the powder
does not dry so hard; but, if rubbed under the pestle, globules
of some size soon appear. Addition of honey to the alcohol in

MERCURY — ITS OXIDES AND ACETATES, ETC. 271

the proportion of one-eighth of the mercury used, is of great ad-
vantage, both in extinguishing the mercury and preventing the
revival of it by rubbing between the fingers. The powder, how-
ever, dries hard, and subsequent pulverization makes the mer-
cury visible.

When prepared by washing out the soluble matter with warm
water, the pasty mass spread out thinly on plates of glass to dry
becomes very hard; an attempt to powder it increases the size
of the globules, sometimes aggregating them so much as to be
visible to the naked eye.

The difficulty of reducing blue mass to a fine powder without
aggregating the globules of mercury and the hygrometic condi-
tion of the powder, due chiefly to the honey it contains, renders
both the process and the product ineligible.

The following process gave the best results after a number of
varied experiments :

R Finely dusted Elm bark . 1 part.

" " Sugar . 1 u

Mercury . . . . 1 a

Alcohol . . . q. s.

Rub the mercury with the powdered elm bark, adding suffi-
cient alcohol, from time to time, to maintain a pasty consist-
ence, till the mercury is completely extinguished ; then spread
the ingredients on paper to dry. The mass when dry does not
adhere, and is readily reduced to a fine powder ; then mix in the
sugar, rub till thoroughly mixed and pass through a sieve of fine
bolting cloth.

As thus prepared the powder is of a light slate color — about
the color of mercury with chalk ; under the microscope it showed
globules of mercury very evenly divided, not larger than those
in the best prepared mass.

If desired, a portion of the sugar can be omitted, and replaced
by finely powdered rose leaves.

As thus prepared, it is scarcely entitled to the name of pow-
dered blue mass, but fulfils all its chemical conditions.

In rubbing mercury with powdered elm bark, wet with alco-
hol, the mercury is rapidly extinguished. If the trituration is
continued after the powder becomes dry or nearly dry, the mer-

272

OILED PAPER IN SURGICAL DRESSINGS.

cur j is revived, and globules of considerable size collect at the
bottom of the mortar.

Note. — In making the microscopic observations, the reflected light
which alone could be used was not strong enough to allow the markings
on the micrometer to be read. The determinations were made compar-
atively with objects of known dimensions.

Proceedings of Amer. Pharm. Assoc. 1858.

OILED PAPER AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR OILED SILK AND GUTTA-
PERCHA IN SURGICAL DRESSINGS.

This material was introduced by Dr. James McGhie, of the
Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and has been used with success in
hospital practice.

The following is the mode of preparing it: —
Having secured a paper of good texture, the next desideratum
is the fluid or varnish by which it is to be coated and waterproof-
ed. This is made by re-boiling boiled linseed oil with litharge,
acetate of lead, sulphate of zinc, and burnt umber, an ounce or
two of each to the gallon of oil. No artificial heat is employed
in drying. A square board is now procured, several inches
broader than the size of the sheet to be prepared. Upon this
the sheet is spread, and well covered, by means of abroad brush,
with the mixture. The first sheet should be brushed on both
sides. On this a second sheet is placed, slightly projecting over
the first, at one end, in order to facilitate the lifting of the
sheets when they are to be hung up to dry. This is also to be
coated with the mixture. This process is to be repeated till a
mass of sheets, from twenty to fifty in number, is prepared.
The board is then to be carried to some unoccupied apartment,
across which cords have been stretched, and the sheets are to be
lifted seriatim, and attached by one end to the cords by means
of bent slips of zinc or tinned iron. A very small space is suffi-
cient to hold a hundred sheets or more. After twenty-four
hours or more, it is ready to be taken down. As the sheets are
found to be liable to stick to one another, they may be dusted
with French chalk, which prevents adhesion. The addition of
a little wax and turpentine renders the dusting or any other
measure unnecessary. There is only one part in the above pro-
cess where any manipulatory difficulty may at first be encoun-

FERMENTATION AND CRYSTALLIZATION. 273

tered, and that is in spreading, evenly and expeditiously, the
dry sheet on the oiled one. This is easily overcome by working
the brush freely from the centre to the circumference of the
sheet.

The following are its more obvious advantages: —

1. Its extreme cheapness does away with any inducement
which might otherwise exist to employ the same piece more than
once. A ream, or 480 sheets of paper, costs from 7s. 6d. to
10s., and a gallon of the prepared oil about 3s.; so that each
sheet costs a fraction of a halfpenny. This does not include
the cost of manufacture, which would slightly increase the ex-
pense.

2. Its transparency. — When applied over the dressings of a
stump, or any cut surface, when hemorrhage may be feared, the
danger can be seen at once, and obviated.

3. Its lightness. — It adds little to the weight of dressings,
and it can cause little or no pressure on a tender surface. It is
particularly useful in this respect for covering large burnt sur-
faces.

4. It extreme adaptability. — It can be applied with great
niceness to any part, so as to give rise to little or no inconveni-
ence. When applied in any particular way, it retains the form
impressed upon it.

5. It can be torn easily in any direction In this respect it

contrasts favorably with oiled silk and gutta-percha.

6. It can be made of any required strength by folding it one,
two, three, or more times, without becoming inconveniently
thick.

7. It possesses a certain amount of adhesiveness, which is in-
creased by the heat of the body, and thereby more effectually
prevents evaporation from wet applications. — Pharmaceutical
Journal and Transactions, Feb., 1859.

RELATION BETWEEN FERMENTATION AND
CRYSTALLIZATION.

In 1854, Mr. Schroeder, in connexion with Mr. Dusch, pub-
lished a paper on fermentation and putrefaction, and showed
that putrescent and fermentable substances could be indefinitely

18

274 NEW PROCESS FOR PURE RESIN OF SCAMMONY.

preserved, if instead of leaving such matter in common air, they
were placed in vases filled with air that had been filtered through
cotton. Flesh, soup, and all kinds of alimentary substances can
thus be preserved, if the precaution has been taken previously
to boil them in water.

Mr. Schroeder shows that what he has established concerning
fermentation and putrefaction, is aho true of crystallization. It
is well known that a saturated solution of sulphate of soda re-
mains liquid as long as it is in vacuo, but solidifies on access of
air. Mr. Schroeder establishes the fact that crystallization does
not take place if the air is made to pass through a tube filled
with cotton.*

Mr. S. explained the results of his experiments in 1854 by
supposing that the air filtered through cotton is deprived of the
spores of cryptogamic infusoria, which are the cause of putres-
ence and fermentation. If the experiment on the sulphate of
soda tends to establish a relation between fermentation and
crystallization, it serves to prove also that these phenomena can
take place without the presence of these cryptogamia or infusorial
germs, suspended in unfiltered air. This question which appear-
ed to us finished by the earlier researches of Mr. Schroeder
comes up anew. These facts do not interfere with the mechani-
cal theory of Liebig, nor that derived from the recent researches

of Pasteur on the propagation of fermentation The American

Journal of Science and Arts, January, 1859.

REPORT ON THE ACTION OF WILLIAM McANDREW AND
SON'S SCAMMONY.

BY A. B. GARROD, M,D., F.R.S., F.R,C.P.,

ProfeBSior of Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Clinical Medicine at University College, Physician
tu University College Hospital.

Every physician in the habit of prescribing scammony, either
singly, or in combination with other purgatives, must have been
struck with the uncertainty of its action, and of its liability at

* Journal de Pharmacie and de Chemie, 1854, T. xxv., p. 314.

NEW PROCESS FOR PURE RESIN OF SCAMMONY. 275

one lime to produce hyper-catharsis, and at another to prove
almost inoperative. This uncertainty of action is chiefly due to
the great difference in the quality of the drug, and chemical
analysis has shown that the resinous matter, to which its activity
is due, is most varying in quantity in different samples, being
occasionally as high as 86 per cent., sometimes even as low as
5. It is also a well known fact that in the country from whence
it is generally procured, no little ingenuity is exercised by those
engaged in its collection, in seeking different means whereby it
can be adulterated, and chalk, flour, gypsum, gummy and resin-
ous exudations from other plants, besides coarser mechanical
impurities, are often contained in it in varying quantities.

To avoid this liability to adulteration, and to ensure the
employment of a uniform and pure drug, it has been proposed
by Mr. Clark, of Sockia, in Asia Minor, to Dr. Williamson, that
the roots of the Convolvulus Seammonia, instead of being tapped,
as in the ordinary process of obtaining scammony, should be
dug up, and the drug afterwards obtained by treatment of the
dried root with alcohol, according to a process already made
public. The physical qualities of scammony thus prepared differ
considerably from that usually seen in commerce, and from
virgin scammony, being non-porous, not producing a lather when
rubbed with water, and, instead of possessing a musty or sour
cheese-like odor, having an aromatic and fruity smell, exactly
resembling the dried untapped root. In appearance, when in
thin layers, it much resembles the scammony which is occasion-
ally seen in the small shells (and regarded as the purest form of
scammony), being transparent, and of a yellow color. In com-
position it is very rich in resin, being almost entirely composed
of this matter in the state of a resinous acid. At different
periods during the last two years, I have put the drug prepared
by Messrs. William McAndrew and Sons' to a full and severe
trial, comparing it, not only with the ordinary scammony found
in the hospital, the origin of which was unknown, but also with
that sold at Messrs. Bell and Co.'s establishment, and with a
drug named "best virgin scammony," and supplied by Messrs.
Horner and Son, and I will now proceed to give a short account
of the results I have obtained.

276

NEW PROCESS FOR PURE RESIN OF SCAMMONY.

The first few were made with a small specimen sent me three
years ago, and in a note written at that time to Dr. Williamson,
the conclusions I arrived at are thus summed up: — » 1 have
made trial of your scammony as far as the small specimen sent
me allowed, and have found it much stronger than the ordinary
scammony of the hospital, which, perhaps, may be regarded as
,of average quality. Ten grains of the latter produced in one
patient no effect, whereas the same amount of yours caused a
free action of the bowels ; the patient was subject to constipa-
tion. In other cases four grains acted moderately. To ascer-
tain, however, the real value of the drug requires much more
experience in its effect than the amount in my possession enabled
me to obtain."

After this time, in 1857, I made the following trials ; but,
prior to giving the results, I should remark that some caution is
necessary in drawing conclusions, not only upon the action of
this, but of all other purgatives, as much depends upon the
peculiarity of the individual to whom they are administered and
the condition of the patient at the time, and from the results of
one or even more observations the deductions cannot be depended
upon. To avoid these sources of error, I have always, when
practicable, administered the different kinds of scammony to the
same patient, and also frequently alternated their employment.
At first, the new scammony was tested with that obtained from
Messrs. Bell and Co., and each was given in the form of pills
made with the simple drug ; the details of the effects are given
in Table 1, Appendix.*

It will be observed that twenty-five trials were made, fifteen
with the new scammony, and ten with Messrs. Bell's, and the
results are, if anything, in favor of the new scammony being
somewhat the stronger of the two ; most of the observations
are comparative, or made with the same doses and upon the
same patients, but some few were made on single cases.

The next results were obtained also in 1857 from the new

*[The tables referred to in this paper have been omitted because of their
great length, and because they are less interesting to the apothecary than
to the physician. — Ed. Am. Jour. Pharm.]

*

NEW PROCESS FOR PURE RESIN OF SCAMMONY. 27T

scammony given as mistura scammonii, ten grains being rubbed
up and suspended by means of compound tragacanth powder in
each ounce of water. Of this mixture ten or eleven fluiddrachms
were administrated to several patients, with the effects seen in
Table 2, which are sufficient to enable us to conclude that it is a
most powerful cathartic, in one instance producing as many as
twenty-five actions on the bowels, although the same amount in
other cases caused but moderate effect. Its operation was fre-
quently attended with nausea and griping, which shows that
scammony in its simple form is not so well suited for administra-
tion as when combined with other purgatives. Experience has
long proved this to be the case, and in practice the fact is almost
universally acknowledged and acted upon.

In November and December of 1858 I again took up the
subject, and made a rather extensive series of trials with the
new scammony, comparing its action with that of a specimen
sent specially for the purpose by Messrs. Horner and Son? and
called best virgin scammony. The drugs were given in the form
of pills, and in ten-grain doses to each patient, and the effects
are detailed in Table 3 (A and B). Thirty trials were made,
the majority comparative, but a certain number on separate
patients. From a review of the contents of the table it will be
evident that the new scammony is at least equal to the virgin
scammony as a purgative.

Table 4 Exhibits a series of comparative and other trials

made with the same kinds of scammony administered in a fluid
form, or rather in the state of suspension, as mistura scammonii,
and here again the new scammony shows itself quite equal to
the virgin variety.

It next became a subject of interest to know the effect of the
new scammony when given in combination with other purgatives,
and the compound colocynth pill of the present London Pharma-
copoeia was selected as the form to be employed. Two quan-
tities were made up with the same aloes, the same simple extract
of colocynth, &c, the only difference being this — that in one the
new scammony was introduced, in the other the same quantity
of Horner's virgin scammony, and the pills were administered
in ten-grain doses to each patient. Twenty-six trials were made,

278 NEW PROCESS FOR PURE RESIN OF SCAMMONY.

and are detailed in Table 5, and the results appear somewhat in
favor of the new scammony, and there can be no doubt of its
being at least equal, when in combination, to the best virgin
scammony.

In Table 6, the results of some comparative trials made with
Horner's scammony and the resin obtained from the same by
means of ether, are given, and it will be there observed that the
scammony made use of in many of my observations was one
whose quality cannot be doubted, seeing that it yielded 86 per
cent, of resin soluble in ether, whereas the London and Edin-
burgh Colleges only demand that 78 and 80 per cent, of resin
should be present. No great difference could be discovered be-
tween the two drugs, but this fact I do not think difficult to ex-
plain, as only a difference of 14 per cent, of resin existed, and,
unless the trials were very numerous, this would be unable to be
detected. I think it would be more easy to do so when the scam-
mony is given in combination, than when administered alone.

From these numerous observations, one hundred and twenty
in number, together with many others which have not been tabu-
lated, I am quite convinced that the scammony prepared by the
new process from the untapped root is quite equal, as a remedy,
to the very best virgin scammony met with in commerce,
and equal, in fact, to the resin which is extracted from com-
mercial scammony by means of ether ; and it possesses this
most important advantage over the scammony of commerce,
namely, of being entirely free from the frauds which are almost
constantly practised upon it in the country where the plant
grows, and in which it has hitherto been collected, and, there-
fore, being perfectly uniform in its physical characters, compo-
sition, and therapeutic action. There can, therefore, be no
objection, but, on the other hand, manifest advantage, in em-
ploying it in the place of the scammony commonly met with. —
London Pharm. Journal, March, 1859.

VARIETIES.

279

I) a t i c t i e s ♦

Preservation of Photographic Proofs on Paper. By M. Gaudinet. — The
author was led to this process, not by chance, but by an attentive examina-
tion of what was produced in effaced proofs, in which the design was not
destroyed, but only disguised by a colored layer spread uniformly over its
surface, and, according to circumstances, either on the surface of the
paper, or on the adjacent layers. He compares the annihilation of the
image in this latter case, to what is produced when we place under a de-
sign drawn on tracing paper, a sheet of a dull color. Seeing how this
colored layer is produced in both cases, and understanding then why the
proof on paper was altered, whilst those on glass were preserved, he thought
that if Hte could succeed in rendering the paper impermeable, at the same
time retaining its color and its semi-transparency, he would have solved
the problem. For that purpose, he employed a process which he has
used since 1855 for making troughs of card-board instead of the glass or
porcelain troughs used in photography. The following is his mode of
operating : —

" I dissolve/' he says, " a certain quantity of gutta percha of commerce
in benzine Colas ; I decant at the end of a few days, so as to have only the
clear part. I plunge my paper into this solution, sheet by sheet, and re-
move it almost immediately ; then suspending it by one corner, I allow it
to dry. I afterwards take these leaves, which contain between their fibres
a sort of dust of gutta percha, but not a varnish, and I hold them one by
one, before a good fire. All the grains of gutta percha then unite and
cover entirely the fibres of the paper, forming an almost impermeable in-
ternal varnish.

" I albumenize this paper, which has lost nothing of its transparency,
(albumen 100, rain water 25, chloride of sodium 6.) I leave it to dry, and
sensitize with a solution of 15 per cent, of crystallized nitrate of silver.
I drain and dry before a gentle fire ; I take the positive proof under the
cliche as with ordinary paper, and I fix with hyposulphite of soda, of 10
or 15 per cent. ; but this operation is abridged, so that the proof is fixed
after a few minutes, as with proofs on glass, and of a very fine sepia aspect.
If we wish to strengthen with chloride of gold, it is done in the ordinary
way, nothing preventing this operation.

" The washings, instead of lasting from 12 to 24 hours, may be com-
pleted in a quarter of an hour, and the proof is of admirable transparency,
the paper, moreover, retaining all its whiteness. — London Chemist, Oct.,
1858, from Comptes Bendus, August 2, 1858.

280

MINUTES OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

Peat Gas. — Ifc is stated in the Dublin Freeman, that a village has re
cently been successfully lighted by gas made from bog-peat. More than a
year ago, John Wilson, Esq., J. P. Daramona, of Westmeath, had gas works
erected at his private residence, to light up that building, the out-offices,
farm-yards, &c. Since that time he has used no other kind of artificial
light than what was made from the turf of his locality. Within the last
four months, Mr. Wilson arranged with Mr. Johnson, the patentee of the
process employed, for the erection of a second, and more extensive appa-
ratus, in order to light with turf gas a village on his property. The gas
produced gives a pure and brilliant light. The enthusiasm of the peo-
ple, who had assembled to see the ceremony of first lighting the gas
became loudly enthusiastic ; cheers, and every possible demonstration of
gladness were vented at the success of the undertaking, and the indeli-
ble proof given of the fact, that there is something in the bogs of Ireland,
— London Chemist, Oct., 1858.

Preparation of Basic Acetate of Lead. — Prof. Rochleder states, that when
a silver vessel is used for the solution of oxide of lead in acetate of lead, the
production of the basic salt takes place much more rapidly than when it
is heated in glass, porcelain, or tinned vessels. The solution of the oxide
of lead is almost instantaneous, so that considerable quantities may be
prepared in a short time, even with a small silver vessel. — Lond. Pharm.
Journ. Sept., 1858.

The Thirty-eighth Annual Meeting of the Philadelphia College of Phar-
macy was held at the College Hall, Third Month 28th, 1859. Present 24
members. The President in the chair.

The minutes of the Semi-Annual Meeting and of the Board of Trustees
for the last six months were read.

The following Graduates in Pharmacy have been elected Resident Mem-
bers of the College by the Board.

Wm. R. Warner, George J. Scattergood,

William Evans, Jr., George C. Evans,

Edward Donnelly, M.D. , Emelius Herwig.

The following gentlemen, proposed to this meeting by the Board of
Trustees, as candidates for resident membership, were ballotted for and
duly elected.

Henry Landschutz, Peter J. Hassard.

By the Minutes of the Board, the College is informed that the degree of
Graduate in Pharmacy was conferred upon the following students of our
school, at the commencement held on the 17th inst.

MINUTES OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

281

Graduating Class.

Subject of Thesis.

... Podophyllin.

.Pa

...Abieteje — Oleum Terebinthinse.

..Pa

....Mining & smelting of Lead ores in Illinois,

.Pa

...Agathotes Chirayta.

.Va

....Proximate analysis of plants.

.Pa

....Pyrus malus.

.Pa

....Hydrastis Canadensis.

W. T. Garwood

.Pa

...The solubility of astringent extracts.

.Pa

...Acetic acid.

.Pa

... Liatris spicata.

J. Augustus Heintzelman..

. German?/.. Anagallis arvensis

.Pa

...Eryngium.

.N. J...

....Stillingia.

.Pa

...Chem. invest, of acid vegetable juices.

.Ill

...Lactucarium.

.Pa

...Thuja occidentalis.

.Pa

....Apium Petroselinum.

,N. J....

....Podophyllum peltatum.

..Pa

. . . . Hydrargyri Iodidum.

..Pa

... Helianthemum Canadense.

..Pa

... Hyoscyamia.

The Latin Label Committee reported that they have recently published
a new edition of the book of Bronzed Labels for shop furniture, and pro-
pose to issue shortly a book of small labels, with , Synonyms, Symbolic
Formulae, &c. including materia medica, pharmaceutical and chemical
labels, adapted to Cabinets of Specimens.

The report of the Treasurer of this Committee showed a balance of avail-
able funds, from which, on motion, an appropriation was made to the
Sinking Fund.

The Committee on the Sinking Fund made a report, showing a balance
of $57.07 in their hands, after payirg for the repairs3 insurance, &c,
directed by the College.

The Annual Report of the Publication Committee was read and approved
as follows :

" The Publishing Committee report that the Journal has been regularly
issued during the past year. The number of subscribers has been gradu-
ally increasing since last report. It has been the endeavor of the Editor,
during several years past, to confine the topics of the Journal to subjects
strictly professional, except in a few instances, and much matter relating
to theoretical and analytical chemistry, which finds a place in European
Journals of Pharmacy, has been excluded, in order to devote more space
to articles of practical value and general interest.

The annexed statement of the Treasurer of the Committee exhibits a
favorable condition of its finances.

282

MINUTES OF THE COLLEGE OF PHARMACY.

The occasional demand for sets of back volumes has raised the question
whether it will not be advisable to republish several numbers now out of
print, and thus enable the Committee to dispose of the considerable num-
ber of volumes rendered incomplete, as a set, owing to this cause."

, Signed on behalf of the Committee.

Communications were received from William P. Troth and Robert Shoe-
maker, resigning their membership in the College. They were accepted.

On motion, a committee of four was ordered, to propose to the next
meeting an amendment to the laws of the College, providing for the re-
lease of the older members from the annual contributions. Daniel S.
Jones, Ambrose Smith, Thomas P. James, and S. F. Troth, were appointed
to the service.

Frederick Klett, having retired from the drug business, and having
aided in the support of the College for 38 years, the entire period since its
establishment, it was, on motion of S. F. Troth, unanimously resolved, that
his annual contributions be remitted in advance as long as he shall con-
tinue a member.

The following preamble and resolutions, offered by Prof. Procter, were
unanimously adopted.

Whereas, The period for the decennial revision of the U. S. Phar-
macopoeia has nearly arrived, (the National Convention for that purpose
convening in May, 1860); and whereas, this College is one of the pharma-
ceutical bodies, lawfully entitled to send three delegates to that conven-
tion ; and whereas, each body thus represented is invited and expected to
" submit the Pharmacopoeia to a careful revision, and transmit the results
of their labors, through their delegates

Therefore be it Resolved,

1st. That a Revising Committee of ten members, with power to add to
their number and fill vacancies, be appointed to execute the work and re-
port at the next Annual Meeting, in a form suitable for transmission to
the National Convention.

2d. That this Committee shall possess the power to draw on the Trea-
surer for such funds, not exceeding twenty dollars, as shall be needful to
carry out the object of their appointment.

3d. That three delegates be appointed in September next, to represent
this College at Washington.

The chair appointed the following members to be the Pharmacopoeia!
Committee.

Wm. Procter, Jr., Chairman. Ambrose Smith,
T. S. Wiegand, Edward Parrish,

S. S. Garrigues, A. B. Taylor,

Wilson H. Pile, Charles Bullock,

Jas. T. Shinn, Wm. R. Warner.

The annual election for officers was now ordered. J C. Savery and J.
T. Shinn, acted as tellers.

MEDICAL PHARMACOPOEIA CONVENTION.

283

They reported the followiDg election :
President. — Charles Ellis.
1st Vice-President.— Samuel F. Troth.
2c? Vice-President. — Dillwyn Parrish.
Treasurer. — Ambrose Smith.
Recording Secretary. — Edward Parrish.
Corresponding Secretary. — Wm. Procter, Jr.
Eight Trustees, to Jill the vacancies occurring at this date.
Robert Bridges, T. S. Wiegand,

F. C. Hill, S. S. Bunting,

J. C. Savery, D. S. Jones,

T. P. James, T. Morris Perot.

Publishing Committee.
Charles Ellis, Dr. R. Bridges,

A. B. Taylor, Edward Parrish.

"Wm. Procter, Jr.
Committee on Sinking Fund.
S. F. Troth, E. Parrish.

Ambrose Smith.
Delegates to the American Pharmaceutical Association.
Charles Ellis, T. P. James,

Wilson H. Pile, Charles Bullock,

Daniel S Jones.

Then adjourned.

Edward Parrish, Secretary.

MEDICAL CONVENTION

FOR

REVISING TOE PIIARUf ACOPCEIA OF THE U. STATES,

The Medical Convention for revising the Pharmacopoeia, which met at
Washington, in May, 1850, provided for assembling a Convention for the
same purpose, in the year 1860, by the following resolutions : —

" 1. The President of this Convention shall, on the first day of May, 1859,
issue a notice requesting the several incorporated State Medical Societies,
the incorporated Medical Colleges, the incorporated Colleges of Physicians
and Surgeons, and the incorporated Colleges of Pharmacy, throughout the
United States, to elect a number of delegates, not exceeding three, to attend
a general Convention, to be held at Washington, on the first Wednesday
in May, 1860.

"2. The several incorporated bodies thus addressed, shall also be re^
quested by the President to submit the Pharmacopoeia to a careful revision,

284

EDITORIAL.

and to transmit the result of their labors, through their delegates, or
through any other channel, to the next Convention.

"3. The several Medical and Pharmaceutical bodies shall be further re-
quested to transmit to the President of this Convention, the names and
residences of their respective delegates, as soon as they shall have been ap-
pointed, a list of whom shall be published under his authority, for the in-
formation of the medical public, in the newspapers and medical journals,
in the month of March, I860."

In accordance with the above resolutions, the undersigned hereby
requests the several bodies mentioned to appoint delegates, not exceeding
three in number, to represent them in a Convention for revising the
Pharmacopoeia of the United States, to meet at Washington, on the first
Wednesday in May, I860 ; and would also call the attention of these bodies
to the second and third resolutions, and request compliance with the sug-
gestions therein contained.

GEO. B. WOOD,
President of the Convention of 1860.

Philadelphia, May 1st, 1859.

N. B. — Medical and Pharmaceutical Journals will please copy the above
notice.

iSbitorial Department.

Library and Cabinet of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. —
Those of our readers who are interested more immediately in the College,
will be pleased to learn that the Library Committee have been exerting
themselves during several months past, since the provision of additional
case room for books, and by purchase and donations have increased the
library quite considerably, as will be observed by their report at page 289.
We take advantage of the opportunity to suggest to the members and others
interested, that they examine their collections, and see if there be not some
volumes appropriate for the College Library, that they do not wish to retain,
and which they are willing to donate to the Institution. Any member of
the Library Committee, if notified, will send for books which may be pre-
sented. The Committee have also prepared a catalogue of the books be-
longing to the library which is published with this number, in addition to
the regular number of pages, and which will enable members to know
what books are already in the collection. .

The Committee on the Cabinet are about to prepare bottles for the recep-
tion of specimens in the cases recently appropriated for the purpose of
extending the Museum, and they desire to give information to the members
and others friendly to the Institution, that they will be happy to receive

EDITORIAL.

285

donations of specimens in Materia Medica, Chemistry and Pharmacy, to
add to such as may be procured by the appropriation to the Committee.

Hypophosphite of Quinia. — Prof. J. Lawrence Smith, in a letter to the
Editor, dated Louisville, April 20th, 1859, informs us that he has made a
new salt of quinia, the hypophosphite, which he had brought to the notice
of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of that place, and recom-
mended its use in those cases of phthisis, scrofula, cachexy, &c, where the
sulphate of quinia is now used. It is soluble in 60 parts of water at 60°
F., is extremely light and feathery, like acetate of quinia, and decidedly
bitter. Prof. Smith is studying its chemical history, which he promises
to send to us when completed.

The London Chemist. — We are informed that this useful journal has
been discontinued. This is greatly to be regretted, as some of our most
valuable selections have been derived from its pages. If true, we hope its
suspension is only temporary.

The American Dispensatory. By John King, M. D., Prof, of Obstetrics,
&c, in the Eclectic Medical College, &c. &c. Fifth edition, revised and
enlarged from " the American Eclectic Dispensatory." Cincinnati,
Moore, Wilstach, Keys & Co., 1859, pp. 1475, octavo.
The volume, of which the above is the present title page, is a new edi-
tion of the American Eclectic Dispensatory which was noticed at page 567,
1854, of this Journal, and the same book upon which an injunction
was laid by the authors of the United States Dispensatory for its extensive
plagiarisms. It became necessary to rewrite the work in such parts as
were affected by the injunction, after the matter was compromised, and this
book is the result of the labor. The ponderous character of the volume
renders a notice of it based on an examination of its contents so formidable
a task, that we have been compelled, for want of the necessary time, to
give only a general notice of the first portion of the work, leaving for the
future any criticisms which may be suggested by the further examination
of the pharmaceutical portion and appendix, and a closer view of the
chapters on Materia Medica.

In comparing it with the previous edition, the reader is struck with the
absence of the voluminous chapter on the natural orders of plants, much
more appropriate to a work on botany, and well omitted. Part I, on
Materia Medica, comprises 970 pages, and describes the organic and
mineral substances recognized as useful by the Eclectic practitioners. In
treating of the Materia Medica, the arrangement is alphabetical, but as the
U. S. Pharmacopoeia is not recognized as an authority, drugs are placed
in the order of their botanical or scientific names. In the absence of any
recognized pharmacopoeial authority, perhaps no better arrangement could

286

EDITORIAL.

have been adopted. In describing each drug, after its botanical characters,
its history is noticed, which is made to include* the habits, geographical
distribution and chemical characters of the plant. Under the head of pro-
perties and uses, the medical properties and applications of drugs are
described, with their doses. All the saline and other inorganic substances
recognized in Eclectic practice are arranged under their ordinary Latin
chemical names, as Argenti Nitras, Cupri Sulphas, Plurnbi Acetas, &c. In
the previous edition, the author had made free use of the papers on Ameri-
can plants, published in the American Journal of Pharmacy and other
original sources, without, except in a few instances, giving credit to their
authors, a species of injustice against which we protested in our former
notice. We are pleased to observe that in the present edition this fault
has in great measure been corrected. In reading over a number of chapters
there is an irregularity observable in the treatment of subjects which must
be attributed to the imperfect digestion which the subject matter has under-
gone in the mind of the compiler; and, indeed, the abundant quotations
from standard works, and occasionally their want of fitness in position,
render it apparent that in many instances, the labor has been rather of
the scissors than the brain. It follows, therefore, that in such portions of
the work, Dr. King ceases to be an authority in Materia Medica. A com-
pilation must be something more than a collection of quotations to be an
authority. It must be a collection of facts that have been carefully collated
and compared, and when of doubtful value, the judgment of the compiler
must come in to the assistance of the reader. We admire the perseverance
and industry with which Dr. King has met his difficulties, albeit they were
of his own procuring ; we esteem this portion of his book as a great im-
provement on others of Eclectic origin that have come under our notice ;
and he certainly is Eclectic in his sense of the word, in seeking facts from
various sources to swell his volume, yet he cannot be considered as a master
in science. There are few persons well qualified for the task of writing a
work on Materia Medica. It is a great mistake to look upon a Dispensa-
tory as a mere compilation in the ordinary sense of that term. The author
of such a work must be a botanist in something more than reading, and
he must be acquainted, to some extent, with zoology and mineralogy, else
he will be constantly at the mercy of imperfect observers by being unable
to correct their errors or get at the truth by comparison. He must be a
druggist in the sense of a practical acquaintance with drugs, else he can-
not describe them from the commercial stand-point; he must be a pharma-
ceutist, practically familiar with the processes of the Pharmacopoeias, and
with the action of menstruua and the reactions of organic matter occurring
in them ; and above all, he must be a chemist, theoretically and practically:
chemistry is the touchstone by which he is to satisfy himself in regard to
species and varieties, to draw distinctions where botany fails to lend her
aid, and to satisfy himself of the value of the numerous observations daily
offered in the Journals; and lastly, the author of a Dispensatory must be

EDITORIAL.

287

a practical therapeutist, familiar with the physiological action of medicines,
and with the principles on which their curative action is based when they
are administered to the sick.

Judged by these rules, " The American Dispensatory," it is believed,
will be found wanting : the deficiencies arise chiefly from the lack of prac-
tical science ; the author has the energy, the perseverance, the ambition
and the materials requisite to the structure he has sought to raise, but he
has not had the training in scientific observation, nor dipped sufficiently
deep into the source-springs of knowledge, to become as yet a master work-
man. We say this in no unkind spirit ; on the contrary, we believe Dr.
King's work, as a collection of facts bearing on the American Materia
Medica, possesses very considerable value, and is full of useful hints for inves-
tigation. We have heard it objected that the therapeutical portion of the
work is more a detail of experience in cures by the several agents than a
lucid expose of the medical properties and modes of action of those
agents, but this mode of presenting the subject may be intentional, and
suited to the practitioners to whom it is more specially addressed. We
have given a pretty thorough glance over the first portion of the book, and
have found much to interest us, numerous instances where pruning would
be useful, and some errors incident to hasty compilation or to misappre-
hension of the meaning of authors. We have made notes of these, and
propose in a future number to give some account of the pharmaceutical
portion. Meanwhile, we feel no hesitation in saying that this work contains
much that is useful to apothecaries as well as physicians. It is well printed
on good paper, and may be had at Armstrong's, 722 Market st.

Journal and Transactions of the Maryland College of Pharmacy, published
by authority of the College, under the supervision of a Publishing Com-
mittee, consisting of G. W Andrews, W. S. Thompson, Charles Caspari,
J. Jacob Smith and Alphaeus P. Sharp. Edited by W. S. Thompson.
New Series. March, 1859. Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 48, octavo.
Our Baltimore cotemporary, after the experience of last year as a gratui-
tous issue, has come out and joined the body of regular Pharmaceutical
Journals as a Quarterly of 48 pages. She is welcomed right heartily, and
with so fair a beginning, it will be safe to augur for her a successful future.
The tone of the Maryland Journal is of the true kind, and with a corps of
earnest workers to support her, until the radicles of her influence extend
into the soil of the profession, so as to draw sustenance from beyond the
College precincts, she will be safely established.

Trials of a Public Benefactor, as illustrated in the discovery of Etheriza-
tion. By Nathan P. Rice, M.D. New York, Pudney & Russell, 1859,
pp. 460, 12m \

This book, written by a medical friend of Dr. W. T. G. Morton, of
Boston, from documents and information supplied by the latter, gives a

288

EDITORIAL.

detailed account of the life of Dr. Morton, of the incipient steps in his
discovery of etherization, and of those subsequent occurrences bearing on
the various attempts to get an award from Congress for the discovery, as a
great public benefit, in which the acts of the rival claimant, Dr. C. T. Jack-
son, of Boston, are fully discussed and exposed. The mass of testimony
of a documentary character is so great, and the eminent names favorable to
Dr. Morton's claims so numerous, that one is almost irresistibly compelled
to acknowledge that the agency of Dr. Morton in the matter of the dis-
covery of the application of etherization, as a pain-relieving agent in sur-
gical operations, and in making it a practical reality by his bold experi-
ments, is beyond a doubt, and it is this which constitutes the greatness
of the discovery. It is to be regretted that so much difficulty has occurred
in establishing the truth in regard to this discovery. Probably if Dr.
Morton had been less inclined to reap the pecuniary reward of his discovery
by seeking a patent, and thrown himself at once on the magnanimity of the
profession and the world, his claim would have been acknowledged without
opposition.

The Druggist, a monthly newspaper for the trade. Cincinnati, April, 1859,
vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 16 quarto.
The above is the caption of a new pharmaceutical monthly, after the
style of the Druggist's Circular, received just as we were closing our last
page. It is edited by Henry E. Foote, M. D., who, in his introductory re-
marks, refers to an able corps of contributors. Among these, we doubt
not, that our friend E. S. Wayne will occupy a prominent position, as in
the first number we find two articles from his pen. Our Cincinnati friends
now have a medium throngh which to give expression to the suggestions
and discoveries that have been so long accumulating within their borders,
and we hope to hear that their College, stimulated by the influence thus
created, will arouse from her lethargy, and like that at Baltimore, com-
mence a new era in her history. The subscription price of " The Drug-
gist " is one dollar, and we cheerfully place it on our list of exchanges.

OBITUARY.

Prof. William Tully. — This distinguished physician and pharmacologist,
formerly of Yale College, so long known for the extent and varied character
of his medical acquirements, and especially for his intimate acquaintance
with our indigenous Materia Medica, died on the 28th of February, at
Springfield, Massachusetts.

M. J. L. Lassaigne. — With the Journal de Chimie Medicate for April
comes the announcement of the decease of one of its original editors, M
Lassaigne. He has long been a teacher of Chemistry, and for thirty years
a contributor to the Journal de Pharmacie, which is interspersed with his
numerous discoveries and observations, rmong which was the discovery of
Delphinia.

REPORT OF THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE,

AND

CATALOGUE OF BOOKS

IN THE

Library of the Philadelphia College off* Pharmacy,

Agreeably to the By-Laws of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia
College of Pharmacy, the Committee on the Library

KEPOET,

That they have been industriously engaged in having the new cases for
Books completed, and have classified, arranged and made out a new Cata-
logue of all the books belonging to the College Library, intending, with
the approbation of the Board, to have it published in the next number of
the Journal. This Catalogue embraces the donations to the Library since
this time last year, as follows :

From Dr. S. W. Mitchell, being a valuable donation from the Library of
his deceased father Dr. J. K. Mitchell of - 100 volumes.

it

Dr. Robert Bridges,

4

ti

Alfred B. Taylor,

10

ti

Dr. Wilson H. Pile,

5

a

Edward Parrish,

7

ti

Samuel S. Garrigues

, 8

it

Thomas P. James,

21

Samuel N. Jame*-',

30

ti

Samuel F. Troth,

33

it

The Secretary of the

Commonwealth of Penna., by di-

rection of Governor Wm. F. Packer, - - 29 "

Also 2 Geological Maps of the State.
Making togother 247 volumes. These liberal donations have stimulated'
your Committee, and induced them to issue a Circular, asking the friends
of our Institution for still further contributions.

19

290

CATALOGUE.

Library of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.

CIRCULAR.

More than twenty years ago the College of Pharmacy commenced the
formation of a library for the use of its members and their apprentices,
when by the liberality of some of the early friends of the Institution, and
a small appropriation from the College, about 500 volumes were collected ;
soon after this effort the College procured a lot on ground rent, and erected
their present Hall on Filbert street above 7th. This large expenditure has
prevented the College from doing any thing more for the Library except
to bind periodicals taken in exchange for our Journal, until the past year ;
when finding ourselves entirely clear of the debt incurred in building the
Hall ; and our School of Pharmacy, for which the building was mainly
erected to accommodate and promote, being in a very prosperous condition,
we have come to the conclusion that the next most important object to
promote the interest of our profession is the building up of our Library,
and extending its usefulness, by collecting together everything we can
procure in relation to the early as well as present history of Pharmacy and
its collateral branches ; and as the means of the College are still small, we
earnestly request from our members, and others interested in the pros-
perity of our useful Institution, such books as they may be willing to spare
from their own collections, which will be thankfully received and placed
in our new cases recently prepared for that purpose.
Respectfully,
Samuel F. Troth, No. 630 Market street. "J
William Procter, Jr., cor. of 9th and Lombard. Committee
Edward Parrish, corner of 8th and Arch. I on

Samuel N. James, No. 630 Market street. j Library*

Samuel S. Garrigues, No. 108 N. 5th street. J
Philada., Zd mo. 7th, 1859.

* A few lines per Blood's Dispatch, informing either of the above mentioned
Committee when and where to send for books, will be promptly attended to.

CATALOGUE OF BOOKS

BELONGING TO THE

Ifcrtj of % ^jjtlabelplria College of ^fjamrnnj.

Chemistry, &c.

Accum, F., 434, 437. System of Chemistry, 4 vols., Philadelphia, 1814.
Aikins, A. C. R., 80, 81. Chemical Dictionary, 2 vols., London, 1807.
Anderson, J., 648. Essay on Lime as a manure. Boston, 1799.

Barns, J., 671. Chemical Pocket Book. London, 1844.
Banme, P. M., 645. Manuel de Chymie. Paris, 1765.
Beche, H. T., 538. A Geological Manual. London, 1831.
Bergman, T., 439. Elective Attractions. London, 1785.
Bertholet, C. L., 438. Laws of Chemical Affinity. London, 1804.

11 " 661. do. Baltimore, 1809.

44 " 491. Researches of Chemical Affinity. London, 1804.
Bird, G., 505. Urinary Deposits. Philadelphia, 1845.
Black, J., 487, 489. Elements of Chemistry, 3 vols., Philadelphia, 1807.
Bowman, J. E., 545. Handbook of Medical Chemistry. Philada., 1850.
Brand, C. P., 646. Manuel du Mineralogiste. Paris, 1805.
Brande, W. T., 448, 450. Manual of Chemistry, 3 vols., London, 1821.
Bridges, R., 547. Elements of Inorganic Chemistry. Philada., 1858.
Brisson, M. J., 659. Elementaires des Minerales. Paris, 1797.
Brande, W. T., 469. Manual of Chemistry. New York, 1821.

Chaptal, M. J. A., 533, 535. Elements of Chemistry, 3 vols., London, 1795.
" 44 536. do. Boston, 1806.

" " 537. do. Philadelphia, 1796.

44 " 539, 542. Chemistry applied to the Arts, 4 v., London, 1807.

Cleaveland, P., 409. Mineralogy and Geology. Boston, 1822.
Cooper, A., 650. Cabinet Cyclopedia of Chemistry. London, 1832.

44 651, 652. " " Iron and Steel, 2 vols., " 1833.

44 653. 44 44 Tin, Lead, Copper, &c, 44 1834.

" 654. 44 44 On Optics, 4 4 1831.

44 655. 44 4 4 Porcelain and Glass, 44 1832.

4 4 656. 4 4 44 Natural Philosophy, 44 1833.

44 657. 44 44 Outlines of History, 44 1830.

44 665. 44 44 Domestic Distiller. London, 1326,

Cotting, J. R., 662. Introduction to Chemistry. Boston, 1822.
Cox, J. R., 464. Practical Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1818.
Cullen, E., 495, 496. Chemical Essays, 2 vols., London, 1784.
Cuvier, M., 423. Theory of the Earth. New York, 1818.

Dana, J. F., 424. Chemical Philosophy. Concord, 1825.
Davy, H., 442. Elements of Chemical Philosophy. London, 1812,
44 482. Chemical Philosophy. Philadelphia, 1812.

Eaton, A., 427. Geological Text Book. Albany, 1830.

Faraday, M., 500. Chemical Manipulations. Philadelphia, 1831.

Fulham, M., 663. An Essay on Combustion. Philadelphia, 1810.

Foster, T., 430. Atmospheric Phenomena. London, 1823.

Fourcroy, M. de, 498, 499. Natural History of Chemistry, 2 v., Edinburg, 178D.

292

CATALOGUE.

Graham, J., 501, 502. Chemical Science, 2 vols., Boston, 1819.
Gray & Porter, 497. Operative Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1830.
Griffith, T., 548. Chemistry of the Four Seasons. Philadelphia, 1846.
Goulard, 664. Preparations of Lead. London, 1770.

Hare, R., 425. Compendium of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1827.
Henry, W., 443. " " " " 1828.

" " 420, 421. Elements of Experimental Chemistry, 2 v. London, 1818.

" " 465,468. Elements of Chemistry, 4 vols., Philadelphia, 1822.
Hoblyn, R. D., 544. Manual of Chemistry. New York, 1846.
Hopson, C. R., 63. General System of Chemistry. London, 1789.

Jacob, W., 408. Inquiry on Precious Metals. Philadelphia, 1832.
Jameson, R., 492, 494. A System of Mineralogy, 3 vols., Edinburgh, 1816.
Johnson, J. F., 550, 551. Chemistry of Common Life, 2 v., New York, 1859.
Johnson, W. B., 461, 463. History of Animal Chemistry, 3 v., London, 1803.
Joyce, J., 669, 670. Dialogues on Chemistry, 2 vols., New York, 1818.

Kane, R. 400. Elements of Chemistry. New York, 1842.
Kirwan, R., 476. Analysis of Mineral Waters. London, 1799.
Klaproth, M. H., 460. Essays on Mineral Chemistry. London, 1801.

Lavoisier, 451. Elements of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1799.
Lincoln, A. H., 647. Dictionary of Chemistry. New York, 1830.

Macculloch, J., 411, 412. A System of Geology, 2 vols., London, 1831.

Mawe, J., 658. Descriptive Catalogue of Chemistry. London, 1826.

Mead, W., 444. An Enquiry into Mineral Waters. Philada., 1817.

Metcalf, S. L., 426. Terrestrial Magnetism. New York, 1833.

Morfit, C, 504. Chemical and Pharmaceutical Manipulations, Philada., 1849.

MoselejT, B., 481. A Treatise on Sugar. London, 1800.

Murray, J., 422. Elements of Chemistry. Edinburgh, 1828.

Newman, C, 98. Chemical Works. London, 1759.

Newton, J. H., 530. The Chemist. London, 1846.

Nicholson, W., 470. First Principles of Chemistry. London, 1740.

Otto, F. J., 549. Detection of Poisons. New York, 1857.

Paris, J. A., 483, 485. Medical Jurisprudence, 3 vols., 1823.
Parkes, S., 479, 480. Chemical Essays, 2 vols., London, 1823.

" 668. Rudiments of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1823.
Phillips, W., 472. An Elementary Introduction to Mineralogy. London, 1823.

Renivic, J., 407. Treatise on Steam Engines. New York, 1839.
Renwick, J., 666. Principles of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1840.
Rumford, Count, 473, 474. Essays on Heat, &c, 2 vols., Boston, 1798.

Shaw, P., 471. A Practice of Physic. London, 1726.
Smith, D. B., 552. Principles of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1842.
Sowerby, 401. Mineralogy, Iron. London.
402. " Fluor to Garnet. "

" 403. " Garnet to Coal. "

" 404. " Gold to Lead.

" 405. " Soda, Barytes, Strontian, &c. "

" 406. " Tin, Rocks, &o. "

St, John, J., 475. Chemical Nomenclature. London, 1788.
Stockhardt, J. A., 543. Principles of Chemistry. Boston, 1854.

Thompson, T., 415, 418. A System of Chemistry, 4 vols., Philada., 1818
452, 458. do. 6 vols., London, 1817.

Turner, E., 546. Elements of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1835.
" 660. do. Philadelphia, 1828.

CATALOGUE.

293

Ure, A., 410. A System of Geology. Boston, 1822.

" 440,441. A Dictionary of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1827.
532. do. " 1821.

Vanuxem, L., 428. Ultimate Principles of Chemistry. Philada., 1827.

Watt, J. & C, 531. The Chemist. London, 1856.

Webster, J. W., 459. A Manual of Chemistry. Boston, 1828.

Williams, J., 446, 447. History of the Mineral Kingdom, 2 v., Edinburg, 1810.

Wilson, B., "478, Phosphori, and their Prismatic Colors. London, 1776.

9. A Chemical Dictionary. London, 1669.

79. A Dictionary of Chemistry. London, 1771.

97. A System of Chemistry. Philadelphia, 1791.

477. An Epitome of Electricity and Galvanism. Philada., 1809.

507, 509. Annales de Chimie et de Physique, 3 vols., Paris, 1826.

433. Bibliotheque du Chimiste. Paris, 1834.

486. Disertation on Elective Attractions. London, 1785.

419. Explanatory Dictionary of Chemistry. London, 1824.

429. Introduction to the Study of Mineralogy. 1822.

510, 529. Journal de Chimie Medicale, 20 vols., Paris, 1831-1857.

490. L'Art du Blanchiment. Paris, 1815.

667. Lecons de Physique Experimental. Paris, 1764.

413, 414. Outlines of Mineralogy, 2 vols., London, 1836.

431. Outlines of Chemical Lectures. Raleigh, 1819.

432. Traite de Chimie Appliquee aux Arts. Paris, 1835.
503. The Chemist. London, 1825.

506. The Laboratory Laid Open. London, 1758.

Materia Medica, Pharmacy, &c.

Abercrombie, J., 1123, 1125. The Gardner's Pocket Dictionary, 3 v., Lon. 1786.
Aiken, C. R., 1156. Facts Concerning Cow Pox. Charlestown, 1801.

Bacon, L., 64. Sylva Sylvarium. London, 1676.
Baillie, M., 932. Morbid Anatomy. Philadelphia, 1820.

" 1056. do. Albany, 1795.

Barton, B. S., 814, 816. Medical and Physical Journal, 3 vols. Philada., 1808.

" 891. Elements of Botany. Philadelphia, 1812.

Bates, 919. London Dispensatory. London, 1706.
Baume, M., 972. Elements de Pharmacia. Paris, 1773.
Beek, L. C, 1058. Adulterations of Medicine. New York, 1846.
Bell, B., 934, 935. Treatise on Venerial, 2 vols., Edinburg, 1797.
Bell, J., 832, 846. Pharmaceutical Journal, 11 vols., London, 1842-1856.
Bigelow, J., 74, 76. American Medical Botany, 3 vols. Boston, 1817.

" 917. Materia Medica. Boston, 1822.
Blaine, D. P., 11-55. An Essay on Hydrophobia. Philadelphia, 1818.
Boerhave, H., 1131. Medicse Domesticos. Edinburg, 1773.
Bouchardat, M., 1012, 1013. Repertoire de Pharmacie. Paris, 1856.
Brigham, A., 1079. On Epidemic Cholera. Hartford, 1832.
Buchan, G., 1146, 1151. Medicine Domestique, 6 vols., Paris, 1785.
Buchan, U., 1040. Medecine Domestique. Paris, 1789.

Caldwell, C, 966. Medical and Physical Memoirs. Philadelphia, 1801.
Carpenter, G. W., 1074. Materia Medica Essays. Philadelphia, 1834.
Carson, J., 14, 15. Medical Botany, 2 vols., Philadelphia, 1847.
Chapman, N., 800, 813. Journal of Medical and Physical Science, 14 vols.,

[Philadelphia, 1827.
" 930, 931. Theraputics and Materia Medica, 2v., Philada., 1819.

Chevallier, A., 1026, 1027. Manuel de Pharmacie, 2 vols., Paris, 1825.
Cheyne, G., 1055. Treatise on Nervous Diseases. London, 1734.

294

CATALOGUE.

Comet, Dr., 73. L'Abeille Medicale. Paris, 1854.

Coultas, H., 1135. Principles of Botany, Cryptogamia. Philada., 1853.

" 1136. Organic Life, Animals and Plants. " 1855.

" 1137. Principles of Botany. " 1854.

Cox, J. R., 898, 902. American Dispensatory, 5 vols., Ph'lada., 1810-1830.
Cullen, W., 99. Materia Medica. London, 1772.
Culpeper, N., 1121. The Physician's Library. London, 1653.

Darlington, W., 1102. Flora Cestrica. Philadelphia, 1853.

Darwin, E., 971. Laws of Organic Life. Dublin, 1794.

Dunglison, R., 1129. Formulary for the New Remedies. Philada., 1824.

Eberle, J., 923. Materia Medica. Philadelphia, 1822.

Elliott, S., 829, 830. A Sketch of Botany of S. Carolina and Georgia, 2 vols.,

[Philadelphia, 1824.

Fee, A. L. A., 945, 946. Cours de Histoire Naturelle Pharmaceutique.

[Paris, 1828.

Ferriur, J., 871. Medical Histories and Reflections. Philadelphia, 1816.
Feuchtwager, L., 1083. On Brewing, Distilling and Rectifying. N. York, 1858.

G-arrod, A. B., 1106. Essentials of Materia Medica. London, 1855.
Granville, A. B., 1134. Kissingen — its Sources and Resources. London, 1846;.
Graves, R., 1087. Pocket Conspectus. Philadelphia, 1803.
Grav, A., 1094. First Lessons in Botany. New York, 1857.
1095. Manual of Botany. New York, 1857.

" 1108. Botanical Text Book. New York, 1858.

" 1109. How Plants Grow. New York, 1858.
Guibourt, N. J., 896, 897. Histoire des Drogues, 2 vols., Paris, 1836.

" " 1097, 1100. Histoire des Drogues Simples, 4 v., Paris, 1849,

Harlan, R., 921, 922. Fauna Americana, 2 vols., Philadelphia, 1825.
Hartman, F. X., 1084. Materia Medica, &c. Lovanii, 1772.
Hedges, P., 1132. Strictures on the Materia Medica. (Goshen), 1795.
Home, E., 1078. Strictures in the Urethra, London, 1803.

Jenks, P., 933. Essay on Asiatio and African Plague. Philadelphia, 1804.
Jourdan, A. J., 944. Code Pharmaceutique. Paris, 1820.

Kaith, P., 875, 876. Physiological Botany, 2 vols., London, 1816.

Lee, J., 874. Introduction to Botany. London, 1810.
Lewis, W., 892. The New Dispensatory. London, 1799.

11 920. London Dispeusatory. London.

11 928. London and Edinburg Dispensatory. London, 1768.
Lieutand, M., 1038, 1039. Precis de la Matiere Medicale, 2 v., Paris, 1781.
Linne, C. A., 956, 965. Physicaa, Medicse, Botanicse, 10 vols., Erlangae, 1790.
Lobstein, J., 1077. On the Sympathetic Nerve. Philadelphia, 1831.

Majendie, F., 1154. Medical Formulary. New York, 1827.

Martin, T., 872. Language of Botany. London, 1807.

Mayrier, J. P., 1085. "The Anatomist's Manual. New York, 1832.

Medlock, H., 1096. Book of Nature. Philadelphia, 1858.

Merat, F. V., 947, 952. Dictionnaire Matiere Medioale, 6 vols., Paris, 1829.

Michaux, A., 831. Flora Boreali Americana. Paris, 1820.

Miller, P., 1, 4. Gardener's Dictionary, 4 vols., London, 1797.

Milne, C, 1120. Botanical Dictionary. London, 1778.

Mohr, Redwood & Procter, 882. Practical Pharmacy. Philada., 1849.

Monroe, A., 8. Works on Anatomy, &c. Edinburg, 1781.

Morelot, P. S., 894, 895. Dictionnaire des Drogues, 2 vols., Paris, 1807.

Nicholas, C, 1143, 1145. Lectures on Physiology, 3 vols., London, 1757.

CATALOGUE.

295

Paris, J. A., 924. Pharmacologia. New York, 1823.

Parrish, E., 884. Practical Pharmacy. Philadelphia, 1856.

Parr, B., 100, 101. Medical Dictionary, 2 vols., London, 1819.

Pearson, R., 889. Medical Formula. London, 1810.

Pemberton, H., 918. London Dispensatory. London, 1746.

Pereira, J., 1072, 1073. Materia Medicaand Therapeutics, 2 v., Philada., 1846.

" 1089, 1090. do. 2 v., Philada., 1854.

Piesse, S., 1104. The Art of Perfumery. Philadelphia, 1856.

Quinn, F. F., 890. Pharmacopoeia Homceopathica. London, 1834.
Quincy, J., 1081. Latin Dictionary. London, 1736.

Radcliffe, J., 970. Practical Dispensatory. London, 1721.
Ratier, T. S., 954, 955. Traite de Matiere Medicale, 2 vols., Paris, 1829.
Richardson, W., 1061. Chemical Principles of the Metallic Arts. Birming-

[ham, 1790.

Royle, J. F., 883. Materia Medica and Therapeutics. Philadelphia, 1847.
Rush, B., 1140, 1142. Effects of Ardent Spirits, 3 vols., Philadelphia, 1800.
Richard, M. A., 942, 943. Elements d'Histoire Naturelle Medicale, 2 vols.,

[Paris, 1838.

Salmon, W., 1122. The London Dispensatory. London, 1682.

" 1127. The Country Physician. London, 1703.
Say, T., 879, 881. American Entomology, 3 vols., Philadelphia, 1828.
Schleiden, M. J., 1103. Poetry of the Vegetable World. Cincinnati, 1853.
Shaw, P., 1138. Practice of Physic. London, 1726.
Skeete, T., 953. Observations on Peruvian Bark. London, 1786.

Theobold, J., 1086. Military Dispensatory. London, 1756.
Thompson, A. T., 873. Elements of Botany. London, 1822.

" " 927. London Dispensatory. London, 1822.

" " 1075. do. London, 1831.

Thornton, R. J., 877. Family Herbal. London, 1810.
Tissot, Dr., 1081. Advice with regard to Health. Dublin, 1766.
Townsend, J., 925. Guide to Health. Boston, 1807.
Turner, D., 972. The Art of Surgery. London, 1732.

" 1057. Dissertation on Venerial Disease. London, 1717.

Vere, M. S. de, 1105. Stray Leaves from the Book of Nature. N. York, 1855.

Whewell, W., 1092, 1093. History of the Inductive Sciences, 2 v. N.York, 1858.

White, E. L., 1128. An Essay on Cold. Philadelphia, 1808.

Willdenow, C. L., 1028, 1037. Linne Species Plantarum, 10 v., Berlin, 1810.

Wilson, J., 1126. Chirurgical Pharmacy. Philadelphia, L818.

Wistar, C, 1080. A System of Anatomy. Philadelphia, 1811.

Wolf, W. L., 1076. Homoeopathic Medicine. New York, 1835.

Woodville, W., 885, 888. Medical Botany, 4 vols., London, 1810.

Youmans, E. L., 1101. Hand Book of Household Science. New York, 1858.

77, 78. A Report on the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, 2 vols., for 1840.
183. An Illustrated Herbal. 1591.

818, 825. American Journal of Medical Sciences, 10 v., Philada., 1830.
826, 828. American Medical Recorder, 3 vols., Philada., 1824.

869. Pharmacopoeia of New York. Hospital. New York, 1816.

870. Pharmacopoeia Hispana. 1817.

893. Edinburg Pharmacopoeia. Edinburg, 1783.

926. Eclectic Dispensatory. Philadelphia, 1827.

929. Transactions of Surgeons and Apothecaries. London, 1823.

937. Annals of Homceopathia. Leipsic, 1833.

296

CATALOGUE.

938, 941. Journal des Progres des Medicales, 4 vols, Paris, 1829.

967. Elements of Medicine. Philadelphia, 1791.

968, 969. The Families of Plants. Edinburgh, 1788.

974, 989. Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie, 10 vols., Paris, to 1858.
1041, 1053. Journal de Pharmacie et des Sciences Accessoire, 13 v. Paris, 1841.
1054. Table Analytique du Bulletin et du Journal de Pharmacie. Paris, 1831.

1059. Transactions Physica Medical Society. New York, 1817.

1060. Transactions College Physicians. Philadelphia, 1743.

1062, 1063. Journal des Sciences et Medicales, 2 vols. Paris, 1827.

1064. Pharmacopoeia of the United States. Boston, 1820.

1065. " " " Philadelphia, 1830.

1066. " " « " 1840.

1067. " " " " 1850.
1088. Pharmacopoeia Medicorum. London, 1748.

1091. Translations of the London Pharmacopoeia. London, 1851.
1107. Druggists' Manual, by College of Pharmacy. Philadelphia, 1826.
1133. Pharmacopoeia Medicorum. London, 1771.
1130. " " Edinburg, 1756.

1152. Dictionnaire Classique. Paris, 1846.

1160, 1189. American Journal of Pharmacy, 30 vols. Philada., 1830,-1858.
Books on Miscellaneous Subjects.

Aikin, J., 2268. Life and Travels of John Howard. Philadelphia, 1794.
Anderson, E., 2286. British Ambassy to China. " 1795.

Arnott, N., 2116. Physic of Natural Philosophy. " 1831.

Avery, S. W., 2259. The Dyspeptic Monitor. New York, 1830.

Bache, A. D., 2170. Report on Education in Europe. Philadelphia, 1839.
Barton, B. S., 2007. Origin of the Tribes and Nations of America. Phila., 1797.
Barrington, G., 2090, 2091. Voyage to New South Wales, 2 v. London, 1810.
Barrett, M. R., 2260. The National School Manuel. Philadelphia, 1832.
Beche, H. de la, 16. Geological Phenomena. London, 1830.
Brien, J. O', 2273. A Pocket Directory. Philada., 1841. x
Bright, R., 184. Travels in Hungary. Edinburg, 1818.
Buckland, A. C, 2271. On Early Rising. Boston, 1825.
Burleigh, J. B., 2251. The American Manual. Philada., 1848.

Cavallo, F., 2100, 2101. Natural Experimental Philosophy, 2 v. Philada., 1819.
Cheyn, G., 2250. Principles of Religion. London, 1724.
Cheyne, J., 2128. Scientific Tracts. Philadelphia, 1813.

Clarke, E. D., 2135, 2136. Travels in Various Countries, 2 v. Philada., 1811.
Clarkson, T., 2287. Abolition of the American Slave Trade. Wilmington, 1816.
Cooper, T., 2155, 2157. Emporium of Arts and Sciences, 3 v. Philada., 1813.
Crawford, J., 2162, 2164. Indian Archipelago, 3 vols. Edinburg, 1820.
Crump, W. H., 2274. The World in a Pocket Book. Philadelphia, 1845.
Cuvier, Baron, 2092, 2 095. Le Regne Animal Distribue, 4 vols. Paris, 1817.

" " 2111, 2114. The Animal Kingdom, 4 vols. New York, 1831.
Cuvier, M., 2115. Essay on the Theory of the Earth. New York, 1818.

Darlington, W., 2132. Selections from the Correspondence of W. Baldwin.

[Philadelphia, 1843.
Depons, F., 2078, 2080. Voyage to the Eastern part of Terra Firraa, 3 vols.

[New York, 1806.
Dick, T., 2267. An Essay on Covetousness. Philadelphia, 1837.

English, G. B., 2086. Expedition to Dengold, &c. Boston, 1823.
Ewing, J., 2087. Natural Experimental Philosophy. Philadelphia, 1809.
" 2124. Natural Philosophy. " "

CATALOGUE.

297

Fairthorn, J., 2102. Facts on Liver Complaint. Philadelphia, 1820.
Fessenden, T. G., 2096. Laws relating to Patents. Boston, 1810.
Forbes, J., 10, 13. Oriental Memoirs, 4 vols. London, 1813.
Fraser, D., 2166. History of All Nations. New York, 1807.
Ferguson, J., 2083. Lectures on Select Subjects. London, 1743.

Galbraith, W., 2008. Mathematical and Astronomical Tables. Edinburg, 1834.
Godman, J. B., 2003. American Natural History. Philadelphia, 1826.
Gregory, G., 66, 68. Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, 3 vols. Philada., 1816.
Griscom, J., 2130. National Instruction. New York, 1825.
Grotjan, P. A., 69, 72. Price Current of Drugs, &c, 4 vols. Philada., 1819.

Hazard, S., 84, 88. Register of Pennsylvania, 5 vols. Philadelphia, 1830.
Humbold, Baron, 2117, 2123. Travels on tbe New Continent, 7 v. London, 1826.
Hunt, F., 2129. Ephemerides of the Sun and Moon. Philadelphia, 1844.

Imison, J., 2080, 2081. Elements of Science and Art, 2 vols. London, 1808.

Joyce, J., 2285. Familiar Introduction to the Arts and Sciences. London, 1819

Kett, H., 2134. Elements of General Knowledge. Baltimore, 1812.
Kirkvan, R. 2110. An Essay on Phlogiston. London, 1789.
Komstock, Dr., 2010. A Fonetik Testament. Philadelphia, 1848.

Lawson, T., 2011. Army Meteorological Register. Philadelphia, 1840.
Lloyds, 2265. Business Man's Guide. " 1855.

Mahoney, S. J., 2261. Six years in the Monasteries of Italy. Philada., 1836.
Merlin, L., 2269. Treasures of Health. Philadelphia, 1819.
Milburn, W., 61, 62. Oriental Commerce, 2 vols. London, 1813.
Mitchell, S. L., 2088. Chemical Nomenclature. New York, 1800.
Mortimer, T., 5. Dictionary of Trade and Commerce. London, 1766.

Nicholson, W., 2066, 2077. British Encyclopedia, 12 vols. Philada., 1818.

" 2105,2108. Natural Philosophy, 4 vols. London, 1805.

Nuttall, T., 2005. Travels in Arkansas. Philadelphia, 1821.

Owen, D. D., 54. A Geological Survey of Wisconsin. Philadelphia, 1852.

Peers, B. O., 2254. American Education. New York, 1838.
Perrin, J., 2275. French Grammar. New York, 1817.
Perry, W., 2168. The Man of Business. Edinburg, 1777.
Poivre, M. Le, 2288. Travels in Africa and Asia. Baltimore, 1818.

Rafinesque, C. S., 2262. The American Nations. Philadelphia, 1836.
Reese, A., 101, 147. Cylcopedia of Arts, Sciences, and Literature, 47 vols.

[Philadelphia, 1818.

Reeve, C, 2266. Plans of Education. London, 1792.
Richrand, A., 2061. Elements of Philosophy. Philadelphia, 1821.
Rolto, R., 6. Dictionary of Trade and Commerce. London, 1761.
Ramsey, W., 2257. Missionary Tour in India. Philadelphia, 1836.
Rordansoz, C. W., 2109. Mercantile Guide. Boston, 1819.

Silliraan, B., Jr., 2249. First Principles of Philosophy. Philadelphia, 1859.
Smithsonian, 17, 25. Contributions to Knowledge, 9 v. Washington, to 1857.

" 2016. Annual Report of Smithsonian Institution. " 1854.

" 2014. " " « " 1856.

" 2013. « « « " 1855.

" 2015. " « » " 1858.

Stansbury, H., 2089. Valley of the Great Salt Lake, Utah. " 1838.

Swinburne, H., 2158, 2161. Travels in the two Sicilies. London, 1790.
Stuart, R., 2006. History of the Steam Engine. London, 1824.

298

CATALOGUE.

8

Taplin, W., 2103, 2104. Modern System of Farriery, 2 vols. London, 1796.
Taylor, J. 0., 2253. The District School. New York, 1834.
Tuke, S., 2279. Epistles of George Fox. Philadelphia, 1858.

Valiant, L., 2097, 2099. Travels in Africa, 3 vols. London, 1796.

Watni, M., 2133. L'Art du Peintre Varnisseur. Paris, 1815.
Watts, L, 2127. Logick on the Right use of Reason. London, 1755.
Whitmarsh, S., 2272. Mulberry Tree and Silk Worm. Northampton, 1839.
Willich, A. F., 2062, 2065. Domestic Encyclopedia, 4 vols. Philada., 1823.
Wines, E. C, 2252. Hints on Popular Education. Philada., 1838.
Wolff, J., 2258. Missionary Labors among the Jews. Philada., 1830.
Worcester, J. E., 2255, 2256. The Earth and its Inhabitants, 2 v. Boston, 1823.
Wyatt, T., 2002. Natural History of Animals. Philadelphia, 1839.

2172. Act of Incorporation of the City of Philadelphia. Philada., 1856.
2278. A Memoir of William Penn. Philadelphia, 1858.

2361, 2433. American Journal of Science and Arts, 71 v. New Haven to 1858.
2009. Catalogue of Pennsylvania Hospital Library. Philada., 1829,

2276. Catalogue of the Apprentices' Library. " 1854.

55. Census of the United States. Washington, 1850.

82, 83. Comptes Rendus de L'Academie des Sciences, 2 vols. Paris, 1855.

2169. Collection of Pamphlets. London, 1826.

2125,2126. Dictionnaire d' Histoire, 2 vols. London, 1794.

2137, 2145. Edinburg Philosophical Journal, 9 vols. Edinburg, 1823.

148, 182. Encyclopedia Britanica, 35 vols. Edinburg, 1796.

2131. Essays on Useful Subjects. London, 1754.

2171. First Annual Report of McKean and Elk Land Co. Philada., 1857.

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7. Philosophical and Medical Opera, — Ger. and Lat. 1616.

2012. Report of the Trustees of the Philadelphia Gas Works. Philada., 1838.

2173. Report on Public Schools of Philadelphia. " 1856.

2174. « " « " 1857.
2153, 2154. Repertory of Arts, 2 vols. London, 1807.

2270. Self Reliance.— A Book for Young Men. London, 1852.

2167. State Treasurer's Report. Harrisburg, 1828.

2000, 2001. The Nautical Almanac, 2 vols. London, 1848.

2175. The Holy Bible. Philadelphia, 1857.

2165. The Testament and Psalms. Philadelphia, 1852.
2180. U. S. Statistical Census. 1854.

2178, 2179. U. S. Commerce and Navigation, 2 vols. Washington, 1854.
2198, 2220. U. S. Patent Office Reports, 23 vols. " to 1856.

2264. U. S Tariff on Foreign Merchandise. Philadelphia, 1833.

56, 57. U. S. Astronomical Expedition to Chili, 2 vols. Washington. 1855.
58, 60. U. S. Coast Survey, 3 vols. Washington, 1856.

2277. Views on American Slavery One Hundred Years Ago. Philada., 1858.
65. Versucheiner Monographic der China. Hamburg, 1824.

2289. Catalogue of the Loganian Library of Philadelphia. Philada., 1837.

2290, 2318. Colonial Records and Pennsylvania Archives, 28 v. Philada., to 1858.
185. Geological Survey of Pennsylvania. H. D. Rogers. " 1858.
President's Message and accompanying Documents for 1858,-9.

The Library is open for the delivery of books the first Tuesday in every
month — from April to September, both inclusive, at 8 o'clock, and from Octo-
ber to March, both inclusive, at 7 o'clock.

•

ADVERTISING SHEET. MAY, 1859.

SCALE OF CHARGES FOR ADVERTISEMENTS.

For 10 lines of a column, for one insertion, $> 1 00, per annum $5 00
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When the advertisement is not altered during the year, the prices
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charges remaining the same, whether altered or not.

NEW PHARMACEUTICAL LABELS

FOR SHOP FURNITURE.

The attention of Druggists, Apothecaries, and Country Physicians, is
invited to the new book of Pharmaceutical Labels, just published by the
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. These Labels are of three kinds.
The first book (New Edition, 1859,) contains 185 sheets of Labels with
steel blue letters on a bronze ground; printed from engraved plates; and
embracing over 1600 labels of five different sizes. This book is particu-
larly appropriate for retail stores. The price to consumers is $12 50.

The second book comprises 180 sheets of labels, on fine yellow paper,
with black letters, which in form and number are similar to the bronze
labels. This book is a great improvement on the last yellow book. Price
$2 50 to consumers.

The third book consists of 32 sheets of labels, between parallel rules,
black letter, on yellow paper, comprising more than 1000 labels. Price
50 cents.

These labels may be had in quantities, of the College, by applying to
CHARLES ELLIS, (Chairman of the Latin Label Committee,) Market
below 8th, or by consumers, of the Druggists generally.

HENR7 HAVILAND,

S3 John Street, JVew Work,

IMPORTER OF GOODS FOR

Among which may be found

FINE PERFUMERY, BRUSHES,
SOAPS, COMBS,
ESSENTIAL OILS, TOILET ARTICLES,

SELECT ENGLISH AND FRENCH CHEMICALS AND MEDICINES,

And many out of the way articles heretofore difficult to find in one
assortment.

Especial pains taken to select goods of the best quality.
May, 1857— ly.

2

I^ESJEHXr cfc ESVBRESTT,

MANUFACTURERS OF

TIN BOXES, CANISTERS,

AND

DEUGGISTS' TINWARE,

IN EVERY VARIETY, BY MACHINERY,
Wo. 108 Mortis Front Street, Philadelphia,

Blacking Boxes,

Moss Paste

' Boxes,

Mustard do.

Paint Can

i>lers,

Ointment do.

Spice

do.

Pill do.

Snuff

do.

Match do.

Mustard

do.

Soda Powder do.

Tea

do.

Seidlitz do.

Coffee

do.

Yeast do.

Packing

do.

Printing Ink do.

Powder

do.

Ext. Coffee do.

Plaster

do.

Flat and Cone Top Oil Cans,

Fluid

Cans,

Wheel Grease

do.

Varnish

do.

Fruit

do.

Honey

do.

Oyster

do.

Lard

do.

Preserve

do.

Measures, Scoops, Funnels, Displacement Filters, &c.
May, 1859. 2t.

TO WESTERN AND SOUTHERN DRUGGISTS.

A young man a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy,
solicits an engagement ; has had an experience in the business North and
South; and is confident of rendering entire satisfaction. The most satis-
factory testimonials can be produced Address, stating location, amount of
compensation, &c.

S. H. JAMES,

1218 Austin Street, above 10th, below Federal, Philadelphia.
May, 1859.

TO DRUGGISTS.

Wanted, a situation by a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Phar-
macy ; would prefer going South or West.

Address, BULLOCK & CRENSHAW, Box 335, Philadelphia, P. 0.
May, 1859. 2t.

3

DRUGGISTS FANCY GOODS, &c.

Wb D. iLENNj

JYo, SO SOUTH FOURTH STREET

PHILADELPHIA,

Offers to the Drug Trade a very large and complete assortment of

BRUSHES, COMBS, PERFUMERY,

AND

HMRMKBHSTS9 AETOUES ©JEHlEIBAJUMr,

Selected by himself this season in the principal European cities, and in-
cluding every novelty in the line. Catalogues sent when requested.
Orders by mail will receive every attention. Druggists visiting Philadelphia
are respectfully requested to call and examine the stock.
September, 1858.

A. F. HAZARD & CO.,

No. 174 Market Street, above Fifth, south side, Philadelphia,

IMPORTERS AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN

DRUGS, MEDICINES, PAINTS, OILS, DYE STUFFS, '
WINDOW GLASS, &c,

Keep constantly on hand a large and well selected assortment of
Genuine Drugs, Medicines, Chemicals, Spices, Perfumery, &c.

Druggists, Physicians, Country Merchants, and Manufacturers sup
plied on the most liberal terms, and the quality of. the articles supplied
them will be guaranteed.

N. SPENCER THOMAS

MANUFACTURING CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST,
3tiEW MARKET, ABOVE LAIREL STREET, PHILADA.

Would respectfully call the attention of Druggists to the articles of
his manufacture, among which are,

MEDICINAL EXTRACTS,

PREPARED IN VACUO,
In all their variety, warranted of superior quality, made according to
the best formula, (by the U. S. Pharmacopoeia when officinal.) Strict
attention is paid to the selection of prime Drugs for their manufacture,
as well as to all the minutiae in the manipulation. They are neatly
put up in packages of any description that may be ordered.

POWDERED EXTRACTS.— All the extracts that can be powdered
without injury, will hereafter be kept in that way for the convenience
of Druggists and others; also, Concentrated Medicines used in Eclectic
practice, including Resinoids, Oleo- Resinoids, Alka-Resinoids j
also, Fluid Extracts in all their variety.

All of the above preparations will hereafter be prepared in vacuo,

GLYCERIN, anhydrous, colorless and inodorous; much superior to
the common English article.

MACHINE SPREAD PLASTERS, superior to any other in the
market. These plasters are on the finest lambskin, prepared in such a
manner as to retain their pliability and freshness of appearance. They
are neatly put up in boxes of one dozen each, and are warranted to give
satisfaction.

Also, ADHESIVE PLASTER CLOTH, that will compare favor-
ably with any other.

PLASTERS IN ROLLS, of superior quality, believed to be equal to
the English Plasters.

BLUE MASS, warranted one-third Mercury, and made in such a way
as cannot fail to give satisfaction.

MERCURIAL OINTMENT, of all the various proportions that are
in demand, made by a Machine that divides the Mercury to the finest
possible state, without the aid of any acid or injurious substance.

HYDRARG. CUM GRETA, of superior quality, also all the Phar-
maceutical Preparations, usually in demand, all of which will be sold
on terms which cannot fail to be satisfactory.

SELECT POWDERS of the finest quality, of every kind, including
Powdered Blue Mass, Powdered Prepared Ox Gall, and some other
articles not heretofore used in that way. They are neatly put up in
packages of any size and description, or in bulk, as may be ordered.

PURE GROUND SPICES, &c, warranted to be made, (in all in-
stances,) from articles of prime quality, handsomely put up or in bulk,
as may be ordered, free from any adulteration whatever.

The above-mentioned articles are all manufactured at my own works,
New Market St. abo"e Laurel, and are guaranteed to be satisfactory. ^

Also, all articles usually sold by Druggists, including Drugs, Chemi-
cals, Glass Ware, White and Blue Jars, Paints, Dyes, Colors, Acids, and
manufacturers' articles of every description. White Lead, White Zinc,
&c, &c.; &c. November, 1855.

4

l

NEW EDITION OF

BRONZE LATIN LABELS FOR SHOP FURNITURE.

The Philadelphia College of Pharmacy has published an entirely
new Book of Latin Pharmaceutical Labels, for Druggists' and Apothecaries,
shop furniture, done in bronze, on steel blue paper, by a new process, in
which the bronze is plated into the paper so as not to rub^off. The boofc
contains more than 1600 labels, of five different sizes, and includes a supple-
ment of more than 150 labels of articles kept by druggists and apothecaries
such as dye-stuffs, paints and miscellaneous articles. The price to consu*
mers is ten dollars per book. To Druggists and other dealers, a liberal dis-
count made in proportion to the quantity taken. Annexed is a specimen of
the sizes. CHARLES ELLTS,

Treasurer of Committee on Latin Labels,
No. 56 Chesnutst., Philadelphia

ALSO

Druggists may obtain the Book of Yellow Latin Labels for shop furniture,
as published by the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, wholesale, ol
CHARLES ELLIS, as above.

LABELS FOR SPECIMENS OF THE MATERIA MEDICA AND
PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS.

Druggists, and others, may obtain the Book of Labels for Materia Medica
and Pharmaceutical Specimens, as published,by the Philadelphia College of
Pharmacy, wholesale, of EDWARD PARRISH, Eighth and Arch Sts.
Philadelphia.

TO DRUGGISTS AND PHARMACEUTISTS.

Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, and of the
American Pharmaceutical Association,
46 BEERMAX STBEET, JfEW YORK,
Begs to inform Druggists commencing business, or making alterations in
their stores, that he has an extensive and well selected stock of Furniture
Glass, well stoppered and of superior make, Pine Apple Globes, Show Jars,
Porcelain Pots, sold label, Glass Signs, &c, with Drawers, Counters, Show
Cases, Bronzed Iron Scroll Brackets, for show bottles, and every requisite
for the complete fitting of stores.

From his long experience as Druggist, and general fitter and labeller of
stores, he is qualified at once to enter into the wants of his brethren, en-
abling them to have their stores perfect in every respect, great attention
being paid to the dispensing as well as the retail department.

Plans and estimates furnished, with F. H.?s newest designs and improve-
ments.

Instructions for the sale and purchase of business, and valuation of stock
and fixtures promptly attended to. Sep, 1857. ly

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

JULY, 1859.

OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS.
By Joseph Augustus Heintzelman.

That large portion of our present Materia Medica which is
drawn from the vegetable kingdom, is composed chiefly of plants,
which once bore a despised name, but the discovery of their
merits has won for them a more honorable position. But who
can doubt that plants are now growing, in field or forest, which
as yet unknown, are not less worthy of regard than those we
most value ? And in a liberal, experimenting age like this,
we may confidently hope that numerous discoveries will be made
in this department, and we may expect that a hospitable
hearing will be granted to one which claims to possess useful
properties, though it bears so humble a name as Ckickweed.

It is well known that a great obscurity yet prevails in relation
to the nature and the existence of hydrophobia, a disease which
is still doubted, and even denied by many distinguished gentle-
men of the profession, and for which disease no infallible and
reliable remedial agent has been found. Therefore I do not
enter into discussion about it, but relate at once the particulars
which have induced me to make this common and little esteemed
plant the subject of a thesis, and at the same time to in-
vestigate its active constituents and peculiar princiles.

About a year ago one of our city newspapers reprinted from
an old journal of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, preserved in
the State Library, of which the contents were published, as fol-
lows :

"Dauphin County, Londonderry Township, February 18, 1802.
Sir :~A medicine of the utmost importance to mankind, prepared from an

300 OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS.

herb which has been found unquestionably efficacious as a cure for the bite
of a mad dog, either in man or beast, has been known and used as such
by the subscriber and his ancestors in Germany and Pennsylvania.

The herb and manner of preparation has been cunningly obtained from
me and prostituted for the purpose of accumulating wealth, contrary to my
wishes or practice, and of those from whom it was derived ; and being far
advanced in years, I am desirous to communicate it in such a manner as
may give the most general information to my fellow men, without the
most distant view of emolument.

I have therefore thought proper to address these few lines to you, in full
confidence that you will take a more effectual way to diffuse the informa-
tion than from my age and other circumstances is in my power.

At your request, communicated by my friend Henry Orth, (health per-
mitting,} I will attend in Lancaster, and explain the subject fully.
I remain your friend,

Valentine Kittering.

To the Speaker of the Senate."

This letter was addressed to the Senate of Pennsylvania, and
that body referred it to a committee consisting of Messrs. Par-
son, Porter and Lower, which committee was entrusted to con-
sider it, and reported upon it, as follows :

" The committee appointed to hear the communication of Valentine Kit-
tering, relative to his cure of the bite of a mad animal, report:

That they conferred with the said Kittering on that subject, who informed
them that he uses the herb called Chickweed, which, when ripe or in full
bloom, he gathers and dries in the shade, reduces it to a powder, and gives
a small tablespoonful at one time to a grown person in beer or water, in
weight of one drachm and one scruple, for a child an equal dose, but given
at three different times, or it may be eaten on bread with butter, honey or
molasses, as the person chooses. For a beast, a large spoonful; if by weight,
two drachms and one scruple. "When used green for a beast, cut the herb
fine and mix it with bran, &c. When given to swine, mix the powdered
herb with meal of any kind (dose as above) in little balls.

He assures us he has given it to persons many weeks after they were
bitten, and never knew it to fail, and never gives more than a single dose,
except to children as above. He further says, it is an excellent cure for
cuts and wounds on the human body. When green, wash it, drop the
juice in the wound, and bind the herb, so mashed, over. The proper time
to sow the seed is about the beginning of April, and should be sown thin.

He also informs us that he is now seventy-five years old, was born in
Germany, and came from thence with his parents to Pennsylvania when
eleven years of age, that his mother brought the seed of the herb amongst
her garden seed, that he has presented to your committee, for the use of the

OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS. 301

members, a quantity of the herb and seed, and says he will give of the
seeds to others who will please to call on him for that purpose.

They also learn from the Reverend Muhlenberg, of Lancaster, that it is
an annual plant, known in Switzerland and Germany by the name of
Gauchheil, Huhnerdarm, Yernumftskraut, by the botanist (as he is in-
formed) as Anagallis arvensis, and that it should be gathered when in full
blossom. In Germany, he understands, the usual dose was 30 grains of
the powder, taken four times a day, and continued one week in smaller
doses ; the wound washed with a decoction of the herb, and some of the
powder stewed in it.

The committee therefore offered a resolution :

Resolved, That the Speaker be requested to present the thanks of the
Senate to Valentine Kittering for his benevolent and valuable communi-
cation."

The allusion to the "remedy for the bite of a mad dog," has
brought out, since the above communication, a copy of one of
the original recipes, sold by Doctor Stoy, a son of the original
discoverer. By request of the party who held the original it was
published as follows :

"Dr. Stoy's infallible Cure for the bite of a mad dog.

"Take one ounce of Chickweed, and put it into a clean earthen pot and
pour on it a quart of beer ; place the pot over a gentle %oal fire, and boil
it until it is reduced to half, strain it hot from the pot through a clean
linen cloth into a pewter dish, and then, while still hot in the dish, add
one ounce of theriac and stir it well, until it is thoroughly mixed. Give
a patient a dose, lukewarm, in the morning, the patient being duly sober,
that is to say, without having taken anything in the morning ; after
this he must fast at least three hours, and during that time drink no cold
water, and must take great care not to eat any pork and everything which
has any connection with pork ; for fourteen days he must not partake of
any animal food, not even of the fish kennel. This is the dose for a grown
person. To children of twelve years give the half, and so in proportion
of age. To animals give the double portion given to a grown person, and
in proportion with the water as above mentioned to be observed. As an
application to wounds, the plant is cut while in blossom and then fried
in fresh butter without salt, and then put on the wound three times a day
by rubbing the scab off with an oak chip."

ANAGALLIS.

Sexual System : Pentandria Monogynia, (Linnaeus).

Natural Order ; Primulaceae, (Lindley),

Generic Character : Calyx ; quinquified, regular and perma-

302

OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS.

nent. Stamina ; proceeding from the reed. Corolla ; funnel-
shaped and slit. Seeds ; numerous and scutiform. Petals ;
opposite and scattered.

Anagallis arvensis — The Chickweed is an annual herbaceous
plant, growing throughout Europe, Middle Asia and North
America ; it also grows abundantly near our own city, Philadel-
phia, at the fields and grave-yards, and is gathered during the
time of flowering. It affords a remarkable instance of the sleep
of plants, for at night the leaves approach in pairs and enclose
the tender rudiments of the young shoots. The stem is first
erect, but afterwards bent downwards, with branches attached
from below, possessing an alternate line of hairs between each
pair of leaves ; the leaves are opposite, short, cuspidate, three-
nerved and pale green, when dry. The flowers are axillary and
on long erect stems. The odor of Chickweed is grass-like, the
taste first flat and herbaceous, but afterwards bitter and slightly
acrid ; it yields its virtue to boiling water and diluted alcohol.

Chemical Constituents.

Gum, Albumen, Sugar, Chlorophylle, a crystalline matter,
fixed Oil, pure Resin, and volatile Oil.

1. An infusion of Chickweed was treated with a solution of
subacetate of lead, which caused a precipitate, indicating the
presence of gum.

2. A portion of the fresh herb was beaten into a pulp and the
fluid separated by filtering. This liquid was precipitated with
bichloride of mercury and ferrocyanide of potassium; when
heated, a coagulum was produced, showing the presence of albu-
men.

3. No indication of starch by the addition of iodine to a
filtered decoction.

4. An infusion, exposed to air, readily underwent the vinous
fermentation, which indicates the presence of sugar.

5. No tannic or gallic acid detected, having carefully added
the tests of the salts of iron.

6. Muriatic acid was added to a strong alcoholic and ethereal
extract, from which, when treated with water, a greenish pre-
cipitate was thrown down.

7. I tried various ways to ascertain the presence of an alka-

OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS. 303

loid, but after many experiments I observed nothing which
would indicate the existence of such a principle. The fact is, that
after many trials, I separated a mass composed of very fine and
needle-shaped crystals ; but whether they are a crystalline
principle, or are the result of the complexity of the reaction
from the employment of the different tests and reagents, it re-
mains a question which I cannot determine at present. The
mode of obtaining these crystals is as follows : The fresh herb
was macerated with alcohol, acidulated with sulphuric acid, dis-
placed, and the resulting tincture filtered and treated with lime,
until it evinced an alkaline reaction. The liquor was again fil-
tered and treated with sulphuric acid in excess, filtered and con-
centrated by evaporation. To the residue a little water was
added, and the liquor evaporated until all the alcohol was driven
off, again filtered, the filtered liquor saturated with carb. potassa,
agitated with successive portions of ether and evaporated spon-
taneously, when a crystalline mass was formed, which was puri-
fied by washing with successive portions of water.

8. A portion of the herb was displaced with ether, the result-
ing tincture spontaneously evaporated, which afforded a greasy
extract, indicating the presence of fixed oil.

9. To an alcoholic extract freed from chlorophylle, I added
liquor ammonia, then muriatic acid, and agitated the whole.
Now, on adding ether, a separation took place, dividing the
liquid in two layers, the upper holding the resin in solution,,
which was removed and evaporated spontaneously in a watch-
glass. Dissolving the residue left after evaporation in a small
quantity of ether, I pour it into a vial, and after evaporation
the pure resin was left.

10. My last and most satisfactory experiment resulted in the
production of a small quantity of volatile oil, the product of a
large quantity of Chickweed (3 lbs. Troy of the dried herb), ob-
tained by distillation of different portions of the herb. I have
preserved this oil for the use of the "College Cabinet," and
also a portion of the distilled water, impregnated with the pecu-
liar odor and flavor of the plant. The odor of the oil is strong
and perceptible, like that of cages in which birds are fed with
Chickweed. It has a pungent and somewhat acrid taste, lighter
than water, sp. gravity being 0-987. It is soluble in alcohol,

304:

OBSERVATIONS ON ANAGALLIS ARVENSIS.

but less in ether ; it is inflammable, burning with a bright flame,
diffusing its strong peculiar odor.

It is very poisonous, four drops having caused intense head-
ache and nausea, which lasted twenty-four hours, accompanied,
during the whole time, by pains throughout the nervous sys-
tem.

Physiological and Therapeutical Properties.

That Chickweed really possesses effectual properties, the in-
formation of Orfila gives us sufficient proof ; that having admin-
istered three drachms of the extract to a big and strong dog, it
died from the poisonous effects in the course of twenty-four
hours. Another account from Qrognier, (Compt. Rendus des
Traveaux de la Societe de Medicine de Lyon, annee 1810), which
states, that a strong infusion of Chickweed given to stout horses
always produced a trembling of the muscles of the back and
throat, and that he observed a copious discharge of urine, and
that he found, after the death of those horses, the mucous mem-
brane of the stomach inflamed. I had but one occasion to ob-
serve the peculiar effect of the plant, and, indeed, on myself. I
have repeatedly sought for an active crystallizable principle^ but
in vain, and I am satisfied that the active properties of Chick-
weed depends on its volatile oil. Of this I took freely four drops,
which, after the expiration of a few hours, produced a severe
headache ; at the same time I experienced its poisonous effects
throughout my whole body, and was sick from this cause a whole
day and night.

In former times Chickweed was known and used as a panacea,
and so much so as to attribute miraculous power against hydropho-
bia. Again we learn from accounts given by Bischoff and Ma-
gellan, that Chickweed had for a long time a famous reputation
as an excellent remedy for jaundice, amenorrhoea, gout, palsy,
and epilepsia, and has been employed and administered both
internally and externally for the cure of cancerous and malig-
nant ulcers.

Whether it deserves such a reputation, or whether these are
fictions and hyperphysical pretensions which contributed to its
expulsion from the list of the Materia Medica, and caused it to

PROPER MENSTRUUM POR PLUID EXTRACTS.

305

fall into oblivion, I do not know. Yet if so, it is only what hap-
pens every day with other remedies. But if it be not a remedy
for this disease, which is pronounced incurable, other experi-
ments made on less dangerous maladies may prove it to be pos-
sessed of greater usefulness.

Chickweed produces in small doses (say one to two drachms,
in the form of powder) profuse perspiration, soothes pain, &c,
but in large doses it produces all the effects of a narcotic
poison upon the frame and nervous system.

ON THE PROPER MENSTRUUM FOR FLUID EXTRACTS.
By John M. Maisch.

Many fluid extracts have been made by manufacturers and phar-
maceutists, for which no formula has been published ; at the same
time there appears to exist a general desire for a considerable in-
crease of the number of the officinal preparations of this class.
The want of formulae and of observations on the mode of preparing,
the manner of keeping and the stability of many which are occa-
sionally used or may be desirable, will have to be supplied by
somebody, as the revision of the Pharmacopoeia progresses, while
a knowledge of the experience with these liquids in the labora-
tory and behind the dispensing counter would vastly aid the
labors of the revising committee. I consider it the duty of
every pharmaceutist who may be able to contribute a mite to
our knowledge of the preparations in question, to do this at as
early a date as possible, in order to assist in making the direc-
tions in our next standard as unobjectionable as may be.
The preservation of the pharmaceutical preparations is one of
the most important points to be considered. In the Proceedings
of the Amer. Pharm. Association for 1858, a paper by Mr.
Thayer was published, treating on this subject, with regard to
fluid extracts. Able as the treatise is, still I consider the points
arrived at fallacious, because the starting point is in my opinion
a wrong one. And this was the ground I took against Mr.
Thayer's opinions in my paper published on page 113 of this

306 PROPER MENSTRUUM FOR FLUID EXTRACTS.

volume. At the same time, I stated my own views on the subject,
giving my reasons in detail and striving to keep strictly within
the bounds of scientific discussion. I spoke of Mr. Thayer's
paper, and not of his fluid extracts, of which, to the best of my
knowledge, I have not seen a single specimen. The observations
and experiments cited in my paper were made with preparations
of my own make, not upon the large scale, but in such quanti-
ties as are generally required in the retail business.

It is my opinion, and I believe I have clearly stated it, that
it is necessary to employ for the solvent an agent suitable to the
chemical constitution of the various vegetables, not that one
solvent should be made to answer in all cases. The proposition
of using a saccharine fluid as a preservative, is not shaken by
the admission of alcohol in cases where sugar and water are in-
sufficient as a solvent. We may even be compelled to dispense
with sugar altogether, using alcohol of the officinal strength, or
diluted, if the preparation is intended for external use ; such
instances are the fluid extract of arnica, and of savine, as pro-
posed by Prof. Grahame for the preparation of savine ointment.
Recollecting all this, while I advocated the preference of a sac-
charine to a purely alcoholic menstruum, I did not think it ad-
visable to undertake to recommend a way for preserving fluid
extracts which would answer for every case.

It must certainly be our aim to make these preparations per-
fect solutions of all that is medicinally valuable, but not of all
alcoholic or hydro-alcoholic principles, of which doubtless there
are as many valueless, as of those soluble in water. This is not
a new theory, the Pharmacopoeia recognizes it, and as far as I
know, no fault has been found on that account with preparations
like Syrupus Ipecacuanhas, Senegse, Sarsaparillae comp., Scillae
comp. Where the precipitate occasioned by evaporation has
medicinal properties, nobody would think of separating it.

An objection to the use of sugar is its fermentativeness.
Under the influence of ferment, sugar is converted into alcohol
and carbonic acid without requiring any addition to the elements
it already contains. Ferment merely acts by its presence, being
itself in a state of decomposition ; but does this decomposition
go on independently of oxygen ? It has been proven as far
back as 1819, by Dumont, Doebereiner and others that some

PROPER MENSTRUUM FOR FLUID EXTRACTS. 307

fruits are capable to undergo vinous fermentation in an atmos-
phere of carbonic acid, and according to Doepping and Struve,
grapes will ferment likewise in an atmosphere of hydrogen, with-
out forming any yeast-cells. All these experiments have been
made with fruits, which in their cells include, besides sugar and
water, vegetable acids and bodies related to pectin. Now the
transmutation of pectose by pectase into pectin and similar allied
compounds, and the influence of vegetable cells which most
likely have not been all torn by the expression which was per-
formed in a space excluded from the air, are potent agents for
the decomposition of organic matter, and probably of the utmost
importance for this phenomenon. This sort of fermentation has
no bearing on the case of our fluid extracts. Let us see what
Liebig observes in regard to exciting fermentation in solutions.
In his " Agricultural Chemistry," translated by Dr. Playfair,
Philadelphia edition, page 96, he states that " neither the soluble
nor the insoluble part of ferment causes fermentation," and then
continues : "Before it (the soluble part) obtains this power, the
decanted infusion must be allowed to cool in contact with the
air, and to remain some time exposed to its action. . . . Yeast
produces fermentation in consequence of the progressive decom-
position which it suffers from the action of air and water."
And in another place it is stated, that " its action is arrested by
the temperature of boiling water, by alcohol, common salt, an
excess of sugar, oxide of mercury, corrosive sublimate, pyrolig-
neous acid, sulphurous acid, nitrate of silver, volatile oils and in
short by all antiseptic substances."

Having on page 119 of this Journal spoken of the density of
saccharine fluid extracts, the subsequent remarks appear to
have been misunderstood. The idea intended to be conveyed, is
that the liability of saccharine liquids to fermentation is not in-
creased in the proportion of the increase of ferment, inasmuch
as a small quantity of ferment is able to convert a large amount
of sugar into alcohol, (1-5 parts dry yeast to 100 parts crystal-
lized sugar, Thenard;) this liability is in a higher degree de-
pendent on the density of the solution, and the higher we make
the specific gravity of our fluid extracts, the nearer they ap-
proach to solidity, the less will be their proneness to fermenta-
tion.

308 MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

The experiments with saccharine and alcoholic solutions of
iodide of iron do prove the fact that sugar is a better preserving
agent against oxidation than alcohol ; and were not cited for
any other purpose. Mr. Thayer's example does not place the
two liquids in like conditions, inasmuch#as a pint of syrup is un-
able to dissolve one ounce of oil of lemon.

I am fully aware that the value of chemical and pharmaceu-
tical investigations is not affected by the locality where they are
originated. My views were formed in experimenting to conquer
difficulties, they are based upon theory and experience, and
therefore I think that I am not much to blame if I adhere to
them, until the theoretical ground as well as the facts shall have
been overthrown.

MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

By Dr. John T. Plummer.

[The following letter received from our friend Dr. Plummer is so cha-
racteristic of his observing habit of mind, that, though not intended for
publication, we feel best satisfied to make that disposition of it. The reac-
tion with urine will be of interest to medical men. The blue coloration with
guaiacum is produced by various substances, like gluten, arabin, and the
gummy juices of fresh roots like the potato and carrot. Whether animal
mucus has the same effect we do not know. — Editor.]

Richmond, Indiana, & mo. 23c?, 1859.
Esteemed Friend, — Some time ago, after filtering out a
large amount of what appeared to be mucus, from the urine of
an adult patient, (perhaps 65 years of age,) and who was af-
flicted with a renal or cystic complaint, I applied to it a few
drops of tincture of guaiacum, and obtained a rich Prussian
blue color. That there might be no mistake in the case, I re-
peated the experiment day after day, under varying conditions,
and always and with certainty obtained the same result. This,
it may be recollected, is Schonbein's method of detecting the
presence of ozone, (which he considers active oxygen) in mush-
rooms, the metallic oxide, &c. My application of the tincture
in this case was for another purpose, and meeting with this un-
looked for result, I placed it among my memoranda, thinking
some day it might be of some pathological value. As it may be

MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS. 309

sooner available in other hands, I leave the further disposi-
tion of this curious fact to thee.

Another interesting matter has recently occurred to me, in
the case of Mettauer's solution, (the compound solution of aloes,
for the preparation of which a formula is somewhere given in
the American Journal of Pharmacy). Having obtained very
satisfactory results from its medicinal use for years past, I pre-
pared several gallons of it, 12 or 18 months ago ; but this
spring, I found the surface covered with a white mould of a some-
what saponaceous character, and the liquid beneath increased
in bitterness, owing, perhaps, to the partial removal of the gly-
cyrrhizine by the molecular action which generated the moodi-
ness. After decanting the solution, I found at the bottom of
the vessel a copious blackish-brown deposit, of a coarse, curdly
appearance, adhering to the vessel with sufficient firmness to ad-
mit of its being washed repeatedly with water, without being de-
tached. The discolored water was wholly free from the bitter-
ness of aloes, after the first rinsing of the deposit. And now
for some enquiries:

1. What formed the mould ? 2. What remained in solution ?
And 3d, What constituted the deposit ? I ascertained only that
acids caused effervescence with the mould, indicating, perhaps,
the presence of some of the carbonate of soda of the preparation.
Aloes was evidently held in the solution, judging from the taste
and the cathartic action of the liquid. After washing the de-
posit, I rubbed some of it into a thin paste with water, on a
white pill-tile, and then added an acid, but no effervescence fol-
lowing, I inferred that no carbonate of soda remained in the
deposit. But instead of effervescence, I was surprised by the
immediate appearance of a beautiful carmine red. A very thin
film of the paste, with a drop of acid at one end of it, in a few
moments became reddened all over, say to the extent of two
inches. This was probably due to the vapor of the acid passing
over it. A drop of strong mineral acid dissolved the paste where
it fell, (immediately after the generation of the red color,) and
only formed a ring of red at its margin as a permanent product.
Dilute mineral acids reddened, but did not dissolve the paste.
Acetic acid produced no change.

This deposit, when dried, is friable and bitter like aloes, (though
not to the same degree bitter) and of similar color and fracture.

310 MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Dissolved in water in a test tube, and nitric acid added to the
solution, it yields a red precipitate and leaves a yellowish-brown
supernatant fluid. The paste alluded to is of this color (yellow-
ish-brown). What is worthy of note, also, is, that after the
carmine color thus produced on the tile is dried and then mois-
tened with water or alcohol, it loses its redness and resumes its
original color.

Rubbed up with alcohol, the deposit is found to yield a yel-
lowish-amber colored tincture, which, when the alcohol is evap-
orated, becomes a gamboge-yellow ; and has a perceptible bit-
terness, and at the time of the solution, a bulky, olive green
precipitate is left. This olive-green sediment, reacting with ni-
tric acid, becomes snuff-brown. But the material, whatever it
is, which plays such a curious part, is found in the tincture ; for
when this is evaporated, and the gamboge color obtained, nitric
acid added to it produces the carmine color, which is rendered
yellow again by wetting it with alcohol or water. The carmine
color is similarly affected by solution of potash, and after this
addition of the alkali, if sulphate of copper in solution be add-
ed, an instant bulky precipitate, exactly resembling Scheele's
green in color, is formed. This may be of some importance in
a toxicological point of view.

I send herewith some of the deposit in question.

In haste, thy friend, Jno. T. Plummer.

P. S. — I must take this opportunity of calling attention to some
obvious errors, (three or four) in Flandin's formula for the detec-
tion of morphia, as given in Wharton & Stille's "Medical Juris-
prudence." Not having the book at hand, just now, I can only
say I recollect the language, is " evaporate by alcohol," the by
should be omitted. The proportions of materials in another
place are transposed, and alcohol is designated in one place
instead of ether, &c. Young, inexperienced chemists or physi-
cians may be misled by the formula as it now stands.

Note. — [In relation to Mettauer's solution, the observations possess con-
siderable interest. This solution is composed and prepared as follows :

Socotrine Aloes, in powder, - 2j ounces, Troy.

Bicarbonate of Soda, 6 " "

Compound spirit of Lavender, - 2 fluid ounces.

Water, 4 pints.

Macerate for two weeks and filter.

MISCELLANEOUS CHEMICAL OBSERVATIONS.

311

The solution thus obtained is at first light reddish-brown, but becomes
as dark as laudanum by age and exposure to light. Of the precise condi-
tions concerned in producing the changes in Dr. Plummer's specimen we are
not aware. Like all solutions of vegetable matter, containing but a trace of
alcohol as in this case, Mettauer's solution is liable to cryptogamic growths
from germs derived from the atmosphere, especially as much extractive
matter exists, but the most singular part of the matter is the yellow con-
stituent of the sediment. After repeating the experiment of Dr. Plummer,
and being satisfied that his observations were correct, we exhausted a part
of the dark brown sediment sent to us in the letter, with alcohol -835
sp. gr., and allowed it to evaporate spontaneously. As the tincture con-
centrated, a deposition of crystalline matter occurred in crusts ; its crys-
talline character is easily distinguishable by a common lens, but not the
form. The color of these crusts, when dry, is deep gamboge-colored. When,
however, an alcoholic solution is suffered to evaporate rapidly on a surface
the color is bright yellow. The alcoholic solution has a somewhat bitter
taste ; when added to water, if concentrated, it forms a bright yellow, cloudy
liquid. Nitric acid added to this produces the red color, but this character-
istic is best observed by dropping a drop on a watch glass and spreading
it over the surface, and adding a drop of weak nitric acid, when instantly
the beautiful carmine red is developed. This substance is neutral, is not
colored red by alkalies like crysophanic or cryssammic acids, is soluble in
ether, but much less so than in alcohol, and its ethereal solution is rendered
rose-colored by a drop of nitric acid ; water extracts it from ether by agi-
tation. It is insoluble in oil of turpentine. When this substance is exposed
on a piece of foil to a red heat, it puffs up and affords a voluminous char-
coal : and on burning out the carbon, a gray alkaline ash results in suffi-
cient quantity to render it probable that the yellow substance is a soda
compound of an organic body, (possibly an acid,) which in its free state
has the red color. The fact, however, that only strong acids develop this
color seems opposed to this view. It is well understood that carbonated
alkalies dissolve aloin, and that the solution in contact with the air under-
goes a rapid change, becoming darker, owing to oxidation. (See Stenhouse,
vol. 23, p. 257, of this Journal.) It is probable, therefore, that we should
look to this reaction long continued as the source of the yellow sub-
stance observed by Dr. Plummer. We have examined a deposit found
in Mettauer's solution two months old, without finding any indication of
this substance. We hope Dr. Plummer will resume the subject with his
more abundant material, and his knowledge of all the circumstances, and
give us his results in a future communication. As regards the errors in
Wharton and Stille, those of our readers who have the book should note
them, and we doubt not the publisher will correct the next edition. —
Editor Amer. Jour. Pharm.]

312 NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OF BUCHU, ETC.

NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OF BUCHU, CIMICIFUGA,
SERPENTAMA, AND VALERIAN.

By John M. Maisch.

Philadelphia, June 3d, 1859.

To the Editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy :

Dear Sir, — In compliance with your desire, I herewith send
you the formulae for those fluid extracts, specimens of which I
some time ago handed to you for inspection ; they comprise ex-
tracts which generally used to be preserved by alcohol or diluted
alcohol. In consonance with my views on the proper menstruum
for fluid extracts, as published in the March number of the Ameri-
can Journal of Pharmacy, I have endeavored to make them con-
taining as much sugar as possible, and add just enough alcohol
to help to keep the resinous principle in perfect solution.

In making these fluid extracts and other preparations, I have
made experiments, in accordance with Professor Grahame's rules
for displacement, and have become a convert to his views and to
the applicability of his manipulations to all cases where the im-
mediate object is to obtain a concentrated tincture with as little
menstruum and in as short a time as possible. But to reduce a
larger quantity of crude material to such a state of fineness as to
pass through a sieve of 50 to 60 meshes to the linear inch, is
attended with considerable trouble, and, as I thought, more than
is necessary for preparations which require to be evaporated,
particularly if with the application of heat. His directions will
impose a vast amount of manual labor on the pharmaceutist,
without, the above instances excepted, adequately recompensing
him therefore. For that reason I have varied from his direc-
tions by passing roots and other drugs, which are comparatively
easy to pulverize, successively through the drug mill, or treated
them in the mortar until all the raw material would pass through
a sieve of 18 meshes to the inch ; from this coarse powder I sifted
off all that would pass through a fine sieve of 50 meshes, mois-
tened both parts separately, in accordance with Mr. Grahame's
directions, packing them afterwards, the finest powder below, in
a proper manner in the percolator, and covering the top with
filtering paper. I have generally left it in this condition, with

NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OF BUCHU, ETC. 318

the gradual addition of a very small quantity of menstruum,
from 2 to 4 oz. to 16 oz. material, for an hour or two, to enable
the coarser particles to absorb thoroughly the liquid with which
they had been moistened ; liquor was then poured upon the fil-
tering paper and the percolation allowed to proceed.

Buchu leaves, on account of their tenacity, are hard to pul-
verize ; exposure to heat and subsequent powdering in a cool
mortar would greatly facilitate it, but is inadmissible on account of
the loss of the volatile principle. By some labor with the mill
and the mortar 1 succeeded in getting them fine enough to pass
nearly all, without any pressure, through a sieve of 12 meshes
to the inch ; the remainder, about one-eighth or less, was not
farther pulverized ; the percolator was packed as before, and
displacement commenced as soon as the coarse powder had fairly
began to swell up.

I think it will be necessary, advisable at least, to state in the
next Pharmacopoeia the degree of fineness of the powder to be
used in the displacement process ; so as to induce pharmaceutists
to perform this labor themselves, instead of buying the powder ;
the officinal directions must not be made unnecessarily laborious.
As the material on top of the percolator is exhausted first, it is
advisable to assign this place to the coarsest of the powder.

After these general explanations I proceed to give you the
formulae which I employed :

f Extraetum Buchu fluidum.—lQ ounces of buchu leaves are
percolated with a mixture of 6 fl. oz. of ether and 12 fl. oz.
alcohol, to be displaced until 18 fl. oz. are obtained, which tinc-
ture is evaporated spontaneously to 3 fl. oz. ; the precipitated
chlorophylle is dissolved in 3 fl. oz. alcohol, and both liquids are
mixed with 12 oz. sugar ; meanwhile the residue in the percola-
tor is exhausted with diluted alcohol, (about 12 oz. will be suffi-
cient,) the tincture evaporated to 4 fl. oz. added to the sugar,
which is dissolved by a moderate heat and the extract strained.

Extractum Cimieifugce fluidum 16 oz. of the root are ex-
tracted with a mixture of 8 fl. oz. ether and 1 pint of alcohol,
and left to evaporate to 2 fl. oz., which are dissolved in 6 fl. oz.
of alcohol ; 8 oz. of sugar are made to absorb the solution. The
residue of the root is exhausted by diluted alcohol, the resulting

314 NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OF BUCHU, ETC.

tincture evaporated to 6 fl. oz. intimately mixed with the sugar
and evaporated in a waterbath to one pint.

Extr actum Serpentarice fluidum 16 oz. of the root are ex-
tracted with one pint of 95 per cent, alcohol, the tincture allowed
to evaporate to the consistence of a thin extract, which is taken
up by 4 oz. 95 per cent, alcohol and intimately mixed with
12 oz. sugar. The residuary root is exhausted by diluted alco-
hol, evaporated to 8 fl. oz. added to the sugar, which is dissolved
by a moderate heat, and the extract is then evaporated to one
pint.

Extraction Valeriana? fluidum. — 16 oz. of the root are dis-
placed with half a pint of ether and 1 pint of 95 per cent, alcohol,
the tincture allowed to evaporate to 8 fl. oz., the clear liquid is
incorporated with 10 oz. of sugar, the precipitated resin is dis-
solved in 3 fl. oz. of 95 per cent, alcohol and added to the sugar.
The root is then exhausted with diluted alcohol, the tincture
evaporated to a syrupy consistence and added to the sugar, which
is to be dissolved by the aid of a waterbath ; the resulting fluid
extract is evaporated to one pint.

To these directions allow me to add a few comments :

Though three of the above articles contain a certain amount
of volatile oil, I think the first alcoholic or ethereo-alcoholic tinc-
ture may be safely evaporated at a moderate heat of about 160°
F., without any appreciable loss of volatile oil. The volatile
principle of black snakeroot, a member of the family of Ranun-
culacege, is probably of a nature similar to the volatile acrid prin-
ciples found in the roots of some other plants belonging to this
important family, and which mostly are of such a delicate nature
as to be easily modified or completely changed by the influence
of air, so that it most likely will be found essential to prepare
the fluid extract, not only from the recently dried root, but also
to hasten the first part of the process in order to bring this
principle under the protecting agency of sugar.

With properly constructed apparatus, I am of opinion that
exhaustion of the crude material with ether may be found pre-
ferable, as the ether allows of its evaporation being carried on
at a very moderate temperature, and might be nearly all regained,
while the resulting extract may be taken up by alcohol, which
would leave any fixed oil and much of the chlorophylle behind,

NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OP BUCHU, ETC. 315

if an alcohol of about sixty per cent, was chosen. Should
the extract contain nothing of medicinal importance but a
volatile oil, its incorporation with sugar and subsequent dis-
solving in water might be resorted to, so as to separate inert
matter. The residuary material might then be exhausted with
diluted alcohol or any other proper menstruum ; the resulting
tincture to be properly evaporated or distilled to regain the
alcohol. Drugs containing volatile principles if treated in ac-
cordance with these suggestions, I am inclined to think, will yield
fluid extracts containing all that is valuable and desirable to pre-
serve. I have not had occasion to follow these hints practi-
cally, for which purpose I intend to employ some of the stronger
odoriferous drugs.

The separation of chlorophylle from the fluid extract of buchu
has occasioned me a good deal of trouble. The residue of the
ethereo-alcoholic tincture is a liquid, and chlorophylle of a semi-
fluid consistence, to which some odorous matter persistently ad-
heres; to separate the latter, I threw the chlorophyll precipitate,
mixed with some diluted alcohol, upon a moistened filter, in the
hope of being able to wash it out ; but the chlorophylle soon
settled down, gradually displaced the moisture from the filter,
and then slowly passed through. It was dissolved in alcohol,
and after finishing the extract, and, while still warm, I pressed
it through flannel and canton flannel, but the finely divided
chlorophylle likewise passed mostly through, and as you will per-
ceive in the specimen in your possession, has since separated
cream-like to the surface, leaving the syrupy liquid beneath per-
fectly transparent. The addition of more alcohol would dissolve
it, but as it has no medicinal value, I should consider this addi-
tion no improvement. I believe it more advisable to make more
experiments in the direction pointed out above, with the ultimate
view of separating it entirely.

In preparing fluid extract of matico, the separation of chlo-
rophylle is attended with less difficulty, being readily separated
by flannel, when it may be washed with a little diluted alcohol ;
it is much firmer than that obtained from buchu which is proba-
bly intimately associated with some waxy matter.

As you will perceive, the above fluid extracts have been made
to contain in the fluid ounce the virtues of one ounce Troy of

19

316 NOTES ON THE FLUID EXTRACTS OP BUCHU, ETC.

the raw material, a standard I think properly to be adopted for
all preparations of this class, the oleo resins of course excepted,
and which standard strength has met with the approval of our
medical friends.

The specimen of fluid extract of arnica was made by me
three years ago ; being intended for external use, it could not
be preserved by sugar, and alcohol had to be resorted to. To
test its preserving qualities, I filled the vial immediately after
the extract was finished, and it has never been opened since,
until it was placed in your hands, so that no evaporation could
take place ; notwithstanding this, a precipitate is found adhering
to the sides of the vial. The same experience, I think, has, been
made by every pharmaceutist with the officinal fluid extract of
valerian. Mr. Grahame's fluid extract of savin and the fluid
extract of ergot, as proposed by you, have the same tendency,
but both in a degree much less than any other alcoholic fluid
extract that I am acquainted with. On the other hand, I have a
few fluid extracts on hand made by myself some two years ago,
and preserved by the agency of sugar, without any addition of
alcohol ; they have been kept in well stopped vials, in a room
where they have been under the influence of all changes of tem-
perature during at least two summer and two winter seasons.
I shall be happy to show them to you at my earliest opportunity,
you will find them neither fermented nor the sugar crystallized ;
their appearance is still unobjectionable, but as I have not un-
corked the vials for probably over a year, I cannot at present
speak of their other sensible properties.

I remain, yours, very respectfully,

J. M. Maisch.*

* Note by the Editor. — Some months ago, Mr. Maisch having presented
us with samples of several fluid extracts, which appear to possess decided
merit, so far as judged by their sensible properties, we requested to have
notes of the formulae used, and, though intended for private information
in connection with some labor in the same direction for the Association,
injustice to the writer we have, with his consent, printed the letter, so
that others similarly engaged may avail themselves of the suggestions, if ap-
proved. Theoretically there seems to be too much alcohol to enable the
sugar to be retained, yet in only the extract of buchu has any crystalliza-
tion occurred ; owing to the greater sp. gr. of the these syrupy extracts,
-the tendency of the separated oleo-resinous matter is to the surface ; all

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

317

the extracts being clear below. Agitation easily reunites the super stratum
with the clear extract.

We confess, however, that our experience is in favor of making valerian,
buchu, cimicifuga and allied drugs, owing to their virtues to oleo-resinous
principles, with an alcoholic menstruum, and with as little evaporation as
possible. The views of Prof. Grahame, (see page 379,) in regard to fluid
extract of valerian, appear to meet the case, and if by the aid of
careful percolation we can get nine-tenths of the active matter of a drug
in nine-tenths of the bulk of the fluid extract to be made, we believe the
problem will be solved, so far as this class is concerned ; but we must be
careful that we do extract all that the physician needs in the preparation.
There are cases where the solvent power of glycerin may come into play
when the retention of alcohol in the fluid extract may prove objectionable.
It is certainly very desirable that fluid extracts should be homogeneous
solutions, and to this end let us strive to attain, if it be possible.

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.
By William Procter, Jr.

It has long been conceded that the process of displacement
or percolation, as developed by the Boullays of Paris in 1833,
is calculated, in proper hands, to work a complete revolution in
the manipulations of extraction, as applied to pharmacy. Those
who have understood it have not failed to get results, which, if
not entirely satisfactory, have so far exceeded the ancient me-
thods of maceration and digestion, that they have won for it the
preference. Why then, it has been asked, has not this process
been universally employed ? Why, in two successive revisions of
the Pharmacopoeia, has it been but partially adopted, giving the
preference to the old methods ? I believe, the reason will be
found in the fact that the practice of this process involves more
preparatory labor and stricter attention to certain conditions,
without which it is a failure, and that it was the want of confi-
dence by the Pharmacopoeial authorities in the ability and will-
ingness of those who have in charge the business of pharmacy,
faithfully to carry out these conditions, that caused percolation
to be offered as an alternative, instead of being made the normal
process of extraction. The very simplicity of maceration ren-
ders it easily understood by the novice, and any irregularity in
the preparation of the materials is overcome in a great degree,
by the longer time devoted to the process.

318 ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

Unfortunately, many persons who employ percolation habitu-
ally, do not understand its principles and details sufficiently
clear to gain all the advantages it affords, or even to get pro-
ducts, in many cases, equal to those by the old methods. My
attention has been reattracted to this subject, partly by the
near approach of anew edition of our Pharmacopoeia, and partly
by the excellent paper of Prof. Grahame, read at the last meet-
ing of the Association, at Washington, which has been reprinted
on page 354 of the present number from the published Proceed-
ings ; and I propose first to consider what the displacement pro-
cess was intended to accomplish, and the conditions to be at-
tended to, and afterwards remark on the results of Prof.
Grahame.

The object to be obtained in practice by Boullay's theory is
this : a solvent, poured on the top of a powder consisting par-
tially of soluble matter contained in a cylindrical vessel and sup-
ported on a porous diaphragm descends from layer to layer by
capillary attraction, and its own gravity, exerting its solvent
power on each successive layer until its power of solution is ex-
hausted, after which it continues to descend by the pressure of
the superincumbent fluid, until forced out through the diaphragm
into the vessel below, a saturated solution ; this process continu-
ing until the soluble matter is so far removed from the powder
that the liquid by the contact becomes less and less charged
with the soluble matter until exhausted. But to gain this result
it is absolutely necessary that the substance treated shall be in
a uniform powder, and that the capillarity or porousness of the
mass of powder be not destroyed by any cause whatever, for, on
the fact of the slow, regular, and even descent of the solvent, from
one horizontal layer to the next without side channels or circuits,
caused by irregular powdering or imperfect packing, depends
the success of the process. Now what are the causes which
interfere with this important condition ? They are several : — 1.
The imperfect preparation of the powder owing to the difference
of opinion as to the degree of fineness it should be made to
assume, and to the careless dislike of the trouble it causes. To
say that all substances should be equally fine would be incorrect,
as in substances containing a large proportion of matter very
soluble in the liquid used, the powder should not be quite so fine

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

319

as in examples where the proportion is less, for the reason that
the proper capillary action is interfered with. To give an ex-
treme example in illustration, it would not be proper or possible
to displace finely powdered gum or sugar with water, or guaiac
or mastic with alcohol ; but by associating with these powders a
a sufficient quantity of insoluble matter in powder, the condition
of porosity being established, the process would go on. But
the range of fineness should not be very great in small regular
operations ; and where the state of division is properly attended
to there need be no difficulty in regulating the porosity of the
mass and consequent passage of the liquid.

It is an excellent custom to keep a set of sieves for the pre-
paration of powders for this purpose, so that the degree of fine-
ness of powders for percolation can be easily regulated, and it
will be a point worthy of consideration by the revising commit-
tee of the Pharmacopoeia, whether some more definite directions
as regards the state of division of drugs for displacement, cannot
be given than at present, — Dr. Squibb suggests that a sieve of
24 meshes to the linear inch produces a powder of the right
fineness, — Prof. Grahame considers the range should be from
40 to 60 meshes to the inch, I believe the range should be
greater to include large and small operations, 20 to 60 meshes
to the inch. Where the menstruum is ethereal or alcoholic (50 to
95 per cent, in strength,) the finer powder will be found very
suitable, even in a cylindrical percolator, unless the powder is
highly resinous, in which case, either the powder must be coarse,
or if fine, must be admixed with an inert powder like sand to
give the requisite porosity. When, however, very dilute alcohol
or water is used, a powder 40 to the inch will be found fine
enough, and if the substance is mucilaginous, 25 to 30 meshes
will be found sufficient. But whatever degree of division is
adopted let it be as uniform as possible, and not consist of fine
cellular tissue mixed with long coarse fibres, the result of simple
contusion as is often the case. Until apothecaries will con-
scientiously assume this trouble and care, they will not be able
to derive the beautiful and satisfactory results from this process,
which it so abundantly affords.

This brings us to the second stage of the process, viz., the
manner of packing the material in the apparatus, as regards its

320

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

condition of dryness or moisture at the time it is packed, and
the form of the apparatus used. Boullay almost invariably re-
commended the powders to be packed dry — others dampen the
powder or even saturate it by previous maceration. Our Phar-
macopoeia, based on the experience of many operators, almost
invariably directs the powders to be previously macerated in a
portion of the solvent. My own practice has been in favor of
macerating the powders in all cases where the menstruum is
water or very weak alcohol, where the powders swell by absorp-
tion ; whilst with alcohol or ether to proceed at once with the
percolation, wTith or without previously moistening the powders
at the time of packing, according to circumstances. Prof.
Grahame invariably uses fine powders, and previously dampens
them with menstruum, just sufficiently to facilitate (or invite, so
to speak,) the entrance and descent of the fluid through the
the powders without destroying their pulverulent condition and
interfering with their regular packing.

The degree of pressure to be exerted in compacting the pow-
ders must vary with their nature ; hard ligneous substances
will require more compaction than such as tend to expand by
contact with fluid. There is a class of drugs, of which rhubarb
and columbo are a type, which become adhesive by contact with
water or weak alcohol, and constantly give trouble to the opera-
tor in the ordinary cylinder, owing to their tendency to swell
up and form an impervious mass. It will be seen by the sequel
that the employment of a conical percolator in great measure
remedies this difficulty. There is another class that contain in-
soluble gum or mucus analogous to bassorin, like senna and
althaea root, which swells up and forms a gelatinous mass with
water, wholly unfit for percolation in an ordinary percolator.
With the conical displacer even these may be treated with an
aqueous menstruum ; but unless the mucilage is desirable in the
preparation, as in syrup of althaea, it is better to use a partially
alcoholic menstruum. In those cases where the swelling
is due more to the expansion of the cellular tissue of the
particles by contact with water than to mucilage, even though
a large amount of soluble extractive matter be present,
as in the case of gentian, it will be found advantageous
to use a fine powder, 50 or 60 to the inch, moistened with

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

321

half its weight of water, which does not destroy its pulveru-
lent condition, and treat it in a conical percolator. Prof.
Grahame having met with no difficulty on the score of compac-
tion by swelling, overlooks this fruitful source of trouble in di-
rect displacement with the ordinary cylinder, owing to his hav-
ing accidentally employed the funnel as a convenient percolator,
and his success with those substances that ordinarily require
previous maceration to swell them is largely attributable to this
cause. When a damp vegetable powder is packed in the conical
cavity of a funnel and covered with paper to avoid the derange-
ment of its strata, and water is poured carefully on, the liquid
is absorbed, the insoluble cellular structure of the particles be-
comes swollen, and the whole mass, stratum after stratum, ex-
panding laterally and vertically, finds no difficulty in relieving
itself, owing to the inclination of the sides ; but in a cylinder
the lateral expansion gaining no relief except vertically, the
particles are compacted together often to such a degree as to
prevent the percolation altogether. I believe that, philosophi-
cally speaking, the cylinder is the proper shape of a percolator
in cases where expansion presents no difficulty, but where this
occurs, the use of a cone, as employed by Prof. Grahame, has
very important advantages.

Whatever form of apparatus is used, or however the packing
may be affected, the operator should either by a disc of paper,
muslin, or lint, or a layer ofsand, cover the surface of the ingre-
dients so that the addition of fluid shall not disturb the stratifi-
cation of the powders. Boullay employed an upper metallic
diaphragm. If paper or muslin, etc., is U5ed, it should be
soaked in the liquid, and carefully pressed into its position so
as to remove the air beneath before adding the menstruum, else
it will be displaced by its buoyancy.

But the peculiar merit of Prof. Grahame's paper is, that it
insists on the invariable production of a highly concentrated
solution at first, (a result always attained most effectually by
direct displacement,) which enables the operator to fraction his
product, to make less menstruum suffice for exhaustion, and in
cases requiring evaporation, shielding the principles from the in-
jury of prolonged heating. He also can avail himself of it in
making fluid extracts, by reserving the densest first liquid, eva-

322

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

porating only the weaker. This brings us to consider the sub-
ject of saturation in regard to pharmaceutical menstruua, and
to explain how it is that a solution by direct displacement is
necessarily more concentrated than one by displacement pre-
ceded by maceration or by simple macera tion. By way of illus-
tration, let us take krameria : 1. The strongest aqueous solu-
tion attainable by maceration is that obtained by saturating
rhatany powder with water, letting it stand in a cool place for
24 or 48 hours and then expressing it. The largest proportion
of material is thus brought in contact with the smallest propor-
tion of solvent possible in this method, which we will assume to
be a pound, (7000 grs.)in a pint.

2. If now, instead of pressing this rhatany, it be placed in
a percolator properly packed, and treated with water, so as to
displace the infusion very slowly, the first fluid ounce that
passes will nearly represent the liquid by maceration. The
second fluid ounce will be stronger by the amount of matter dis-
solved in its passage through the powder occupied by the first
fluid ounce. The third fluid ounee will be yet denser, owing to
its gathering up from the leaving of the first and second
fluid ounces. And this goes on until the added menstruum
begins to mix with the last portions, when the specific gravity
cf the mixture will be less than that of the infusion originally
absorbed.

3. But when you operate by direct displacement, (or in the
way proposed by Prof. Grahame, which amounts to nearly the
same thing, and is more certain,) the first fluid ounce of liquid
that enters the powder exerts its solvent power on every succes-
sive layer of the powder, until it ceases to dissolve any more,
after which it is simply pushed downward by the gravity of the
liquid above, minus the capillary attraction exerted (sponge-
like) by the powder to retain it. The second fluid ounce pro-
ceeds in like manner to exert its solvent power till saturated
and passed ; and this process proceeds so long as the amount of
soluble matter is sufficient to wholly satisfy the solvent action
of the water during its contact, after which point the liquids
will be found less and less dense. Now, on comparing the first
portion of the liquid by direct displacement with the others, it
will be found to be much stronger and more syrupy ; and though

ON PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

323

the last portion of the pint will be weaker than any of the
others, yet when all the proceeds of the immediate displacement
are mixed, the average will be stronger than either of the
others.

In conclusion, I will offer the following experiments :

1. An ounce of gentian root was powdered and passed
through a sieve 60 meshes to the inch, moistened with two fluid
drachms of water so as to be yet pulverulent. It was put in a
funnel, the neck of which was previously stopped with moistened
cotton, slightly pressed and covered with filtering paper and the
height in the funnel marked. Water was now poured on : the
powder gradually absorbed its bulk, and a dark brown liquid
collected in the vessel below. The densest liquid amounted to
3j fluid ounces, but more than eight fluid ounces were required
to exhaust it. The first liquid, by standing a few hours, gelatin-
ized, from the large amount of pectin it contained. The surface
of the powder, when exhausted, had risen half an inch in the
funnel.

2. Two ounces of Alexandria senna, of similar fineness to
the gentian, was moistened with half a fluid ounce of water, and
arranged in a funnel as above. Water was poured on and was
slowly absorbed, having required 8 hours to become saturated ;
a dark, nearly black, syrupy liquid gradually collected below,
requiring 14 hours to four fluid ounces. This liquid was very
highly charged with the properties of the senna and very
odorous. The powder occupied twice its original bulk, and was
gelatinous.

3. Two ounces of senna moistened and put in a lamp glass
cylinder, refused the passage of the liquid after twenty-four
hours, owing to its consistence.

4. Two ounces of rhubarb of similar fineness was moistened
with half an ounce of water, (a difficult operation, owing to
the tendency of the powder to form a paste by contact with
water, and thus oppose its general distribution among the par-
ticles,) and treated precisely as the senna. The absorption
took place with great slowness, about 14 hours elapsing before
the liquid commenced to pass, and 20 hours longer were requir-
ed to fill an 8 oz. vial. Of the infusion, about one-half was satu-
rated, and above this the liquid was less dense, but quite strongly

824

MANUFACTURE OF THE OTTO OF ROSE.

impregnated with the color and taste of the root. When we
consider the comparative insolubility of the isolated resinous and
coloring principles of rhubarb, it is surprising how large a
quantity may be extracted by the slow action of cold water in
this way. I believe that for treatment with cold water, rhubarb
should be in powder of at least 40 meshes, if not 30, so that it
will be more porous.

5. Two ounces of powdered columbo was treated in the same
mann r ; the absorption was nearly as slow as in the rhubarb,
about 10 hours elapsing before it commenced to pass out below,
and 14 hours longer were required to fill an eight ounce vial.
On examining the product it was found that the first three
ounces were dense and dark colored, the liquid above being
gradually less colored, but quite bitter. The mass did not swell
as much as the gentian. The result would indicate the impro-
priety of so fine a powder for columbo, because of the slow pas-
sage of the menstruum, and its tendency to decompose in warm
weather before the root is exhausted — even with the use of the
funnel.

All of these substances with diluted alcohol, would have be-
haved much better and the results obtained more quickly, yet
the experiments serve to illustrate the influence of a conical
percolator.

ON THE MANUFACTURE OF THE OTTO OF HOSE AT KISANLIK
IN EUROPEAN TURKEY.
By J. Lawrence Smith, M. D.

Professor of Chemistry in the University of Louisville.

Seeing an article in the May number of the Journal of Phar-
macy on the Otto of Rose, brought to my recollections some
neglected notes made during my residence in Turkey,* on the cul-
ture of the rose and the extraction of its oil at Kisanlik in the
Balkan Mountains.

Having succeeded in finding those notes, and as they contain
matter which may interest some of your readers, I forward them
for publication.

* [Note. — Prof. Smith was engaged during two years in the geological
survey of Turkey, under the patronage of the Sultan. — Editor.]

MANUFACTURE OF THE OTTO OF ROSE.

325

The region where the rose is cultivated is a valley in the
Balkan Mountains, in which is situated the city of Kisanlik,
about 60 miles north west of Adrianople, in latitude 42° 40'.
It is only within fourteen or fifteen years that the cultivation
of the rose has taken its present development in that region,
although for a number of years the otto has been made there in
limited quantity especially for royal presents. The surface of
the country is that of an extensive plain, shut in by elevated
ridges, and here the rose is cultivated by the farmers, who sell
the roses to the distillers residing in Kisanlik, seldom or never
distilling them on their farms.

The rose cultivated is of one kind, a full red rose, that was
doubtless introduced into this region many years ago, and
selected for its great fragrance and peculiar adaptation to the
distillation of the oil. Its cultivation is attended with but little
trouble. The bushes are allowed to grow from 4 to 6 feet high,
although sometimes much higher.

The roses are gathered during the months of May and June,
six weeks being the term usually occupied in getting in the
crops.

The yield is on an average about lj lbs. of rose leaves to a
bush, the roses being collected with the calyx.

They are gathered half expanded, and at the dawn of day,
and not unfrequently before daylight. They cannot be kept
advantageously more than a day before being put into the still ;
if obliged to do so, they must be turned over frequently, as
otherwise they will ferment, heat, and the otto be lost.

The roses are placed in copper stills of about 30 gallons' ca-
pacity, in proportion of 60 lbs. of rose leaves to 15 gallons of
water, and the still immediately heated. The oil is in the first
portion of the water which comes over ; however, one half the
water is distilled — this is collected in several large bottles ; this
water is now placed into a second still, and about one-fifth of it
distilled, on which all the oil will float. The oil is taken off
the surface with a little spoon and placed in an appropriate
vessel. All the water distilled in both first and second opera-
tion is sent into market as rose water.

The water remaining in the still with the rose leaves is strained
off and added to a fresh portion of leaves, in the proportion al-
ready mentioned.

326

MANUFACTURE OF THE OTTO OF ROSE.

The quantity of rose leaves required to produce one metical,
(lj drachms) of the oil, varies from 30 to 60 lbs., according to
the nature of the weather. If the roses open during wet weather,
and flower slowly, the yield is at its maximum ; if, however, the
weather is hot, and the bush flowers vigorously, the yield dimin-
ishes, the rose itself is paler, and if not picked at an early stage
yields almost nothing.

There is a green wax that comes off the calyx, attaching itself
to the fingers of those collecting, that also yields an oil by dis-
tillation.

The annual product of otto of rose in this region is from
28,000 to 33,000 ounces, although so largely is it adulterated
that the amount of oil exported as rose oil is upwards of
70,000 ounces.

The material employed for adulteration is the oil of a species
of geranium, very probably the Pelargonium roseum, grown in
Arabia, in the neighborhood of Mecca,* and taken to Kisanlik,
for the purpose of adulterating the otto of rose. This gera-
nium oil has the odor of the rose mixed with that of the lemon.

In fact, it is a common thing, both in Europe and this coun-
try, to find this geranium oil in market, called otto of rose,
sometimes mixed with a little spermaceti and benzoic acid.

On one occasion, a merchant at Constantinople, told me that
he sent large quantities of oil of geranium to parties in New
York, who informed him through his agents in Smyrna, that it
sold very readily in this country as otto of rose, and that the
difference was not appreciated.

It is almost impossible to obtain the oil of rose pure ; the
distiller hardly gets his oil together in the evening, before he
commences to elongate it by a little geranium oil ; if it be only
five per cent, he must put that in. Such small addition as that
would be made only by very conscientious traders. Fifty to
two hundred per cent, are far more commonly added. And should
the otto happen to sojourn a little while at Constantinople, it
would increase still farther in weight and bulk. In the bazaars

* [Note. — The reader, by reference to page 336, will find this point sat-
isfactorily settled by Mr. Hanbury, who shows that the so-called oil of
geranium, though it does come to Turkey from Mecca, is really produced
in Northern India, and carried to Mecca via Red Sea commerce. — Editor.]

USE OF FUNNELS IN DISPLACEMENT.

827

of that city, three or four grades of the otto can be bought ; of
course, they are simply different degrees of adulteration.

The exact cost of manufacturing the pure otto of rose, at
Kisanlik may be estimated by referring to the following figures
of an actual experiment made under my direction :

10,000 lbs. fresh rose leaves . . . $140.00

Paid for use of still 6.25

Paid for labor and fuel .... 16.50

162.75

Yield was 36 ounces, thus costing $4.52 per ounce to the
producer.

This fragrant oil is made in other parts of the world by pro-
cesses differing doubtlessly from the one described, also from a
different rose; the one used in Tripoli is white, having but few
petals. The rose grown in the southern portion of France bor-
dering on Italy yields hardly a trace of oil by distillation, al-
though only J degree further north than Kisanlik, the rose
leaves there being used directly to impart their odor to perfum-
ing soaps or distilled water.

As regards the manner of testing the purity of the oil, I
agree with Mr. Mackay, that the sulphuric acid and other tests
are of no value. The odor is the best test, and that can only
be applied by experts where the otto is made.

ON THE USE OF FUNNELS IN DISPLACEMENT.
By Edward Parrish.

Since the publication in the Proceedings of the American
Pharmaceutical Association of the views and experience of my
friend Prof. I. J. Grahame, on the management of the process
of Displacement or Percolation, I have tried several experiments
with a view to satisfy myself in regard to their utility or correct-
ness. In these experiments I have attempted to obtain some of
the most common preparations by following his directions carefully
and accurately, and have met with repeated disappointment and
in one or two instances lost considerable quantities of material
by the apparatus becoming clogged, and the menstruum flowing

328

USE OF FUNNELS IN DISPLACEMENT.

so slowly that in one case fermentation took place and the whole
became worthless.

It will be recollected that according to the directions of Prof.
Grahame all substances designed for displacement are to be
powdered so as to pass through a sieve of 40 or 60 meshes to
the linear inch, according to the permeability of the material :
then moistened to such extent only as that, the pulverulent
character being not entirely lost, the particles shall, when rubbed
between the hands, move freely upon each other ; then packed
into the apparatus more or less firmly in proportion as the mass
possesses this mobility, or is adhesive, and then the whole of the
liquid being poured on to the top it is allowed to proceed to
completion.

This process was so novel and contrary to my previous ex-
perience that I should not have given it a trial, but for the de-
servedly high reputation of its author, his positive assurances of
its success, and the evidences he had long ago shown me of the
superiority of his percolated preparations. One point in his ex-
periments which had appeared of no importance to him, had
attracted my attention as likely to increase the difficulties of
the process, and I had accordingly omitted any attention to it
in my manipulations ; he had always used a funnel which he said
was not objectionable, as generally supposed, and had the ad-
vantage of being always at hand, cheap and, when of glass,
allowed an opportunity to inspect the uniformity of the packing
and the gradual progress of the displacement. I had always
objected to the use of the common funnel for any of the more
difficult displacements, and had stated in the first edition of my
work on pharmacy, that in treating rhubarb, senna, squill, &c,
with any menstruum containing a considerable proportion of
water, the displacer must be a cylinder with a broad and coarse
diaphragm, and that a common funnel with a plug of cotton in
the tube was quite out of the question.

Now, to an accidental trial of the common funnel, with a po-
rous powder dampened and tightly packed, as directed by
Grahame, I owe the discovery that I had all along been mis-
taken, and that the shape of the apparatus was perhaps the
chief though the unsuspected cause of Grahame's success in per-
colation.

USE OF FUNNELS IN DISPLACEMENT.

329

Drugs which swell very much when moistened, give the most
trouble in percolation in the ordinary straight cylinders used,
the reason is undoubtedly to be found in the compression oc-
casioned by the swelling of the mass of vegetable matter in the
cylinder. If tightly packed when introduced, this expansion
must cause an excessive compression of the particles upon each
other and a consequent closing up of the pores through which
the menstruum is designed to percolate.

This compression often amounts to a complete plugging
up of the apparatus, even when the powder has been previously
macerated, and has not been tightly packed; but when it has been
only dampened, not swelled, before packing, as directed by
Grahame, it becomes so completely compacted together as it
swells, as entirely to prevent percolation.

This difficulty, which every tyro must be familiar with, is com-
pletely obviated by the use of a common funnel, with a loose
plug of cotton in the tube ; the pressure occasioned by the ex-
pansion of the mass as it becomes saturated with the liquid, in-
stead of being confined, tends upwards as well as outwards, and
thus as the mass becomes tighter it relieves itself by rising in
the funnel, and is prevented from becoming so compressed as
to interfere with its capillarity.

With the use of the common funnel, large or small at pleas-
ure, I find my experience to coincide completely with that of
Prof. Grahame. One experiment may be mentioned as illus-
trating the success of the process ; 10,000 grains of English
Colchicum corm, was powdered by Swift's Drug Mill, to about
the fineness indicated by Grahame, dampened with diluted Acetic
Acid, and packed with a pestle, as tightly as possible in a large
glass funnel ; a little more than a quart of the same menstruum
was then added and thirty fluid ounces of liquid was obtained, — this
first portion on evaporation, yielded 1750 grains of extract,— a
second portion of menstruum was now added, and another thirty
tfluid ounces passed, — this yielded 390 grains, and a third por
ion of the same bulk yielded only 38 grains.

The aggregate, 2178 grains, (not quite 22 per cent.) is rather
less than I have obtained from some previous operations, but
allowance must be made for the quality of the drug, which, in
this instance, though remarkably fine, contained the outer

330 PHARMACEUTICAL STATISTICS OF SAXONY.

skin or envelope of the Corms, a part generally removed from
the article, as found in commerce. The percolation, notwith-
standing the aqueous menstruum, and the fineness of the powder,
nearly all of which would have passed through a sieve of 50
meshes, was perfectly successful and not inconveniently slow.

What I have thus said of Grahame's process and of the use
of the common funnel, may be construed as assenting too hastily
to a practice of displacement quite contrary to that heretofore
taught; but I present the limited experience I have acquired at
this early stage of the investigation to induce others to follow in
the same track, feeling the need of more definite, precise, and
satisfactory directions for the management of the important
process of displacement.

PHARMACEUTICAL STATISTICS OF SAXONY.

The " Zeitschr. des Statist. Bureaus " contains some statistics
from which we extract the following :

In the kingdom of Saxony there were in 1856, 121 pharmaceu-
tical stores, with " real concession ;" that is, a license for con-
ducting the business, resting on a certain house or real estate
property, and which is transferable to another property — and 61
with " personal concession " — a license granted to a person and
not easily transferable ; five of this number are connected with
charitable institutions. Since 1819 the number has increased
from 128, or one store to each 10,461 inhabitants, to 177, or one
to 11,644 inhabitants.

Exclusive of the principals, there were employed in these
establishments 33 " Provisores," 165 clerks (gehilfen), and 93
apprentices. The yearly sales of most drug stores reachj3000
thalers ( = 70 cts.), many are above that sum, and the sales of
but few fall short of 2000 thalers ; this amount is the pharma-
ceutical business, and does not include the branches frequently
connected therewith, such as chemical manufactories, distilling
establishments, &c. — Dr. HirzeVs Zeitschr. f. Pharm., 1859,
12-14. J. M. M.

ON COLOCYNTH.

331

ON COLOCYNTH.
By Dr. G. F. Walz.

As a continuation of his former investigations on the various
constituents of colocynth, the author now gives directions for
their isolation ; we extract the following from his paper :

Bruised colocynth is exhausted by alcohol of -84 spec, grav.,
the tincture distilled and evaporated to dryness, the extract
treated with cold water, the solution precipitated by sugar of lead,
afterwards by subacetate of lead, and then by sulphuretted hy-
drogen; the yellow filtrate is precipitated by tannin and heated.
The resinous mass is well washed with water, dissolved in alco-
hol, precipitated by subacetate of lead, the filtrate is freed from
lead, digested with animal charcoal, evaporated and well washed
with anhydrous ether ; the golden yellow insoluble part is colo-
cynthin.

That part of the alcoholic extract which is insoluble in water
yields to ether colocynthitin, to be purified by treating its solution
in absolute alcohol with animal charcoal, when it crystallizes in
brilliant white oblique rhomboidal prisms. It is almost insoluble
in cold absolute alcohol, crystallizes partly from the hot solution,
another part gelatinizing in combination with alcohol and losing
it but slowly. Colocynth contains but a very small proportion of
colocynthitin.

The above precipitate with sugar of lead, after decomposition
with hydrosulphuric acid, contains a reddish-brown body, with
traces of colocynthitin soluble in ether, colocynthin and red
brown coloring matter soluble in water, and another body solu-
ble in alcohol. The sulphuret of lead yields to hot alcohol colo-
cynthitin, the above body soluble in ether and alcohol, and the
other substance soluble in alcohol.

The above precipitate with subacetate of lead, after decompo-
sition, furnishes considerable colocynthin, very little matter
soluble in ether, but principally two brown coloring matters, one
soluble in water, one in alcohol. The sulphuret of lead contains a
yellow substance soluble in ether, a little colocynthitin and color-
ing matter soluble in alcohol.

The above precipitate of sulphuret of lead imparts to alcohols
a yellowish-red color, a strongly bitter taste, and contains the

20

332

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

yellow substance soluble in ether, and the reddish-brown body
soluble in alcohol.

That part of the extract insoluble in water and containing the
colocynthitin, consists, besides this, of coloring matter, the sub-
stance soluble in ether, and the one soluble in alcohol.

The aqueous solution, after the precipitation of colocynthin by
tannin, on evaporation to one-half and neutralization with car-
bonate of soda, yields by tannin more colocynthin, to which
much of the substance soluble in ether adheres. The filtrate,
after precipitating with subacetate of lead and neutralizing with
soda, yields another precipitate of colocynthin by tannin.

The exhausted colocynth imparts to boiling water much mucil-
age, which is precipitated by alcohol ; the filtrate, if treated as
above, yields another not inconsiderable quantity of colocynthin.

Pure colocynthin has the composition Or6 H42 023; its aqueous
solution is decomposed by sulphuric acid, yielding sugar and
colocynthein, a resinous body, soluble in ether. C56 H42 023 -f
2 HO yield C12 H12 012 + 044 H32 013 (colocynthein.) — Wittstein's
Viert. Schrift. vii. 558—565. J. M. M.

ON OTTO OF ROSE.
By Daniel Hanbury, F. L. S.

The importance of authentic specimens is well understood by
naturalists. The botanist who has had the opportunity of veri-
fying the Linnsean name of a plant by comparing it with Linnse-
us's own specimen, is sensible that no more satisfactory proof is
wanting. The entomologist who can appeal to the specimens
of Fabricius, or the zoologist who can point to those named by
Cuvier, as identical with his own, feels that he can rightfully
adopt the names given by those authors. Nor is the student of
Materia Medica much less in need of authentic or type speci-
mens as standards of comparison. Yet how difficult it would be
to point to a specimen of Sarsaparilla as indubitably the root of
one particular species of Smilax, or to find in our museums a
specimen of Myrrh or Olibanum, or Gamboge, with indisputable
data as to its botanical origin and place of production.

These observations have been suggested by the difficulty which

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

333

occurs to the druggist in the purchase of Otto of Rose. The
■wholesale price of the article varies from 14s. to 26s. per ounce,
a fact indicative of a wide range of qualities. But assuming
that the most expensive article is the purest, it will be found to
differ materially from the Otto described by our best authors.
Pereira states* that at temperatures below 80° F., Attar of Roses
is a crystalline solid ; and the same assertion is made by Dr.
Boyle. f Brande statesj that it melts at 84° ; Redwood, that it
fuses between 84° and 86°.§ Martiny gives 86Q as its fusing
point. || Chevallier, Richard, and Guillemin say that it is con-
crete below 84° to 86°. If Dr. Jackson states, of the Otto made
at Ghazeepore, that it melts at 84°.**

Yet the Otto of the London market, as all druggists know, is
never found with so high a fusing point, and in fact, there is but
a portion of that which arrives, of which one could say that it is
solid above 60° F.

These discrepant facts have long engaged my attention, and
believing that the general subject of Otto of Rose merits the no-
tice of pharmaceutists, I have placed on paper the observations
which I have collected, and have now the honor of laying them
before the Pharmaceutical Society.

For convenience, I think it best to discuss the subject under
three heads, namely, Production, Adulteration, and Chemical
Characters. First, then, the

Production of Otto of Rose.

The Otto of Rose with which at the present day the English
market is supplied, is produced in Turkey, on the plains lying
south of the Balkan Mountains.

Otto of Rose is also collected in Provence, in the South of
France, by the distillers of Rose Water, and this Otto, the pro-
duction of which is very limited, realizes a high price. In the

* Elements of Mat. Med. Ed. 8, vol. ii., p. 1812. t Manual of Mat. Med.
Ed. 2, p. 432. % Manual of Chemistry. Ed. 6, p. 1551. \ Supplement to
the Pharm. Ed. 3, p. 861. || Encyklop. d. Med.-Pharm. Nat.-und Rohwaa-
renk. Bd.ii., p. 389. \ Diet, des Drog. t. iii. p. 158. ** O'Shaughnessy's
Bengal Dispensatory (p. 328), in which work Dr. Jackson's interesting account
is given at length.

334

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

state of Tunis, in Persia, and in the northern parts of India,*
Otto of Rose is also manufactured, but none from these coun-
tries finds its way into the London Market.

With regard to Turkey, the chief localities in which the rose
is cultivated for the production of Otco, are Kizanlik, a large
town lying on the southern side of the Balkans, about seventy
miles to the north of Adrianople. At Eski-Zaghra, in the val-
ley of the Tunja, to the south-east of Kiranlik, the rose is also
cultivated on a large scale, and at Carlova,f also on the southern
side of the Balkans, about 100 miles from Adrianople, much
Otto is said to be produced.

The flowering season commences in May, and the roses are
usually collected before sunrise every morning. When the
weather is dry and hot, the flowering season is short, and the
roses blooming about the same time, it is impossible to collect
them all.

The process followed is the simple one of distilling the roses
with water in copper stills of no very considerable dimensions,
and collecting the Otto from the distilled product.

In very favorable seasons, the three districts above mentioned
can produce from 300,000 to 360,000 meticals, which, at six
metioals to the ounce, would give from 50,000 to 60,000 ounces.
This, however, is of rare occurrence, as, independently of the
weather, other causes, as frost, or caterpillars, may reduce the
crop.

I am informed that in the year 1854, the crop in the three
districts above named, though not abundant, was calculated at
250,000 meticals, equal to 41,666 ounces; in the year 1855 it
was estimated at 30,000 ounces ; while in 1856 it did not much
exceed 13,000 ounces.

The Otto of Rose is transported from the producing districts
in large, flat, tin bottles, covered with thick, white felt, and

* Ghazeepore on the Ganges is famous for its manufacture of Rose Water and
Otto of Rose. The latter I would willingly have examined, but have been un-
able to obtain a specimen, or, in fact, of any Indian Otto of Rose in a state of
purity.

Tunisian Otto of Rose, valued at an enormous price, was sent to the Great
Exhibition of 1851, but I had no opportunity of obtaining a sample.

f Sometimes spelt Carloya, but I cannot find it under either name, even upon
the best maps.

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

335

bearing a calico label inscribed with Turkish characters. By
the dealers at Constantinople it is transferred to cut and gilt
glass bottles imported from Germany, and in these it usually
finds its way to the markets of Europe. Sometimes, however,
the large tin bottles are imported into London, it being supposed
(and with some reason) that the Otto they contain has escaped
being tampered with at Constantinople.

According to the official returns prepared for the Board of
Trade, the quantities of Otto of Rose imported into the United
Kingdom upon which duty was paid, were, during four years, as
under : —

1854 - - - 1251 lbs., equal to 20,016 ounces

1855 - - - 1012 « « 16,192 «

1856 - - - 1522 « " 24,352 «

1857 - - - 1591 « « 25,456 «
The duty is one shilling per pound.

Adulteration of Otto of Rose.

Although in Turkey the adulteration of Otto of Rose is some-
times practised by the producers, and especially of late years,
since the repeal of a law in 1840 or 1841 prohibiting such
adulteration under pain of death,* it is chiefly at Constantinople
that this fraudulent practice takes place.

Among the substances which have been used for the adultera-
of Otto of Rose, I may mention two as specially deserving at-
tention. The first is Spermaceti, which, in Turkey, is, I am as-
sured, frequently mixed with the cheaper qualities of Otto ; the
second which is far more systematically and extensively employed,
as well as more difficult of detection, is an essential oil, called in
Turkish Idris YaghL^ It is not unfrequently imported into

* I give this upon the authority of Mr. Edward Schnell, of Adrianople, to
whom, through my friend Mr. Maltass, I am indebted for other particulars re-
specting the production of Otto of Rose in the Balkan.

f I have taken some pains to discover the signification of this name, but
without much success. My friend Mr. Redhouse, thinks it is Idris Taghi, which
may signify Marsh-mallow Oil: and as there is a word in Turkish (Ebe'-gumtji)
which is used to denote both the Marsh-mallow and one of the common garden
Geraniums, so it is possible that the Arabic idris may have the same double
signification: — though the application of any term signifying geranium to the
essential oil in question, is, as I shall show, only correct in so far as that there
is a similarity of color.

336

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

London from Turkey, and is then known in the London drug

trade as Turkish Essence of Geranium,

Let us consider what is its origin. The Catalogue of the
Turkish Section of the Great Exhibition of 1851 states that it
is brought from Mecca. A sample presented by M. Delia
Sudda to the Ecole de Pharmacie of Paris, has likewise this
origin assigned to it.* I am, moreover, informed by my friend
Mr. Maltass, that the Idris Oil found at Smyrna is all brought
by the pilgrims arriving from Mecca. M. Guibourt has stated
to me upon the authority of a gentleman at Constantinople, that
the dealers there affirm that the oil in question comes from
India by way of Egypt.

Although it is thus tolerably evident that the essential oil
called the Idris Yaghi is imported from Mecca, or perhaps from
Jeddah, the port of Mecca, all that we know of these places
tends to show that it is not produced there. Mecca appears to
have no manufactures, but to be entirely supported by the pil-
grims who flock to its holy places : besides which the nature of
the country and the climate, utterly forbid the idea of a green
herb being produced in quantity for distillation.

Jeddah is also without manufactures, but it has a large trade
with various ports on the Red Sea, as well as with India.
Burckhardt, who visited it in 1814, has left a minute description
of the various trades carried on, and even the number of persons
engaged in each ; and it is perfectly clear from his account,
that even for the most trifling manufactured articles, Jeddah is
dependent either on Egypt or India, f

From Bombay, on the other hand, an essential oil is exported,
which is undistinguishable from the Turkish Essence of Gera-
nium.J This liquid is known in India as Roshe or Rose Oil, and
in the London markets as Oil of Ginger- Grass or of Geranium.
It is the produce of the more northern parts of India, where it
is obtained by the distillation of certain grasses of the genus
Andropogon. but the precise species of which I am at present
unable from personal knowledge to name.

From the Report on the External Commerce of Bombay, for
the year 1856-7, a valuable mass of statistics, compiled by R.

* Journal de Pharm. et de Chimie. Tome xxix. p. 310.
f Travels in Arabia, Lond. 1829, 4to, p. 41, &c.

% I must, however, admit that in English trade-lists the two are separately
enumerated, the Turkish fetching a higher price.

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

337

Spooner, Esq., Reporter General, and published by authority of
Government, I find that Roshe (or Rosia} Oil was exported from
Bombay during the year in question to the extent of 1922 gal-
lons. Of this enormous quantity, 541 gallons were shipped to
England, and the remaining 1381 gallons to the Arabian Gulf.
The Report does not state to what ports in the Arabian Gulf
this quantity of Rosh£ Oil is shipped ; but as none is reported
as shipped to Aden or Suez (for which places, as for the United
Kingdom or France, there are special returns,) it is plain that
it is shipped to other ports than these.

Now, although there are several other ports in the Arabian
Gulf, it is Jeddah the port of Mecca that stands foremost in im-
portance. To quote a competent authority " From its posi-
tion, it is the entrepot of all goods coming from India and
Egypt. The merchants of Gosseir, Yambo, Hodeyda, and
Massowah, draw their supplies from it." According to Burton,
the value of the import trade of Jeddah with India amounts to
about 25 lacs of rupees (£250,000) annually.f

Coupling these facts with the testimony of the Turks, that
the volatile oil called Idris Yaghi is imported from Mecca, and
still more with M. Guibourt's information that it is brought from
India, I think there is good circumstantial evidence for identi-
fying it with the Roshe Oil that is exported from Bombay ; and
when we consider the immense influx of pilgrims every year to
Jeddah, the transport of the drug northward to Egypt and
Turkey is easily explained.

Although I have thus demonstrated (as I think) the identity
of the Turkish Idris Yaghi with the Roshe Oil of Bombay, and
therefore proved them the produce of one or more species of
Andropogon, growing in India, it may be proper that I should
briefly state other reasons for considering that this volatile oil
has no claim to the name often given to it of Essence of
Geranium. I may say, then, that it differs from true essential
Oil of Geranium, such as is distilled from a variety of Pelargo-
nium Radula Ait. in the South of France.

1. In odor.

2. In optical properties—in having (according to the observa-
tions of my friend Dr. De Vry) no rotatory power when examined

* R. Innes, Esq., or Cairo, quoted in Parkyn's Life in Abyssynia, vol. i. p. 402.
f Pilgrimage in El-Medinab and Meocah, vol. iii. p. 379.

338

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

by polarized light, whereas, French Oil of Geranium possesses
the power of right-handed rotation.*

2. In chemical properties, inasmuch as when exposed to the
vapor of iodine, it does not acquire the intense coloration that
occurs when Oil of Geranium is so treated.

4. In commercial value, true Oil of Geranium being worth
six times the price of Idris Yaghi, and ten times that of the
Bombay Roshe Oil.

Before being mixed with Otto, the Idris Yaghi is subjected
by the Turkish dealers to some purifying process, chiefly, it
would seem, with a view to diminish its color, a pale color in
Otto of Rose being deemed a sign of goodness.

Chemical Characters of Otto of Rose.

As I have already observed, there exists, regarding the tem-
perature at which Otto of Rose liquefies, great discrepancy be-
tween the statements of authors and the result of observations
made upon the Otto of commerce.

Otto of Rose, it is well known, consists of two bodies, a
liquid essential oil or elseoptene (upon which I have made no
experiments) and a stearoptene. The stearoptene I find to be,
when pure, a colorless crystallizable substance, devoid of odor
and taste, fusing at 95° F., very slightly soluble in alcohol of
sp. gr. -838 in the cold, but more soluble if heated. It is solu-
ble in the liquid portion or elseoptene of Otto of Rose, but, ac-
cording to its abundance, separates more or less readily with a
depression of temperature. It dissolves readily in ether, chloro-
form, or olive oil, but not in solution of potash or ammonia.

These two bodies, the elseoptene and stearoptene, exist, ac-
cording to my observations, in the Otto of different districts in
very different proportions, and to their relative amounts I attri-
bute much of the variation which I find in the specimens ex-
amined. The amount of stearoptene was determined in a series
of parallel experiments, conducted simultaneously by treating a
given weight of Otto with alcohol (sp. gr. .838), throwing the
precipitated stearoptene upon a filter and thoroughly washing it
with fresh alcohol ; the same amount of alcohol being employed

* But, as some essence of geranium from Algiers, examined by the same ob-
server, was found to have the power of left-handed rotation to an almost equal
extent, it is obviously possible that by mixing the two, an essence having no
rotatory power might be produced — an improbable explanation, certainly, of the
absence of rotatory power in the Idris Yaghi, but one which it is fair to mention.

ON OTTO OF ROSE.

339

in each case. The stearoptene was then pressed for some days
between paper, and after exposure to the air and drying over
oil of vitriol, was weighed.* The fusing point was determined
in each case by the same thermometer placed by the side of the
bottle, and the observations were confirmed by repeated trials.

The English and French samples experimented upon, were
obtained direct from the manufacturers, and mostly upon my
personal application. The Turkish sample No. 7, was manufac-
tured at Kizanlik, where Messrs. Herman, from whom I received
it, have an establishment.

The results I have tabulated as under : —

Table showing the Results of a comparative Examination of Twelve Samples of

Otto of Rose.

No.

Place of Manufacture,
and

Manufacturer's Name.

Fusing
Point.

Percentage
of

Stearoptene

Other Characters.

1

Enqlish.
London — Messrs. Allen
and Hanburys.

91° F.

68.1

Of a pale straw colour, crystalline, odor
weak and not remarkably fragrant.

2

London — Mr. Whipple,
at Messrs. Barron
and Co.'s.

87° F.

50.6

Resembles No. 1.

3

French.
Paris — M. Chardin Ha-
dancourt.

85.5° F.

60.8

A crystalline mass, of a pale green color ;
odor weak but agreeable.

4

Grasse — M. Antoine
Chiris.

74° F.

37.2

Of a straw color ; when congealed, form-
ing a highly crystalline mass; odor
very fragrant.

5

Grasse — M. Mero.

71° F.

41.9

Of a brownish-yellow ; forming, when
congealed, a transparent mass of platy
crystals.

6

Cannes— MM. Herman
Freres.

70* F.

35.0

Resembles No. 4.

7

Turkish.
Kizanlik.

65° F.

6.7

Color very pale yellow; when congealed,
it constitutes a confused mass of platy
crystals ; odor exceedingly fragrant.

8

? seal G. S. & Co.

63° F.

7.3

Col o very pale yellow ; a mass of platy
crystals when congealed.

9

62° F.

6.4

Resembles No. 8.

10

62° F.

6.6

The finest Otto of the London market.
In its characters it resembles No. 8.

11

61° F.

4.6

Resembles No. 8.

12

? second quality.

56° F.

4.25

Wholesale price in London, in large
quantities, 14s. per ounce.

* I am quite aware that this method of determining the amount of stearoptene
is not free from objection, since, the more abundant the elseoptene, the less will
the stearoptene (in which it is soluble) be precipitated when the Otto is first
/ treated with alcohol.

340

ON GRATIOLA OFFICINALIS.

This table shows that the fusing point of Otto of Rose, and the
proportion of stearoptene vary greatly in different samples. But
it will also be observed that there is a similarity in the Otto pro-
duced in each locality. Thus, that of the South of England and
North of France (samples Nos. 1, 2, and 3) has a high fusing
point (varying from 85° to 91°), and contains a large percentage
(50 to 68) of stearoptene. The Otto of the South of France
fuses between 70° and 74Q, and affords from 35 to 41 per cent,
of stearoptene. That of Turkey, if we may consider samples
Nos. 8, 9 and 10 as equally genuine with No. 7 (Messrs. Her-
man's), fuses at from 65° to 62°, and affords from 7.3 to 6.4 per
cent, of stearoptene.* Sample No. 11 may be regarded with
some suspicion from its resemblance to No. 12 — the latter being
acknowledged of inferior quality.

Whether the differences that exist in the characters of the
different kinds of Otto, are the result of climate or of the method
of manufacture, or whether (especially in the case of the Turk-
ish Otto) they are to be traced to a difference in the species of
rose, are questions for determining which I have at present no
sufficient data.- — London Pharm. Journ., April, 1859.

ON GRATIOLA OFFICINALIS.

By Dr. F. G. Walz.

Some time ago the author made an analysis of Gratiola offi-
cinalis, and obtained the following distinct principles : Gratio-
lin, Gratiosolin, Gratiolacrin, fixed oil, brown resin, tannin and
a volatile acid, called antirrhinic acid, which is present in many
plants belonging to the family of Scrophularinese. He has now
examined some of the above principles and the products of their
decomposition.

Cfratiolin. The aqueous infusion is precipitated by subacetate
of lead, the lead removed, the liquid precipitated with tannin,
the washed precipitate exhausted by alcohol, digested with hy-
drate d oxide of lead, treated with animal charcoal, evaporated,
the dry powder extracted with ether, the residue washed with

* The test used in Turkey by the persons who purchase Otto from the pro-
ducers, is to plunge a small vial of it into water at 10° Reaumur (= 55° F.).
If, in the space of five minutes, the Otto congeals, it is regarded as genuine.

ON GRATIOLA OFFICINALIS.

341

cold water, which dissolves the greater part, gratiosolin ; the
insoluble residue is gratiolin, which is entirely freed from gra-
tiosolin by precipitating its concentrated alcoholic solution by
water, and from gratiolacrin by precipitating this from the alco-
holic solution with sugar of lead ; it is recrystallized from boiling
water. Its composition is C40 H34 014.

By continued boiling with dilute sulphuric acid, it is decom-
posed into sugar and an oily liquid, solidifying on cooling to a
yellow resinous mass, soluble in alcohol and ether, gratioleretin,
and into brilliant white prisms, insoluble in water and ether,
soluble in alcohol, coloring oil of vitriol green, gratioletin.

2 ^40 ^34 ^14 = ®12 H12 Ol2 + ^34 ^28 ^6 + ^34 H28 ^10*

Gratiolin. Glucose. Gratioleretin. Gratioletin.

Gfratiosolin constitutes the principal part of the crude gratiolin,
from which it is gained by washing with water, evaporating the
solution and washing the product with anhydrous ether ; its
composition is C46 H42 025. At ordinary temperature it is de-
composed by alkalies and dilute acids into grape sugar and gra-
tiosoletin C40 H34 017, which is likewise soluble in water and pre-
cipitated by tannin. When pure it is of a golden yellow color,
very bitter taste, easily soluble in water and alcohol, insoluble in
ether. Its aqueous solution when heated with diluted acid, is
decomposed into sugar and a resinous substance, the latter being
a mixture of two bodies separable by ether. Grratiosoleretin C34
H26 09 has a yellow color, scarcely any taste or smell, is inso-
luble in water, easily soluble in alcohol and ether. Hydrogra-
tiosoleretin C34 H28 On has a purely yellow color, and faint re-
sinous odor; it is insoluble in water and absolute ether, but
soluble in alcohol.

O-ratiolacrin. The crude gratiolacrin, as obtained on treating
crude gratiolin with ether, is a very bitter acrid resin, containing
a fixed oil from which it may be freed by solution in cold abso-
lute alcohol. The residue is partly dissolved by ammonia of
•960 spec. grav. ; the insoluble part, when treated with cold
alcohol, leaves a white crystalline powder, crystallizing in fine
white crystals from boiling alcohol.

The cold alcohol solution has an intensely acrid burning and
bitter taste ; by precipitating with sugar of lead and decompos-

842

ON SAMADERINE.

ing with sulphuretted hydrogen, a fixed oil is obtained of a pecu-
liar fatty odor, and the composition C31 H29 04. — Wittsteins
Vierteljahresschrift, viii. 7 — 22. J. M. m.

ON SAMADERINE.

The Samadera indica, Gartn. (Vitmannia elliptica, Vahl),
called Gatip Pahit by the Malays, is a tree occurring in Java
in the Regency of Bautam, and belonging, according to
Bartling, to the class of the Terebinthince, and the order Sima-
rubece. C. L. Blume, who is at present residing in Java, has
given a fuller description of this tree.

The tree is especially characterized by its numerous fruits,
which, enclosed in coriaceous shells, are of the form of almonds,
and weigh about 1\ grm. They are very rich in oil, and
are distinguished, as is also the bark of the tree, by a very bitter
taste. This bitter is perhaps the bitterest in the whole vegeta-
ble kingdom, and is exceeded by no other known bitter matter.
To this circumstance we are indebted for the preliminary in-
vestigation, for which M. Rost von Tonningen of Buitenzorg, in
Java, furnished the material ; this, however, will be carried on
on a larger scale as soon as a greater quantity of the bark and
fruits are collected and preserved.

100 parts of the fruits and bark of Samadera indica con-
tain : —

The fruits. The bark.

84-260 (fat) 1409
8-880 5-119

Portions soluble in ether (oil)

" " alcohol (resin) .

" " water (tannic acid,)

samaderine,extractive
matter, &c.) .

" « potash (pectic acid)

Mineral portions ....

Cellulose

Water

Loss

The properties of these bodies were as follows : —

The oil of the fruits is colorless, possesses a peculiar odor,
no known taste, and is lighter than water; it burns with a

10-585

1-203

0-160

traces

2-783

7-931

39-000

70-656

4-577

11-832

0-305

0-850

ON SAMADERINE.

343

yellowish-white and afterwards red flame, and forms soaps with
alkalies.

The resin of the fruits is a brown substance of a very bitter
taste, which attracts moisture rapidly from the air, and then
deliquesces. Water dissolves a little of it, and this solution
furnishes a black precipitate with solution of perchloride of iron
(tannate). When heated it melts, becomes inflated, and burns
very readily, diffusing a resinous odor, and leaving behind a pale
grey ash, which is almost soluble in water. It consists for the
most part of chlorides of lime and potash with traces of iron.

The 'portions soluble in water are of a pale brown color, and
when evaporated leave an extract, which deliquesces in the air.
They are as bitter as the alcoholic extracts, and consist of a
mixture of extractive matter, sugar, tannic acid, and sama-
derine.

The ash which they leave after combustion, effervesces
strongly with acids, and consists principally of chlorides of
lime and potash.

The fat of the bark is pale yellow, has a neutral reaction, and
possesses an oily bitter taste (caused by the solution of some
samaderine in ether not quite free from water ;) it is of a soft
resinous consistency, and may be drawn out into threads. It
is only partially saponifiable, and consists of a mixture of fat
and a resinous body.

The resin of the bark agrees nearly with that of the fruits,
but its aqueous solution furnishes a far stronger precipitate with
perchloride of iron than that obtained from the fruits.

The portions of the bark soluble in water had the same proper-
ties as those of the fruits.

The most important constituent of the bark and fruits of
Samadera indica is undoubtedly the samaderine contained in
them. It is obtained by evaporating the aqueous decoction of
the bark and fruit to the consistence of an extract; this is treat-
ed repeatedly with small quantities of alcohol, by which means
the greatest part of the samaderine is left behind. It may be
obtained pure by solution in water and treatment with animal
charcoal.

Samaderine is of a brilliant white color, laminarly and some-
what plumosely crystalline. Its taste is more persistently and

i

344 PREPARATION OF PLATINUM-BLACK.

intensely bitter than that of any other body with which the
author is acquainted. When heated, it melts and evolves fumes
which, when inhaled, possess a bitter and acrid taste ; when the
heat is continued, it becomes carbonized and burnt away, with-
out leaving any trace of ash.

It dissolves in water more easily than in alcohol, and its
solutions are perfectly neutral. It does not exert the least
reaction upon ferridcyanide of potassium, sulphate of copper,
nitrate of silver, chloride of platinum, tincture of iodine,
protosulphate of iron, perchloride of iron, and chromate of
potash. Nitric and muriatic acids give it a yellow color, whilst
by the addition of concentrated sulphuric acid a beautiful red-
dish-violet color is produced, which disappears in course of time,
and leaves a mass of feathery, strongly iridescent crystals,
which will be more closely investigated hereafter.

Samaderine may be placed in the series of indifferent, crys-
tallizable organic bodies, to which salicine, phloridzine, &c,
belong. As soon as it has been prepared in larger quantities,
further investigations upon it shall be published ; the question
will then also be solved, whether samaderine, which gives so
distinct a reaction with sulphuric acid, is converted thereby
into another compound and grape-sugar, like salicine and
phloridzine. — London Chem. G-az., April 15, 1859, from Archiv
der Pharmacie.

PREPARATION OF PLATINUM-BLACK.
By C. Brunner.

We possess several methods for the preparation of platinum
in that state which is usually termed platinum-Mac Jc, on account
of its black color. In most of the recent modes of preparation,
organic substances, such as alcohol, sugar, &c, are employed as
reducing agents, by which means there is always a doubt whether
a certain quantity, perhaps very small, of organic substance may
not adhere to the preparation.

Perfectly pure platinum-black may be very easily obtained
in the following way, without the employment of any organic
substance: —

Dry peroxalate of iron (prepared by precipitating sulphate of

ON A NEW REMEDY FOR HYDROPHOBIA.

345

iron with oxalic acid and washing) is heated in a shallow capsule
until it begins to smoulder, when the heat is continued with
stirring until the salt is entirely converted into peroxide. The
extremely fine powder thus prepared, is reduced at an incipient
red heat by a current of dry hydrogen gas in a glass tube.
After it has become quite cold in the current of gas, the prep-
aration, which is sometimes pyrophorous, is poured into a capsule
with water, and gently crushed in it with a pestle. Of this
metallic iron stirred up with water, small portions are then
poured into a dilute solution of perchloride of platinum con-
taining a small excess of muriatic acid, until this, after violent
shaking and standing for some time, appears to be entirely de-
prived of color. The precipitate obtained is then separated
from the fluid by decantation, and boiled repeatedly with con-
centrated nitric acid until the extract contains no noticeable
amount of iron, when the adherent nitric acid is removed by a
weak solution of potash.

The preparation thus obtained is an amorphous black powder,
which acquires an iron-like lustre by trituration in an agate
mortar. When heated in a platinum spoon, it suddenly becomes
ignited at about 392° F., and becomes converted into the ordi-
nary form resembling spongy platinum, its volume at the same
time being doubled. When moistened with a drop of alcohol, it
also became ignited in a second or two, and converted into the
ordinary form.

There is no doubt that the preparation will possess all the
other known properties of platinum-black. Should this sub-
stance ever be required in large quantities, the simplicity of this

mode of preparation will recommend its adoption London

Chem. G-az., April 15,1859, from Ding ler's Po lytechn . Journal,

ON A NEW REMEDY FOR HYDROPHOBIA.
By Dr. Eulenburg.
On the 24th of August, last year, Guerin.Meneville submitted
to the Paris Academy a report on the cure of hydrophobia, by
the use of powdered cetoin, the French name for Cetonia aura-
ta, the chemical examination of which was entrusted to Berthe-
lot and de Luca. Nothing as yet has become known of the in-

346 BED CANELLA BARK FROM THE WEST INDIES.

vestigations of the Academy. The author having occasion to
obtain some information regarding the use of this remedy, in
some parts of Russia, states that the physician of the Princess
OrlofF had this bug examined by Bach, of Boppard, who found
it to be Cetonia aurata, which, according to reliable information,
has cured twenty-one mad dogs and four cases of hydrophobia
in men.

The bug belongs to the family of Scarabseides, or Lamelli-
cornes of Latreille ; it is flat, has a strong metallic lustre, the
body is of a copper red, the upper part of a golden green color,
it is seldom red all over ; deepened, curved lines run across the
sheath wings, more or less marked with white spots; size .6 to .9
inches. When in danger, the bug emits from all points a grey-
ish mass of a disagreeable odor. Its larva lives generally in
the nests of ants (Formica rufa,) and has been collected in July
and August for the above purpose ; one tea-spoonful of the pow-
der is said to be sufficient for men or dogs. It is worth while
to draw attention to such a simple remedy.

Empiricism has a vast field with hydrophobia, and probably
no where else has the attempt been oftener made to find a speci-
fic for a disease. — Dr. WachteVs Zeitschrift — Wittst. Viert.
Schr. viii. 85,86.

ON A KED CANELLA BAKK FROM THE WEST INDIES.
Br W. F. Daniell, M. D.

Hon. Member of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, &.c.

During a recent sojourn in St. Jago de la Vega, Jamaica, I
received, through the kindness of my friend Mr. March, speci-
mens of a red bark of considerable pungency, obtained from a
tree, indigenous to the hilly districts in the neighborhood of the
town. The hot and peppery qualities of this cortical substance
led me to infer that it belonged to a species of Qanella. Mr.
March, who is well acquainted with the botany of the island,
had previously entertained a similar opinion, which was subse-
quently confirmed by the discovery of the plant which had fur-
nished the bark. An examination of the botanical characters
indicated its identity or close affinity with the Qanella alba,

RED CANELLA BARK FROM THE WEST INDIES. 347

Murray. Two varieties of this species dependent on the form
of leaves are, however, known to exist in the mountain forests ;
one of these may probably be the C. laurifolia of Don. My
friend suspected this cortex might have been taken from a Cin-
namodendron, but in a letter he informs me that, having com-
pared the red Canella with the latter, he found the wood and
bark were "apparently quite distinct." The only doubt that
remained relative to the identification of the plant proceeded
merely from the flowers, which were not sufficiently perfect for
investigation. The Cinnamodendron above alluded to, is, no
doubt, the 0. corticosum, Miers, lately described by Mr. Miers in
an elaborate paper on the Oanellacece. This author states that
" its bark has the same aromatic properties as that of Canella
alba, from which it is scarcely distinguishable, both being col-
lected and exported under the same name," and he moreover ob-
serves that in the two species of Cinnamodendron known, the
flowers are constantly axillary.*

Having frequently compared my specimens with the bark of
living plants of Canella alba, which abundantly flourish in seve-
ral of the Bahama Islands, I noticed they afforded many points
of similarity. The warm aromatic properties, rugged epidermis,
and peculiar double cortical layers were common to both, and
with the exception of the red line, and perhaps a greater degree
of pungency of the inner cortical layer of the former, no special
differences could be detected.

It may therefore not be unreasonable to suppose that frag-
ments of this kind of Canella were occasionally exported to
Europe in former years, and lead John Bauhin and subsequent
writers to confound it with Winter's bark (Drimys Winteri,
Forst.), under the term of Cortex Winteranus spurius.

As the evidence so far is decidedly in favor of this bark be-
longing to a species of Canella rather than Cinnamodendron, it
has been proposed to provisionally designate this product (from
the distinctive red color) by the title of Canella rubra. — Phar.
Jour, and Trans., London, April 1, 1859.

* The following note has since been received by Mr. Bentley, from Dr. Dan-
iell:—

" I omitted to state in my paper on the Red Canella Bark, that the flowers of
the tree which produced it were terminal, and were examined by Mr. March,
but not with sufficient minuteness to determine their structure, as they are
martially decayed."

21

348

PREPARATION OF MOLYBDATE OP AMMONIA.

TO PREVENT CONCUSSIONS ON BOILING IN GLASS VESSELS.
By Dr. G. C. "Wittstein.

On heating clear liquids in glass vessels, it frequently occurs
that they for a long time do not come to boiling, and sometimes,
all at once, boil up, foaming, with violent concussions. This
occurs more frequently with alcoholic and ethereal solutions, and
may be explained by an over-heating of the liquid, caused by an
even distribution and consequent accumulation of heat. It is ne-
cessary, therefore, to counteract this tendency by causing a more
rapid current of the heat towards the surface. Such a current is
caused by the presence of a projecting solid body on the bottom
of the vessel, such as a grain of sand, a piece of glass, quartz, or
platinum. But thus the purpose is only partly accomplished ; the
current commencing on the lowest point of the body, is lost from
the upper point in the liquid above, particularly if its height be
considerable, and the same phenomenon of concussions may oc-
cur, though generally with much less violence.

All inconveniences will be entirely obviated, if proper care is
taken to conduct the heat from the bottom to the surface ; a
glass rod will answer for this purpose ; but for liquids of a high
boiling point, such as sulphuric acid, a better conductor is to be
chosen, and a platina wire of the thickness of a knitting needle
is the most proper one. Since I have distilled alcoholic, ethereal,
aqueous, &c, liquids, with a glass rod of the proper length in-
troduced, all danger of foaming and concussions have been obviat-
ed; the contents of the retort rapidly come to the boiling point

and continue to boil quietly Wittstein s Viert. Schr. viii. 104

J. M. M.

PREPARATION OF MOLYBDATE OF AMMONIA.
By C. Brunner.

Since the employment of this salt for the detection of phos-
phoric acid has become indispensable in chemical analyses, seve-
ral methods have been recommended for its preparation. Most
of these start from the roasting of native sulphuret of molybde-
num in contact with the air, until all the sulphur is burnt away

ON FLUID EXTRACT OF BUCHU.

349

and the molybdenum is converted into molybdic acid which is
afterwards dissolved in ammonia ; this operation is usually car-
ried on in an obliquely placed platinum crucible, the mass being
frequently stirred, but it is very tedious. The improvement of
this method lately described by Wohler, in which a draught of
air produced by an aspirator is employed, also effects the ob-
ject, but slowly. The reason of this is to be found partly in the
difficulty of dividing the material sufficiently, as it always cakes
together again when heated, and partly in the fact that the mo-
lybdic acid produced covers the residue of the mineral and thus
renders its ignition difficult.

The operation may be effected very easily in the following
way : — The sulphuret of molybdenum is triturated in an agate
mortar with an equal volume of coarse quartz.sand washed with
muriatic acid until it forms a moderately fine powder, which is
placed in a shallow platinum cup or on platinum foil, and heated
over a good spirit-lamp to the commencement of incandescence,
stirring it frequently until the mixture has acquired a citron-
yellow color (whitish, on cooling). A quarter of an hour is
sufficient to effect this with several grammes of the mixture.
When cool, the mass is extracted with liquid ammonia and fur.
ther treated in the usual way. — London Chem. Cfaz. April 15?
from Dingier' 's Polyt. Journal, cl. p. 72.

ON FLUID EXTRACT OF BUCHU.
By Israel J. Grahame.

Among the important preparations of the class here alluded
to, not included in the officinal list, is the fluid extract of buehu.
Although a preparation of nostrum celebrity had long been in
use under this name, but which possessed very little of the
characteristics of the plant it professed to represent, it was not
till after the adoption of the present Pharmacopoeia, that Wm.
Procter, Jr., proposed a formula for its preparation in accord-
ance with the peculiar properties of the drug, since which time
it has been extensively used in medical practice, and made mostly
by his process or with slight modifications of it. It is one of
those fluid extracts which require the use of an alcoholic sol-

350

ON THE DETECTION OF IODINE IN URINE.

vent, and the retention of a considerable part of the alcohol to
hold in solution its active qualities, which are principally due to
volatile oil.

The following formula which is proposed as a substitute for
those now in use, not only contemplates an increase of strength
whereby the dose is proportionally reduced, and less alcohol ad-
ministered with each dose, but the complete exhaustion of the
drug with economy of time and ease in manipulation.

Fluid Extract of Buchu,
Take of Buchu in moderately fine powder, sixteen ounces.
Diluted alcohol (Alcohol 95 p. c. 2 parts, water 1
part) a sufficient quantity.
Dampen the powder with the diluted alcohol and pack firmly
in a suitable displacer, place over the surface a piece of perfora-
ted filtering paper and pour on the diluted alcohol ; when all of
the highly charged liquid (about one pint) has passed, remove it
and submit to spontaneous evaporation until reduced to four-
teen fluid ounces ; continue the percolation until exhausted or
about one pint more is obtained, evaporate this at a temperature
of 120° or 130g F. until reduced to two fluid ounces, and mix it
with the first portion. Filtration may be resorted to if neces-
sary, but is scarcely requisite.

Thus made, fluid extract of buchu is a dark olive-brown liquid,
possessing to the fullest extent the peculiar qualities of the drug,
and may be given in doses from twenty to thirty minims repre-
senting as many grains of the substance. — Jour, and Trans.
Md. Coll. Phar. March, 1859.

ON THE DETECTION OF IODINE IN UKINE.
By Prof. Dr. X. Landerer.

It is not so easy as might be supposed, to detect iodine in urine ;
I was unable to obtain a reaction with chloride of palladium in
cases where, according to my opinion, urine ought to have con-
tained iodine. The excretion of iodine by urine seems to depend
on the nature of the preparation administered, for the urine of
persons who had been taking pills of iodide of iron for a consi-
derable time was free of iodine and iron, though the black co-
lor of the faeces showed the presence of iron therein. After the

ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT OF ARUM MACULATUM. 351

employment of Ricord's pills of iodide of mercury, and after the
daily external use of tincture of iodine, no iodine could be found
in the urine.

It is different when iodides enter the organism in aqueous so-
lution ; after the administration of 4 drachms iodide of potassium,
the presence of iodine was proved in the urine.

When making such examinations, I evaporate the urine nearly
to dryness, digest with alcohol, filter, evaporate to dryness, dis-
solve in a little water and divide the solution in two parts ; to one
I add solution of chloride of palladium, to the other starch and
chlorine water. — Wittstein's Viert. Schr. vii. 546. J. M. M.

•

ANALYSIS OF THE FLOWERS OF DAPHNE MEZEREUM.
By J. B. Enz.

The author examined the flowers of Daphne mezereum with
the following results :

The aqueous distillate had an agreeable odor without sepa-
rating any volatile oil, which was obtained by shaking the dis-
tillate with ether and evaporating spontaneously.

Daphnin was obtained by Gmelin and Baer's process : the
alcoholic extract was exhausted with water, the solution precipi-
tated by sub-acetate of lead, the washed precipitate decomposed
by hydrosulphuric acid, evaporated, dissolved in alcohol and
evaporated spontaneously.

The author found, besides volatile oil and daphnin, traces of
tannic acid of the variety that produces green precipitates with
iron, salts, wax, fatty matter, green acrid soft resin, sugar, red
coloring matter, mucilage (bassorin), nitrogenous matter, albu-
men, potassa and lime, salts of vegetable acids and lignin.

1000 parts of fresh flowers contained water 792, matter solu-
ble in ether 88, in alcohol 34, in water 26, in diluted muriatic
acid 20, lignin 40. — Wittsteiris Viert. Schr.viij. 23-26.

J. M. M.

ANALYSIS OF THE ROOT OF ARUM MACULATUM.
By J. B. Enz.

The author found the juice to have a neutral reaction. All
the information regarding the volatile acrid principle consists in

352 YELLOW COLORING MATTER OF THE AUTUMNAL LEAVES.

the statement, that the distillate is of neutral reaction, color-
less, of a radish-like smell and acrid taste, no volatile oil was se-
parated, subacetate of lead produced a white pulverulent pre-
cipitate, soluble in nitric acid, nitrate of silver and freshly pre-
cipitated oxide of lead, no alteration ; the distillate is free of
sulphur.

The author obtained some granular crystals of sweetish bit-
ter, acrid taste, which he supposes to be saponin.

1000 parts of the recently collected root contained 584 parts,
water, 52 lignin, 272 starch, and yielded to ether 24 parts, to
alcohol 40 parts, to cold water 28 parts.

The ethereal tincture contained fixed oil, fermentable sugar,
saponin and the acrid volatile principle ; in the alcoholic tincture
was found fermentable sugar, saponin, resin ; in the cold aque-
ous infusion, mucilage, gum, albumen, phosphate of lime. —
Wittsteins Viert. Schrift. viii. 27—31. J. M. M.

ON THE YELLOW COLORING MATTER OF THE AUTUMNAL

LEAVES.

By A. Ferrein.

The author, after reviewing the investigations of Macaire-
Prinsep and Berzelius, proceeds with his experiments made with
leaves of a purely yellow color, collected from Ulmus campes-
tris. If lb of the powdered dried leaves were exhausted with
90 per cent, alcohol, filtered, the greater part of the alcohol
distilled off and evaporated to about 6 oz. This residue was a
thin liquid, of a blackish brown color and a characteristic
smell of fresh bread. After standing, the resinous and waxy mat-
ters were separated by filtration and washed with warm water.
The liquid now had a bitter astringent taste and acid re-action.
By dilution with water all the resinous and waxy matters were
separated, and the filtrate now had a yellowish-brown color. It
was precipitated by sugar of lead, a part of the precipitate de-
composed by hydrosulphuric acid. The solution had an insipid
acidulous taste, perceptibly astringent, and reddened litmus.
Solution of glue did not precipitate it, but softened ichthyocolla
rendered it colorless and tasteless and without action on lit-

NEW METHOD OF PREPARING SULPHUROUS ACID. 353

mus. This coloring acid, therefore, is a tannin for which the
name of Xanihotannie Acid is proposed. On analyzing the lead
compound, the results obtained indicate the following composi-
tion : 3 Pb 0-fC28 H18 C4 — Wittsteins Viert. Schrift. viii.,

1 — 7. J. M. M.

NEW METHOD OF PREPARING SULPHUROUS ACID.
By E. F. Anthon.

There are various methods of preparing sulphurous acid, of
which, however, those only are usually employed which depend
on the combustion of sulphur (or iron pyrites), or upon the de-
composition of heated concentrated sulphuric acid by sawdust
and the like, or by metals.

The first of these methods is certainly simple and cheap, but
it is not applicable in many cases. The decomposition of sul-
phuric acid by copper or mercury is expensive, and also presents
other inconveniences. The decomposition of sulphuric acid by
chips of wood and other organic matters is also expensive, be-
cause in consequence of their great volume, a great excess of
sulphuric acid must be employed, which escapes decomposition.
Moreover, the sulphurous acid thus obtained is contaminated
with more or less carbonic acid.

(The preparation of sulphurous acid by decomposition with
charcoal, which is easily effected, is passed over by the author,
and consequently the question is left unanswered, whether the
preparation of sulphurous acid by boiling sulphuric acid with
sulphur is more convenient than this. It appears from the ori-
ginal that the fact that sulphuric acid is decomposed by boiling
with sulphur is unknown to the author, and yet it is now indica-
ted in the Chemical Text books. The method described by the
author is consequently not new, and therefore only deserves fur-
ther notice, if it be more convenient for the preparation of sul-
phurous acid than it was supposed to be. — Ed. Chem. Central-
Matt.)

The author placed

2 ounces of sulphur in fragments, and
25 ounces of concentrated sulphuric acid

354 THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

into a glass flask, furnished with a gas-tube, and heated it over
a spirit-lamp. The sulphur soon melted, and in a short time
there was an evolution of sulphurous acid which was conducted
into water. The evolution was very uniform, and the burning
of the spirit-lamp was continued until, after about six hours,
there was only a comparatively small residue in the flask.

During this treatment the sulphur constantly floated in the
form of a transparent, hyacinth-red, thickly fluid mass on the
hot sulphuric acid, and a small portion of it sublimed ; part of
this condensed again in drops upon the walls of the flask, and
flowed back into the acid, whilst another part was deposited in
the form of a thin crust in the neck of the flask. Very small
quantities of sulphur were carried further mechanically by the
sulphurous acid, and deposited in the conducting-tube, and the
water placed to absorb the gas.

After the conclusion of the process, the flask contained only
4j drachms of sulphuric acid, and
32 grains of unaltered sulphur.

The advantages of this process are : —

1. That it furnishes a pure product ;

2. That it is easily effected, and cheap;

3. That the evolution of sulphurous acid gas is very uniform,
the reason of which is that the sulphuric acid always acts only
upon the outer surface of the melted sulphur, and this always
forms a coherent mass ; and

4. That no solid deposit settles to the bottom of the vessel of
evolution, which, in other methods, so often occasions the crack-
ing of the vessel. — London Chem. Gaz., Mar. 15, 1859, from
Dingier s Polyt. Journal and Chem. Centralblatt.

THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

{An extract from a paper read before the American Pharmaceutical Association, and
published in its Proceedings for 1858).

By Israel J. Grahame.

The author after alluding to the history of the process in its
application to pharmacy, and reviewing the usual modes of con-
ducting it, says :

THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT 35^

The great beauty and excellency of the process I consider to
be in the concentrative power, rapidity and efficiency of its
operation. It is frequently very desirable to obtain quickly
solutions at once so concentrated as to possess nearly or quite
all that is active in the substance under treatment, and which
in quantity is sometimes less, and often not more than would
be sufficient to thoroughly moisten the substance in accordance
with the officinal directions ; and being thus diffused through
the mass it cannot be so completely displaced, and at the same
time the material so thoroughly exhausted, as it could be if the
process was conducted under other circumstances.

What then are the circumstances so favorable to the success-
ful prosecution of the process, in the attainment of results so
reliable and advantageous ? It may not be out of place, in the
first instance, briefly to allude to the apparatus. This may be
of various materials, as metal, glass, porcelain, &c, and either
cylindrical or slightly conical, terminating somewhat funnel-
shaped, and with or without a diaphragm, as this can be sup-
plied with a substitute of carded cotton.

For almost all the operations of the pharmaceutist, except in
a few instances, when a larger apparatus is required, I know of
no instrument that answers the purpose better than the common
glass funnel ; funnels less cone-shaped than would be selected
for filtering purposes, ordinarily termed badly-shaped funnels,
and which can be had at a very trifling expense. These may
be arranged for an apparatus by having the upper part of the
neck filled with carded cotton on which the material rests ; over
this a piece of perforated paper is placed, and in some cases
there will be an advantage in placing on the paper a piece of
perforated tin, having a small knob in the centre, by which to
handle it. I recommend the funnel, because, in the first place,
it is always at hand, and, if not, can be supplied at so little cost;
and secondly, because I know that its form does not impede the
process, although some have so asserted ; and lastly, because,
being glass, it enables the operator to watch the process, and see
whether or not it is progressing satisfactorily. On this latter
account I prefer glass instruments before all others. In very
large operations the form of the apparatus may be adapted to
the occasion, as the experience of the operator may suggest.

356 THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

Even in operating with volatile fluids, such as ether, spt. am-
nion, arom., &c, in the absence of a better instrument, the fun-
nel may be made to answer by tying over the top a piece of oiled
silk and inserting the neck tightly in a cork arranged to receive
it.

Having procured the proper form of apparatus, the next con-
sideration is the degree of comminution to which to reduce the
material we wish to operate upon. An experience of many
years in treatment by percolation, induces me to recommend, in
all cases, that the substance be brought to a state of fine divi-
sion, of uniform character, particularly those which are of a
firm and hard texture ; but in all instances, the material should
be passed through a sieve. The size of the sieve will necessa-
rily vary ; with most substances, one of about sixty meshes
to the inch, especially for tinctures, will be found best adapted,
while with some other substances, such as rhubarb, gentian,
&c, one of about forty meshes will be preferable.

The state of comminution to which substances are brought pre-
vious to treatment by percolation, I conceive to be one of the
most important conditions of a successful result. Next in im-
portance to this, is the amount of menstruum added to the pow-
der previous to packing it in the apparatus.

As in the previous case, I have also in this, to depart from
the rules laid down in the standard works treating of this sub-
ject ; for this condition regulates, in a great measure, the next
and last important feature to be observed, that is, the packing
of the powder in the apparatus.

As already referred to, the officinal directions, as well as com-
mon usage, imply the necessity of sufficient of the menstruum
to be added, to form a soft, pulp-like mass with the powder,
and in some instances a much larger quantity ; and suffer the
mixture to stand some time before transferring to the percola-
tor. It is almost impossible to so regulate the packing of the
powder when in this condition, as to produce that uniform and
steady permeation of the liquid through the mass, so essential
to complete success. Hence it is, that instruments furnished
with stopcocks or other arrangements, are recommended to con-
trol the flow of liquid; an appendage to the apparatus wholly
unnecessary, as the process, when properly begun, is its own
regulator with unvarying certainty.

THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT. 357

Contrary to the prescribed rules in this particular, my plan
is to add just sufficient of the solvent to dampen the powder,
scarcely destroying its pulverulent condition, regardless whether
the substance be liable to much swelling on imbibing the liquid,
or not ; the object being to enable it to pack properly, and at
the same time to contain sufficient moisture to produce capillary
attraction to conduct the liquid ; by which means the fluid with
which the powder was moistened, on the subsequent addition of
the menstruum to the packed powder in the percolator, is driven
forward very highly charged with soluble matter, and escapes at
once, perfectly dear, followed in regular and uniform succession
by liquid more or less strong as it advances ; and in a compara-
tively short time — frequently several hours less than is directed
for previous maceration by the Pharmacopoeia — the powder will
be left in the displacer completely exhausted of its soluble mat-
ter.

By this means highly concentrated solutions are obtained —
an advantage gained by this small addition of liquid to the pow-
der at first, in connection with the manner of packing, which
will be referred to presently — and may be explained thus : the
quantity of liquid absorbed being minute, on the subsequent
addition of the menstruum it is displaced, and other particles
becoming saturated in quick succession, dispose the substance
to yield up its soluble matter to the least possible amount of
solvent. The liquid, by this means of treatment, having per-
meated the particles of the mass, without having had any of the
particles diffused or suspended in it, will necessarily escape from
the instrument perfectly clear, as already stated, and almost of
a syrupy consistence ; and, for obvious reasons, should not be
returned to the mass, as is frequently requisite when the usual
manner of previous maceration is resorted to.

The manner of adding the liquid may be worthy of some
notice. I found it best to distribute the liquid over the powder
in portions, the quantity generally not more than one fourth of
the substance under treatment, frequently less, especiilly with
such substances as rhubarb, gentian, &c, and with my fingers
or whole hand, according to the quantity, rub it through the
powder uniformly, the state of this being the guide for the pro-
per quantity, which should never be sufficient to produce a soft

358 THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT.

mass, but merely to dampen the powder without causing it to
lose entirely its mobile condition. In this state the operator
will be able to judge, at once, by the feel of the powder, respect-
ing the next step of the process — that of packing — whether it
should be performed with little or much pressure. If the po\Vr
der should, when thus moistened, manifest a tendency to adhere
much among its particles, the packing should be performed with
moderate pressure only, and in some instances, scarcely any,
especially with an aqueous solvent ; if on the other hand, this
adhesiveness should not exist, and the particles of the powder
move freely upon each other, as with many alcoholic and hydro -
alcoholic liquids, the pressure should be considerable. As a
general rule, considerable pressure may be used with most sub-
stances ; but, as before stated, the operator will soon learn to
distinguish the requisite condition in this respect.

The dampened powder should then be immediately transferred
to the percolator, and all of it thus transferred before any pres-
sure is exerted upon it, so as to insure the powder to be of uni-
form condition throughout ; which cannot be the case if one
portion of it is packed before adding another; as the first may
not only be packed more tightly or more loosely, but, in conse-
quence of evaporation during packing, will be dryer than the
portion which is to be added, and all combined will tend to di-
rect the permeation of the fluid unequally ; and consequently
the process cannot progress successfully.

If it is desired, as in some cases may be necessary, as with
wild cherry bark, to permit the full effect of the water or other
menstruum, in the developement of the active principle, it may
be accomplished by adding only a small portion of the menstruum
to the packed powder — a quantity that will be absorbed by the
powder, but insufficient to produce dropping ; and at the proper
time, make the further additions of liquid.

When it is not thus requisite for any peculiar action of the
menstruum, the whole quantity of liquid (or to the capacity of
the instrument), may be added at once on the surface of the
packed powder, arranged in the manner before stated.

Should a funnel be used, it will be necessary to lay across the
top a piece of oiled silk to prevent evaporation.

In the treatment of some substances, as opium, myrrh, &c, it
is necessary to mingle with them some suitable material for the

THE PROCESS OF PERCOLATION OR DISPLACEMENT. 359

purpose of properly dividing them so as to be acted upon uni-
formly by the menstruum, and facilitating the process.

Frequently, in compound preparations wherein these sub-
stances may enter, the necessity is supplied by the other ingre-
dients of the compound. Sand, which is usually recommended,
does not appear to be quite the thing needed ; something of a
penetrable character more in unison with the substance itself, is
what is required, and oft-times we may have something at hand
which will supply this want — poppy capsules in powder, for in-
stance, will answer well for opium ; and, with a view to economy,
the residue of ginger, in the preparation of fluid extract or tinc-
ture, which by this process is completely exhausted, leaving no-
thing behind but woody fibre, starch, and other inert matter,
may be reserved for mingling with the resins and gum-resins.
The idea has sometimes occurred to me that it would not be out
of place to prepare for this purpose, as a general resort, fine
sawdust, by treating it with alcohol and water to remove all
soluble matter— the alcohol used in this treatment being appro-
priated to some suitable use. Fortunately the substances re-
quiring this sort of management are few.

The conditions, then, on which I conceive depend the success
of the displacement process, may be stated to consist, 1st, in
the substance being uniformly and finely divided, prepared by
contusion, and sifting through sieves ranging in fineness from
forty to sixty meshes to the linear inch ; 2d, the dampening of
the powder without wholly destroying its pulverulent condition;
3rd, the proper packing of this previously dampened powder in the
displacement apparatus, which should be firmly done when ad-
missible.

In conclusion, the great advantages of the displacement pro-
cess, as thus conducted, consist in the facility it affords of ob-
taining very concentrated solutions of vegetable substances in a
comparatively short period of time ; by which we are enabled to
prepare, at short notice, the various officinal tinctures, syrups,
and extracts ; and in this latter case it is especially useful on
account of the first portions of liquid which pass containing most
of the activity of the substance thus treated, which should be
reserved for separate evaporation without long exposure to heat
and consequent injury. — Jour, and Trans. Md. Coll. Pharm.
March, 1859.

360

ON BIXA ORELLANA AND ANNATTO.

ON THE CULTURE OF BIXA ORELLANA AND THE PREPARA-
TION OF ANNATTO.

By Th. Peckolt, of Cantagallo.

This neat little tree, which, in the neighborhood of Cantagallo,
in Brazil, flowers in December and January, and ripens its
fruits towards the latter part of April or in May, grows without
attention in most of the provinces of Brazil, and might, with a
little care, be made more profitable than many other vegetable
products which require cultivation, more attention and labor.
For the province of Para, the production of annatto is one of its
many sources of wealth, though this dyestuff is, by some un-
scrupulous manufacturers, adulterated, and its price, consequent-
ly, has become depressed ; Para is the only Brazilian province
where it is cultivated.

For domestic purposes it is much employed here, as well as
in the United States and Europe, being used for coloring butter
and cheese, and likewise for beautifying and seasoning some
dishes ; as a medicine it enjoys a somewhat favorable reputation
in Brazil, and as a dyestuff, it is almost indispensable.

Notwithstanding the scandalous sophistications, its price in
Para is now from 10 to 12 millreis per arroba (1 millreis = 50 cts.;
1 arroba = 32 Portuguese pounds ;) and promises to again rise
to its former height of 18 millreis, if the necessary precautions
against adulterating it should be taken.

It is a matter of experience that the annatto tree grows lux-
uriantly in almost any kind of soil, and is, therefore, recom-
mended for the cultivation of such land as is not well fitted for
the production of alimentary articles.

The mode of growing this tree is as follows : The land is pre-
pared at the same season and in the same manner as for cotton.
The land is furrowed, and at a distance of 8 or 10 feet 2 or 3
seeds are planted, which must have been first soaked in water
for some time. After some time, other seeds are planted, when
the first ones had not germinated ; after three months a weeding
takes place, when the superfluous plants are likewise pulled out,
not more than one being allowed in one place. Now all the ne-
cessary attention has been paid to this tree, with the exception.

ON BIXA ORELLANA AND ANNATTO.

361

perhaps, of another superficial weeding, if the weeds should
grow too fast.

The fruit capsules ripen after 8 or 10 months and are collect-
ed when they have assumed a reddish color and some are break-
ing open. The branches with the fruit (caixos) are detached from
the tree, in consequence of which it bears more without growing
high enough to render the collection of the fruit a matter of dif-
ficulty. The capsules are spread upon esteiras (mats) or cloths,
and frequently turned ; after thus drying in the sun for 3 or 4
days, they are collected into piles, and beaten or thrashed with
clubs, to separate the seeds, which are cleaned from the empty
capsules by ventiladores, or upon sieves, by shaking and blowing.

To obtain the coloring matter, the following apparatus are in
use: A machine, consisting of two upright cylinders, which by
means of screws are brought together close enough to crush the
seeds, which may be also accomplished by millstones ; three
large wooden water-tubs, one of which is separated into two
parts by boards, an ordinary press, two large copper kettles,
several tubs (cjamellas)* &c.

The seeds are kept over night, underwater, in one of the large
tubs; the second tub is filled with pure water, to have it always
convenient and to wash all the implements used. Next morning,
small portions of the soaked seeds are taken out, and by two
persons well rubbed between their hands and against the sides
of the gamellas, a little of the water from the first tub being
added once in a while. After the water has become saturated
with the coloring matter, it is poured upon a sieve in one of the
divisions of the third tub, and then strained into the second di-
vision by means of an urwpema (fine sieve.) The seeds are well
rubbed upon the first sieve, and then slightly bruised between
the cylinders, after which they are rubbed again in the gamella
with some water, expressed with the hands, and strained through
the first and afterwards through the second sieve. The strained
liquids from the fir3t and second washings are mixed, and, in a
large gamella, allowed to settle, which requires about eight
hours ; the sediment is called tapiocca de urucic. The seeds are
then again treated in the same way a second and third time be-
tween the cylinders, in the gamella and the sieve, and are lastly
expressed, to gain all the liquid. When passing through between

362

ON BIXA OKELLANA AND ANNATTO.

the cylinders, the seeds are the third time completely mashed,
and the liquids of the second and third washings are immediate-
ly introduced in a kettle to evaporate. From the sediment, ta-
piocca de urucu, the supernatant liquor is decanted and set aside
to gain the balance of the coloring matter, which may he still
suspended. When the evaporating liquid assumes the consist,
ency of syrup, the tapiocca de urucu is gradually added and the
whole stirred constantly. The fire must now be slackened, and
regulated with great care, and incessant stirring is essential, un-
til the mass is of the consistence of a thick extract, when the
kettle is removed from the fire and allowed to cool. The mass
is then taken out in pieces with both hands and thrown into a
box lined with banana and palm leaves ; each time the hands are
rubbed with ageite de mammono, impure castor oil, to keep the
mass from adhering to the hands.

From the uncultivated Bixa Orellana, common in this neigh-
borhood, I have prepared annatto. From a sparingly bearing
tree I collected 16 pounds of capsules, the seeds of which, by
three washings, without crushing, yielded 2 pounds of a nice
color, which separated from the first washing only in about eight
days. The liquor was experimentally evaporated in brass, iron,
copper and porcelain vessels to a thick extract and completely
dried in the sun. The coloring matter evaporated from the begin-
ning in the sun was the best, the others followed in this order :
2, the product from the porcelain dish ; 3, from the brass ; 4,
from the copper, and 5, from the iron kettle. The quality of
annatto from the same port may, therefore, considerably vary,
as the manufacturers use any evaporating vessel they may hap-
pen to possess. The annatto dried in the sun is easily soluble in
water, forming a beautiful orange yellow solution.

Should the culture of coffee near the coast of Brazil become
unprofitable, on account of the soil becoming exhausted, annatto
might easily become a staple product, and then the process of
its preparation would, doubtless, be much improved. Bixa Orel-
lana, as stated before, will grow in almost every soil, with less
than half the care and labor to be bestowed on the often failing
coffee tree. But then the question would arise, would the con-
sumption increase with an increased supply of annatto ? — ArcMv
der Pharm. 1859, March, 291—297. J. m. m.

REMARKS ON CATAWBA BRANDY.

363

REMARKS ON THE PREPARATION AND APPLICATION OF NA-
TIVE BRANDY, KNOWN UNDER THE NAME OF CATAWBA

BRANDY.

By John Zimmerman, of Cincinnati.

In the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Associa-
tion of 1858, page 379, I observed a report on the application
of native wines and Catawba brandy to use in pharmacy, by
Fr. Stearns, of Detroit.

Query No. 32. — " Are any of our native wines applicable for
use in pharmacy as a menstruum ? Are these wines the subject
of adulteration ? Can the brandy derived from our native wine-
growers be substituted for the Spiritus Vini Gallici of the Phar-
macopoeia ?" Being referred to the said Fr. Stearns, in the
annual meeting held at Philadelphia, 1857, it was answered by
this gentleman with much skill. However, I would have been
pleased if he had dwelt more on the particulars connected with
the manufacturing of said brandy.

The undersigned, having been connected theoretically and
practically for many years with the American Wine Establish-
ment of Nicholas Longworth and C. Zimmerman of Cincinnati,
has devoted all his attention to the native grape culture, as well
as to the manufacture of wine and especially of brandy ; and in
consequence thereof, has been requested, by several members of
your honorable body, to express his opinion about said brandy,
as far as his experience would enable him. He therefore begs
leave to report to your honorable body as follows :

In 1851, Longworth and Zimmerman proposed to buy, from
wine-growers, grapes instead of juice, in order to prevent any
possible adulteration. By this operation, two things were
gained. First, the pumice of the grape, frequently called the
skins or marc of the grape ; and secondly, the lees or sediment;
the latter being a separated part of the juice, which is produced
during the fermentation. These two things forming the most
necessary materials for the manufacture of Catawba brandy, can
now be bought cheap from the growers.

The best Catawba brandy will be produced if the juice with
the pumice are distilled after fermentation, — the extractive mat-
ter and the alcohol produced standing in a natural proportion

22

364

REMARKS ON CATAWBA BRANDY.

to each other. But as the juice possesses a high value for wine,
and even in the best years produces not more than from eight
to ten per cent, of alcohol, brandy manufactured in this manner
would reach a price of ten to fifteen dollars per gallon. In or-
der, however, to do anything in this line of business, so impor-
tant to our country, cheapness of the article in question was to
be aimed at.

A trial was made to distil the pumice and lees with the most
inferior wines ; but this also did not give the desired result ; the
raw material not producing that quantity of alcohol which the
rich extractive matter required. Another difficulty proved to
be an obstacle to this way of fabrication : the pumice and lees
burning fast to the inner brim of the still and giving thus to
the brandy a fragrant taste : an observation made by Professor
Wayne, of Cincinnati, a member of the American Pharmaceuti-
cal Association, and communicated in the proceedings of that
society for 1855.

Further trials were made by mixing pumice, lees, and inferior
kinds of wine in a certain manner ; to which was added di-
luted alcohol, in order to gain more alcohol to extract the pum-
ice. This raw material was then distilled by steam in a water-
bath, and the result was more satisfactory. However, the bran-
dy was not free of the corn-fusel oil, which remained in conse-
quence of the fabrication of alcohol from whiskey. This lessens
the value of the brandy, and is easily discovered by the reagent
of L. Molnar, published in the Proceedings of the American
Pharmaceutical Association for 1858, page 67.

In order to produce a price-worthy native grape brandy, and
entirely free of corn-fusel oil, a great improvement was made by
adding to pumice, lees and inferior kind of wines, so much su-
gar and water, as to produce, by fermentation, alcohol in pro-
portion to the extractive matter ; by which process, the pumice
also was extracted. This alcohol is identical with that contained
in the pumice and lees ; and distillation repeated four times
proved entirely successful.

The specimen of brandy presented on the occasion of the last
meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association, in Sep-
tember, 1858, was manufactured in the above-mentioned way,
and two years old.

ON MELAMPYRIT.

365

American grape brandy, if so manufactured, is equal to
French grape brandy when of equal manufacture and age, pos-
sessing the same grape oil, — a produce of fermentation, which
forms by slow chemical process, cenanthic ether, which must be
present in old grape brandy, and in which consists the great
value of this brandy.

Imitations of Catawba brandy are frequently offered for sale,
a product of diluted alcohol, essential oil made from the pumice
of the Catawba grape, and coloring matter. Such an article
can be very easily discovered by separating the corn-fusel oil
from the alcohol by chemical reagents.

The undersigned, therefore, is firmly convinced that Ameri-
can grape brandy, if manufactured as stated, and allowed to
grow old enough, can fully be substituted in the American
Pharmacopoeia for the " Spiritm Vini Gallici."

If your honorable body takes an interest in these facts, the
undersigned would feel highly obliged if his views would be com-
municated to all local Pharmaceutical Associations.

Restpectfully, John Zimmerman.

Journ. and Trans, Md. Journ. Pharm.

ON MELAMPYKIT.
By Wm Eichler.

In 1835, Hun ef eld discovered this saccharine substance in the
herb of Melampyrum nemorosum, L. scrophularinece. Its chemi-
cal properties have never been investigated.

In order to obtain also the succinic acid, which occurs in con-
siderable quantity in this herb, the author boiled the cut herb
with water in a barrel by means of steam, added milk of lime to
the expressed liquor until it showed a slight alkaline reaction,
evaporated considerably, filtered and washed the residue with
hot water ; the filtrate was decomposed with muriatic acid and
evaporated, when, on cooling, it yielded melampyrin. To the
lime residue suspended in water, muriatic acid was added to a
slight acid reaction, boiled and filtered, the residue was succinate
of lime, and the filtrate yielded some more on neutralization
with ammonia and evaporation. The dried salt was mixed with
60 per ct. monohydrate of sulphuric acid and 10 per ct. nitric

366

ON MELAMPYRIT.

acid, and distilled ; the sublimed acid was mixed with the distil-
late, and with the addition of a little nitric acid, evaporated.
The yield of succinic acid amounted to 40 per ct. of the succi-
nate of lime.

Scrophularia nodosa L., and Rhinanthus crista galli L., both
Scrophularinese contain also melampyrit.

It appears in crusts consisting of colorless rhombic crystals,
without odor, sweeter than lactin when dissolved in water, spec,
grav. at 15° C. (59° F.) 1466, easily soluble in boiling water,
requiring at 15° C. 25-5 p. c. water, little soluble in alcohol, ace-
tone, chloroform, wood spirit and acetic ether, insoluble in ether,
benzin, turpentine and petroleum, fusible at 186° C. (367° F.)
without loss or alteration, not fermentable, without action on
polarized light Melampyrit is not altered by dilute sulphuric
acid or caustic potassa, it does not reduce oxide of copper or of
mercury. Its composition is C12 H15 03, differing from mannite
by HO, from phycit by 0.

If boiled with nitric acid it is converted into mucic and oxalic
acids ; treated with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, nitro-
compounds may be obtained, one of which is an oily liquid, ano-
ther crystalline, soluble, a third pulverulent, almost insoluble
in ether and alcohol. It combines with the alkalies, with baryta,
lime, and the oxides of lead and copper ; and with concentrated
sulphuric acid a compound acid is formed, the baryta and lime
salt of which are very soluble gummy substances.

From other saccharine substances it is distinguished :

From mannite, by being very little soluble in boiling alcohol,
from which mannite crystallizes in a mass of needles.

From sorbin, by being less soluble in water, and by sorbin
being colored by boiling solution of potassa, and by yielding
with nitric acid only oxalic acid.

From quercit, by its melting point being at 455° F., by its
baryta compound being uncrystallizable, and its yielding only
oxalic acid with nitric acid.

From phycit — it fuses at 234° F., yields oxalic acid with nitric
acid, and a crystallizable baryta salt with its sulphuric acid
compound.

From dulcose — it loses its 9 per ct. water of crystallization at
about 380° F.

ALTHEA PAPER A TEST FOR, ACIDS, ETC.

367

From inosit — it loses 16-7 per ct. water of crystallization at
212° F,, and its solution with tartrate of copper and caustic
potassa, changes color on repeated heating. — Bulletin de la Soc.

Imp. des Natur. de Moscou, 1857 Buchners N. Bepert. vii.,

529-543. J. M. M.

THE ALTHEA PAPER A PROPOSED NEW TEST FOR ACIDS AND

ALKALIES.

Br William E. A. Aiken, Prof. Chem. and Pharm., Univ. of Md.

Among the various medicinal flowers arriving at this port
from Germany, there have been of late numerous packages of
the dark purple flowers of the so-called Malva arborea. Never
having met with any notice of such species of Malva, I was in-
duced on the arrival of the first invoice, to examine the genuine
character of the plant, when it became obvious in a moment that
the flowers were not the product of any Malva, but of an Althea.
In short they proved to be the dark colored variety of our very
common cultivated exotic the Althea rosea or Hollyhock. I
subsequently found the name Malva arborea occurring as offici-
nal in the Prussian Pharmacopoeia, where the proper name Al-
thea rosea is also given as a synonym. Beyond this I can find
no authority for imposing a botanically erroneous name on this
common plant. The medicinal value of the flower, so far as I
can ascertain, seems to be nothing; their use would appear to be
limited to manufacturers and dealers in liquors, who find their
abundant coloring principle very convenient, enabling them to
imitate the tint of a rich old port or a lighter claret effectually
and harmlessly. Indeed there would seem to be no tribe of
plants from whose flowers the coloring matter could be more
safely obtained for internal and habitual use, than from the Mal-
vaceous family.

The beauty and abundance of this coloring principle tempted
me t3 experiment with it as a test color, when I was gratified to
find that it formed a very convenient test for acids and alkalies
both. And as the plant is in such common cultivation, and so
easily obtained independent of any commercial supply, I thought
the fact of its availibility for such purpose might possess some
interest. The flowers as imported, appear to be carefully se-

368

ALTHEA PAPER A TEST FOR ACIDS, ETC.

leeted, are mostly entire, including double calyx and corolla,
and exhibit only the dark purple variety of the hollyhock, and
it is of these alone I speak. By leaving them for a few minutes
in contact with water, a dark bluish purple color is communica-
ted, which is readily imparted to the common white filtering
paper. There is a manifest atmospheric agency at work in the
final developement of the color, since I have noticed that the
slips of paper after immersion in the colored fluid when first
brought in contact with the air, exhibit a decided reddish tint
that gradually disappears, and gives place to the characteristic
bluish or purplish blue tint, which then becomes permanent.
This very permanency of the color gives the Althea paper an
advantage over the litmus paper, which I have found sometimes
rendered quite useless in consequence of the bleaching agency
of even diffused light, and the more delicate the tint of the pa-
per, the more danger of such destruction.

I have had the Althea paper exposed for two weeks to the
direct action of the sunbeams without any apparent loss of color,
and am inclined to believe it will not be affected by any length
of exposure to diffused light. Some little care is required in
preparing the paper to avoid getting too deep a tint, the lighter
shades being much more sensitive. Two drachms of the entire
dried flowers when treated with sixteen fluid ounces of cold
water, are sufficient to impart the proper depth of color for a
sensitive test paper.

Two or three ounces of water should be first poured over the
flowers, and after ten minutes infusion the rest of the water
added, then by gently pressing the flowers at intervals with a
glass-rod, and stirring the liquid for five minutes longer, it will
be ready for use. Slips of white filtering paper once immersed,
and dried slowly will then answer as a substitute for the litmus
and the turmeric paper both, as the Althea paper is made red
by acids, and green or rather bluish-green by alkalies, both
changes being too decided to be overlooked or mistaken. To
approximate the comparative value of the new test color I insti-
tuted a comparative trial between the Althea paper, the red
litmus, the blue litmus, the grey litmus, and the turmeric
papers. Using for this purpose at one time the same alkaline,
and at another the same acid liquid for all, and gradually di-

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ETC.

369

luting both liquids by the continued addition of water, until the
coloring matter of the paper ceased to be affected. This con-
trast showed the Althea paper to be much superior to the tur-
meric paper, quite equal to the blue and the red Litmus, and
although not quite as sensitive as the grey Litmus paper, yet
differing in so slight a degree, that for all ordinary purposes it
will answer as well.

As there is generally more or less of the colored liquid left
after preparing the test paper, I have made it available for ex-
periments on the Lecture-table by adding to every twelve fluid
ounces, one fluid ounce of strong sulphuric acid, sp. gr., 1-80.
When required for use in place of Tinct. of Litmus, a small bulk
can be diluted to the proper shade of color, and then neutral-
ized with a few drops of Aq. Ammon. How long this acidu-
lated infusion will keep unchanged, I am not able to say; have
had it on hand three weeks without alteration. In fact it is so
readily made, there is but little inducement to prepare it in
quantity. If it should be preferred in that form I have no doubt
a permanent alcoholic tincture could be made with the coloring
principle of the Althea as readily as with that of the Litmus. —
Journ. and Trans. Md. Coll. JPharm, June, 1859.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES PROPOSED TO BE USED IN THE
NATIONAL PHARMACOPOEIA.

By Mr. P. Squire.

The Government having enacted that the Medical Council
shall decide upon the true Weights and Measures that are to be
used in the Pharmacopoeia, it is most important that each system
should be well examined before making choice of the one to be
used for medicine.

As I have paid some attention to the subject, I will state the
conclusions at which I have arrived.

I will begin by mentioning what I think serious objections to
the Avoirdupois system.

That it was not framed for weighing medicine its lowest di-
vision being a drachm, the sixteenth part of an ounce.

That the pound weight does not accord with the pint measure.

370

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ETC.

The sixteenth part of a pound and the twentieth part of a
pint, are the only parts of the system in which the weights and
measures agree, i. e. an ounce.

The ounce does not contain a whole number of grains, being
equal to 437.5 troy grains, and therefore incapable of division
without fractions of a grain.

The use of it is discontinued in every country except England
and America. Mr. Drinkwater Bethune, one of the commission-
ers on weights and measures, who reported in 1841, says of it,
" that it is difficult to conceive a system more thoroughly well
contrived in every part to cause intricacy and confusion."*

In the year 1851, when the last edition of the Dublin Phar-
macopoeia was published, the avoirdupois weight, for the first
time, was tried in medicine, probably on account of the ounce
being of the same value as the twentieth part of the imperial
pint, and this ounce of 437.5 grains was divided into drachms
of 54.7 grains, and scruples of 18.22 grains. New weights were
expressly manufactured to include the above fractions ; the
difficulty of prescribing or of calculating with such weights must
be apparent, to say nothing of the different value of weights
bearing the same name.

If the committee be induced to adopt the avoirdupois weight,
the whole of the dispensing weights throughout England and
Scotland must be changed and all prescriptions written and
registered prior to the date of adoption must suffer change too,
having to be dispensed with weights of another system, and of
less value.

The Apothecaries' weight, on the contrary, is divisible into
ounces, drachms, scruples, and whole grains ; has been used in
medicine by civilized nations from time immemorial; France
only parted with it when the Metrical system came fully into
operation as a national system. It may be seen in the Codex
side by side with the gramme and cubic centimetre in the for-
mer edition of that work ; a very nice way of habituating Phar-
maceutists to its value without any risk of confusion or leading
to error. The 1 lb. of Holland, and of the German Zollverein,
is equal to the half kilogramme, or 500 grammes. Sixteen
ounces of our Apothecaries' weight is equal to the same thing.

The following table will serve to show with what facilities we

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ETC.

371

are able to compare our Apothecaries' weights with our Metri-
cal weights : —

APOTHECARIES' WEIGHTS. THE METRICAL WEIGHTS.

Ounces, Grammes.

Approximate. Correct.

32 1000 995.302

16 500 497.650

8 250 248.825

4 125 124.412

1 31 31.103

One drachm. 4 3.887

15 grains. 1 .972

It must be remembered that 1000 cubic centimetres, or one
litre of distilled water, weighs exactly 1000 grammes, or 1 kilo-
gramme.

I propose to introduce the Metrical system into the British
Pharmacopoeia, side by side with our own formulae, throughout
the work, that we may have the advantage of both, and able to
make ourselves fully acquainted with the Metrical system, in
case this Government should order its use ; giving full tables of
explanation and comparison with our own weights. The follow-
ing gives an example of the Apothecaries' weight and the Impe-
rial measure as found in the London formula, with their respective
value in Metrical equivalents, with a separate column to show
how it would appear in the Metrical system : —

TINCT. BELLADONNA.

TINCTURE OF BELLADONNA.

Metrical Equivalents. Metrical System.

Take of Dried Belladonna Leaves 4 oz. 125 110
" Proof Spirit, fluid 40 oz. 1135 1000
I think it would be unwise to alter our present weights and
measures, as any alteration would be fraught with inconvenience,
and perhaps danger. Since the Metrical system is already in
use, in France, Holland, Belgium, Lombardy, Greece, Switzer-
land, Sardinia, Spain, and the States of South America, and
coming into operation in Portugal in 1862, let us keep as we
are until we change for this, the only Decimal system in exist-
ence, the beauty and perfection of which claims for it a pref-
erence in every civilized nation. — London Pharm. Journ.,
May, 1859.

372 NEW PKOCESS FOR DEPRIVING SPIRIT OF FUSIL OIL.

ON THE EVAPORATION OF WATER FROM BENEATH AN OILY

LIQUID.

By Be. A. Vogeil, Jr.

On evaporating an ethereal tincture containing oil, it is ofteia
observed that a stratum of an aqueous liquid is formed underneath,
which, on heating the liquid to expel the ether, likewise gradually
disappears. This induced the author to make some direct ex-
periments. Water was weighed into a tared beaker-glass, and
almond oil carefully poured on the top of it, the weight was
again ascertained, the glass tied over with filtering paper, and
thus heated daily for about five hours, to between 90° and
100° C. (194° and 212Q F.j. The diameter of the glass was
35 millimetres, the weight of the water 2,871 grm., of the oil,
10.052 grm. Height of oil '011 metres.

The following gives the average results of the different weigh-
ings : Loss of water after heating for 19 hours to 212° F. 2-007
grm.; evaporation in one hour, .106 grm.; evaporation per hour
from one centimetre «011 grm.

To ascertain whether almond oil alone would alter its weight
by long continued heating, a beaker-glass covered with filtering
paper was placed in the sand bath, heated as above, from Octo-
ber 9th to November 3d, when its weight had increased -08 grm.?
doubtless by oxidation.

Another beaker-glass with water, covered with oil, and tied
over with filtering paper, lost during the same time, at ordinary
temperature, -041 grm = 466 per ct. Evaporation of water
from underneath an oily liquid, it will be observed, takes place
at ordinary temperatures.- — Buchners N. Mejpertormm, viL
485-487. J. m. M.

NEW PROCESS FOR DEPRIVING SPIRIT OF FUSEL OIL.
By M. Breton.

This new process is merely an application of a well-known
principle, upon which depends the operation by which bromine
contained in saline solutions is separated by ether. The spirit
containing fusel oil is mixed with a body which is insoluble, or
but sparingly soluble, in alcohol, but which can dissolve fusel oih

ON THE CAUCASSIAN INSECT POWDER.

373

For this purpose olive oil is employed. A few drops of this
are poured into a bottle with spirit containing fusel oil, which is
then shaken, left to settle, and decanted. This process, not-
withstanding its simplicity, is not applicable to the treatment of
large quantities of spirit or low wines.

The author first made use of a filter consisting of disks of
woollen stuff, slightly soaked in oil, and held between two per-
forated plates of metal. The spirit was deprived of fusel oil,
but only until the woollen cloth was saturated with the volatile
oil, when it absorbed no more. By means of a current of steam
at a pressure of two or three atmospheres, the wool could be
readily freed from the volatile oil ; but the exposure to steam at
this temperature rendered the wool useless for a repetition of the
process. The woollen stuff consequently had to be given up, and
after many trials it was replaced by a layer of powdered pumice-
stone, which acts exactly in the same way as the woollen stuff,
but without losing its power of absorption when exposed to a
temperature necessary for the volatilization of the fusel oil.—
London Ohem. Craz., April 15, 1859, from Moniteur Industrie!.
Dingier' s Polytechn.

ON THE CAUCASSIAN INSECT POWDER.
Br Dr. Noodt.

This insect or flea powder has long been known to the nations
of Transcaucassia under the name of "guirila; " it is an impor-
tant article of commerce in this paradise of vermin, and large
quantities are exported to Russia, Germany and France. The
coarse powder of a greenish color and a penetrating odor, is the
ground flower of Pyrethrum carneum and roseum, growing on
the mountains of Caucasus in the neighborhood of Zalki, Karak-
lis and Dshelal-Oglu,9at a height of 5000 to 6000 feet. It is a
poison for lice, fleas, bed-bugs, flies, ants, moths, &c, and is in-
valuable for the military hospitals in hot countries, to keep the
maggots off. It is not detrimental to the health of man, merely
producing like fresh hay or flowers, some dizziness of the head, if
kept in large quantities in closed sleeping apartments. Insects
for collection are readily killed by it, and also preserved against

374 EXAMINATION OP A SPURIOUS ARTICLE OP OPIUM.

the attacks of other insects ; in the same way it may be applied
for the preservation of botanical and other collections of natural
history. Given internally it does not expel the tape worm, but
its concentrated infusion is useful in the form of clysters against
ascarides, and injections have done excellent service against
maggots in the auditory canal.

It is to be regretted that this powder has been sophisticated.
The demand for it having largely increased, the gatherers were
unable to supply it, and increased the quantity by grinding with
the flowers also the leaves and stems. The powder is rendered
still less active by being mixed in Germany and other countries
with old stale powder. As it is usually sold in Western Europe,
this powder is entirely different in color, odor and activity from
the pure Asiatic product, of which, at the bazaar in Tiflis, a
pound is paid for with 14 cents, and at the place of production
a pud (about 35 lbs) costs 5 silver rubles, = $3.50, — Kunst $
Grewerbebl, 1858.— Buchners N. Eepertorium, vii. 562-564.

J. M. M.

EXAMINATION OF A SPURIOUS ARTICLE OF OPIUM.
Br Wm. E. A. Aikin, Prof. Chem. and Pharm., Univ. of McL, and Spec,
Exam, of Drugs, &c, for the Port of Baltimore.

I had occasion, quite recently, to examine a package of opi-
um, which, although wholly factitious, was so expertly manufac-
tured, that almost any one — trusting merely to the physical
characters, color, smell, taste and general appearances, — and
in the absence of any suspicious circumstances— might very
well consider it a very excellent article of Smyrna Opium.
Suspicion was first excited by the evidences of repacking, in
the absence of the Rumex seeds that are found accompany-
ing the genuine article, and further inquiry revealing other
suspicious surroundings, it became my duty to determine its
morphia value ; all opium containing less than 9 per cent, of
morphia being prohibited from entry. The result proved that
some experienced hand, by using most probably a quantity of
spent opium, from which all the morphia had been extracted,
had been able to mingle various inert matters with a trifling

EXAMINATION OF A SPURIOUS ARTICLE OF OPIUM. 375

per centage of good opium, and yet had been able to preserve
most of the physical characteristics of the genuine drug. One
hundred grains of the spurious article, dried at a temperature
of 212° F., lost 25 grains in weight. The remaining 75 grains
— macerated for a few hours in tepid alcohol, carefully tritura-
ted, and exhausted, and filtered — left on the filter 58 grains of
insoluble matter. This was represented principally by filaments
of vegetable structure, which, under the microscope, proved to
be the outer skin or epicarp of the poppy capsule, with occa-
sional traces of what appeared to be the fragments of the bruised
stem of the plant. The insoluble portion consisted of 40 grains
of such vegetable fibre, with 18 grains of gum, caoutchouc, &c;
while 1.10 grs. of morphia and 15.90 grs. of resin, meconic
acid, and other matters soluble in alcohol, made up the soluble
part. With these data, we can represent the composition of the
mass thus : —

Water, 25.

Vegetable fibre, principally poppy capsule, . 40.

Gum, caoutchouc, mucus, &c, . . 18.

Resin, meconic acid, &c, .... 15.90

Morphia, 1.10

100.00

The above expression, though it cannot be offered as the re-
sult of a complete analysis, but merely as morphiometrical, is
abundantly sufficient to demonstrate the total unfitness of the
mass for medical or manufacturing purposes.

The invoice reached this port from one of the West India
Islands ; and it is not at all unlikely that it may have been of-
fered for entry at some other of our seaports, and, after having
been condemned, the consignee has preferred shipping it to the
West Indies rather than to leave it in the custom house to be
destroyed, if found there at the expiration of six months. In
the present instance, the consignee has made the same choice,
and the package has been despatched to the British Provinces.
As the price of opium ranges quite high at this time, it is not
improbable that another attempt will be made to introduce it
into the country. And in case of its arrival at any port where
no special examiner of drugs is stationed, it would be well if

376

ON INFUSIONS.

those who may be casually called upon by the collector to exam-
ine such things, could be put upon their guard and induced to
scrutinize closely all opium coming from that quarter. That
such things have been done, I know from my own experience in
one case, occurring several years since, when a quantity of Pe-
ruvian bark, condemned at this port, was shipped to the British
Provinces, and subsequently sent from thence to one of our
southern ports, unprovided with a special examiner, and there

admitted to entry Journ. and Trans. Md. Journ. Pharm.,

1859.

ON INFUSIONS.
By Mr. Stevenson.

We are all practically familiar with the frequent inconvenience
experienced in dispensing prescriptions containing the infusions
of the Pharmacopoeia. The concentrated infusions have been in-
troduced with the view of obviating this inconvenience,but I think
the great majority of Pharmaceutists regard their use as eminent-
ly unsatisfactory. I have been induced to bring under your no-
tice this evening a plan which we have adopted and practiced
for many years, and which, from its extreme simplicity, and the
perfect success which has attended it, will, I trust, recommend
itself to your favorable consideration.

It has not the merit of originality or novelty, being merely
the application in a simple and practical form of the principle
on which the familiar essence of beef is prepared, and has in-
deed already been applied to the preservation of infusions by
Mr. Alsop, of London, as described in Mr. Redwood's Practical
Pharmacy. He recommends the infusions to be filled into
bottles with accurately ground stoppers, to be heated until the
infusion overflows, then to be closed immediately with the
stoppers, which are to be slightly coated with wax, so as to
render the bottles perfectly air-tight. I think there are several
disadvantages attending this plan, not the least of which must
be the uncertainty of obtaining perfectly accurately fitted stop-
pers-— a condition on which the success of the process absolutely
depends. Our adaptation of the plan is as follows : — We fill

ON THE NATURE OF SCAMMONY AND TURPETH RESIN. 377

the infusion, freshly prepared and filtered, into common bottles
of any convenient size, up to the bottom of the neck. These
are placed in a vessel of water, put on the fire, and allowed to
remain until the water has boiled round about them for ten or
fifteen minutes. By this time the Infusions will be found to be
running over the brims of the bottles. They are then removed
one by one, and immediately closed by simply tying a piece of
moistened bladder over the top.

We generally prepare as much of each infusion as will last for
two or three months ; but it will retain for years the fresh taste
and aroma of its ingredients. You will find on the table a sample
of infusion of senna 2j years old, infusion of orange 17 months,
and chiretta, senega, and calumba about three months.

The advantages of this plan are manifest, and hardly require
mention. From its extreme simplicity, any druggist can put it
in practice for himself, and can thus always command an infusion
the same as freshly prepared, superior to that formed by the
concentrated infusion, and not containing any spirit — a matter
occasionally of some moment.

Various samples of infusions prepared in the manner stated
were submitted to the meeting ; some of them had been pre-
pared for a considerable time, and appeared as fresh and good
as if recently made. — London Pharm. Jour. May, 1859.

ON THE NATUKE OF SCAMMONY AND TURPETH RESIN
By Dr. H. Spirgatis, of Konigsburg.

The chemical similarity of the resins of the Jalap roots from
Ipomoea jalapa and Convolvulus orizabensis led to the supposi-
tion of a similar chemical constitution of the resins obtained from
other plants belonging to the family of Convolvulacese.*

The genuine scammony used for this analysis was obtained
from Trieste, and was in light cakes of a greenish gray color,
not transparent, without lustre, of an acrid taste and a peculiar
bread-odor, partly soluble in water to a greenish turbid solution,

* The author undertook bis analysis in 1853, and Prof. Buchner based on its
results his test for the genuineness of scammony. (See Amer. Jour, of Pharm.,
1854, page 447.)

378 ON THE NATURE OF SCAMMONY AND TURPETH RESIN.

in alcohol partly to a clear solution, easily fusible, and burning
with a peculiar empyreumatic odor, leaving a white pulverulent
residue ; it was easily pulverizable to an ash-colored powder.

The pure resin, scammonin^ was obtained by exhausting scam-
mony by alcohol, evaporating, exhausting the extract with boil-
ing water to remove a volatile acid, redissolving in alcohol, add-
ing water until a precipitate commences to form, treating with
animal charcoal, evaporating, dissolving in ether and evaporating.
Scammonin is colorless, transparent, affording a white powder,
without taste and smell ; it softens at 123° C. (253° F.), and
melts at 150° (302° F.), it dissolves easily in alcohol, ether,
benzol and chloroform. If dissolved in the solution of an alkali
or baryta, it is altered and not precipitated on neutralization
with an acid, when a peculiar odor, similar to butyric acid, is gene-
rated, particularly if the scammonin has not been well purified;
the carbonates of alkalies dissolve it on boiling, likewise acetic
acid ; strong mineral acids decompose it into a brownish, suet-
like body, while the liquid contains sugar. The chemical analy-
sis gave results closely corresponding with the elementary ana-
lysis of jalapin, in the resin of Convolvulus orizabensis, for
which Mayer calculated the formula C68 H56 032. Keller's re-
sults (see Am. Jour. Ph. 1857, p. 257,) differ very little from
them.

The solution of scammonin decomposed by sulphuric acid,
afforded a colorless liquid with a peculiar odor. The odorous
principle was volatile and distilled over with water, it is probably
butyric acid. The residue separated white microscopic needles,
which, after purification from ether, separated a white body in
granules of a peculiar sassafras odor, and producing a grease spot
upon paper ; it appears to be identical with the greasy substance
from the decomposition of scammonin by acids. The residuary
liquid yielded an amorphous, yellowish, resinous mass, soluble
in water and alcohol, insoluble in ether, not precipitated by the
neutral salts of metallic oxides or alkaline earths ; the author
calls it scammonio acid. The elementary analysis of its baryta
salt gave results corresponding with Mayer's analysis of his
jalapic acid — 3 BaO, C68 H56 032.

Scammonic acid, like scammonin, is decomposed by mineral
acids into sugar and an acid, which after treating it with animal

FLUID EXTRACT OF VALERIAN.

379

charcoal, crystallizes from ether in granules, and having the
properties mentioned above. The results of the analysis of this
scammonolic acid and its baryta salt, are the same as Mayer's for
jalapinolic acid, for which he proposed the formula C32 H30 06,
and for the scammonolate of baryta, BaO, C32 H29 05. Mayer
found in his jalapinolate of lead 29-95; the author, in his scam-
monolate of lead, 30-80; F. Keller, in the latter, 33-19 (average)
per ct. of lead.

The author has also found the drastic resin obtained from
Convolvulus Turpethum, to be a glucoside, and is now investiga-
ting it. — Buchners N. Repertorium, vii. 9-20. J. M. M.

FLUID EXTRACT OF VALERIAN,
By Israel J. Grahame.

The preparation of Fluid Extract of Valerian has been so fre-
quently referred to, that it may appear almost superfluous to
offer anything more upon the subject ; on which account it is
with considerable reluctance that the writer attempts to bring
into notice some views which he has long entertained, respect-
ing the officinal process for making this valuable and extensively
used remedy. More than a year since he exhibited, at a meet-
ing of the College, a specimen of the extract prepared without
the use of ether, expressing at the same time, his belief, that it
could be as efficiently made without its use as with it, but re-
served for future consideration a decisive conclusion on this
point. The process then adopted has been many times repeated
with what success, the sequel will manifest.

The officinal formula directs the Valerian, in coarse powder, to
be first treated with a mixture of alcohol and ether, and the solu-
tion thus obtained evaporated spontaneously to a given amount,
which is then to be mixed with a percolate obtained in the mean
time by treating the mass with diluted alcohol. In the evapora-
tion of the first percolate, all the ether and apart of the alcohol
is lost, which occasions a waste of material as well as considera-
ble delay. The result is a solution of all that is soluble in the
amount of alcohol left after evaporation, with more or less de-
posit on the sides and bottom of the dish of the oleo-resinous

22

380

FLUID EXTRACT OF VALERIAN.

principle of the root, and, on adding this to the hydro-alcoholic
solution, a still further precipitate ensues, a portion only of
which is taken up on standing, so that it becomes necessary to
agitate the mixture each time it is dispensed, or filter it at the
risk of separating a portion of its active principles, which have
been disturbed from their native combinations by the manner of
treatment.

Circumstances of this nature induced the query in the writer's
mind, whether the ether was at all essential in the process, ex-
cept on account of its ready volatility, and whether the evapo-
ration could not be entirely dispensed with when made of the
strength prescribed by the formula.

On examination it will be found that the fluid extract result-
ing from this process is retained in a menstruum composed of
about two parts of alcohol and one part of water, and that con-
sequently, no constituent of the Valerian is held in solution,
which this menstruum is not capable of dissolving. It was this
fact that first led the writer to depart from the officinal direc-
tions in its preparation.

The specimen above referred to was made by treating the
finely powdered root, by displacement, with a menstruum of the
strength already stated, which was ascertained to completely
exhaust the root in the quantity directed by the formula,-— in
fact, the exhaustion was principally effected by the time a por-
tion of liquid equal to the quantity of root used had passed.
With the view of ascertaining, before dispensing the preparation
thus made, whether any principle had escaped the hydro-alco-
holic treatment, which would be yielded to a mixture of ether
and alcohol, and possibly retained in solution in the finished ex-
tract, a portion of the residue left in the displacer, after being
dried by exposure to the air, was carefully treated with the ether
mixture in due proportions, producing a straw colored solution,
which, on being spontaneously evaporated, yielded only a portion
of fatty matter, having neither the odor nor taste of Valerian,
and which is also separated in the officinal process by evapora-
tion and the union of the two liquids. The conclusion arrived
at by this experiment was, that the whole of the medicinal prop-
erties of the root had been yielded to the first treatment with
diluted alcohol. Since that time the writer has continued to

FLUID EXTRACT OF VALERIAN.

381

make this preparation without the use of ether, and always with
a satisfactory result.

Based upon this plan of treatment and carrying out the views
suggested in a paper on fluid extract of buchu, published by the
writer in the last number of the Journal, it is now proposed for
consideration, to prepare fluid extract of Valerian of double the
officinal strength, so that each fluid ounce shall represent one
ounce of the root.

The strength of alcohol found best in the writer's hands as a
proper solvent for valerian, is made by mixing five parts of com-
mercial 95 per cent, alcohol with three parts of water. In this
proportion, a little more of the coloring matter is taken up than
when a mixture of two parts to one is used, and, while it does
not impair the transparency or permanency of the extract, a
richness of appearance is given to it, at the same time the idea
is maintained of lessening the alcohol in all such preparations
whenever it can be effected without detriment to the result.

The following is the proposed formula and illustrative of the
above views :

Fluid Extract of Valerian.
Take of Valerian, in powder, (prepared by passing through a

No. 60 seive) 16 ounces.

Diluted alcohol, (95 per cent, alcohol, 5 parts,
Water, 3 parts,) ... a sufficient quantity.
Pour on the powder, contained in a dish, sufficient of the men-
struum to dampen it, (about 7 fluid ounces) rub it in uniformly
by means of the hands, and transfer it immediately to a glass
funnel arranged for displacement, pack firmly and evenly, using
considerable pressure with the hands,-— cover the surface with a
piece of perforated filtering paper, pour on a pint or more of the
menstruum, and lay over the funnel a piece of oiled silk to pre-
vent evaporation. When fifteen fluid ounces of liquid shall have
passed, remove and properly secure it ; continue the percola-
tion until eight ounces more pass, or to exhaustion ; evaporate
this latter portion spontaneously in a warm place, (finishing it
in a water bath at a temperature of 130° F.,) until reduced to
half a fluid ounce, add to this half a fluid ounce of alcohol to
produce a clear solution, filter and mix with the fifteen fluid
ounces first obtained.

382 AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

In the above process, it is essential to success that the Vale-
rian should be in the state of division indicated, and the pack-
ing strictly attended to. When these precautions have been
observed, the writer has never failed to exhaust the root in the
quantity above given, the first portion of the percolate invariably
containing nearly or quite all of the active principles ; the latter
having little of the odor of Valerian, containing mainly coloring
matter, is nevertheless carefully evaporated to avoid any possi-
ble loss.

The advantages gained by this process consist in the produc-
tion of a highly concentrated solution, with economy of time
and menstruum.

Fluid Extract of Valerian prepared in this way is a clear,
very rich, dark colored liquid, possessing an intense taste and
odor of the root, which it fully represents ounce for ounce. A
specimen now on hand, made nearly two months since is entire-
ly free from deposit. The maximum dose is half a fluidrachm.
— Journ. and Trans. Md. College Pharm.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Seventh Annual Meeting of the " American Pharmaceutical Association," will be held
in the city of Boston, Mass., on Tuesday the 13th day of September next at 3 o'clock P. M.

The objects of the Association and the conditions of membership are explained in the following
extracts from the Constitution.

Article I.

This Association shall be called the American Pharmaceutical Association. Its aim shall be to
unite the educated and reputable Pharmaceutists and Druggists|of the United States in the fol-
lowing objects :

1st. To improve and 'regulate the drug market, by preventing the importation of inferior,
adulterated or deteriorated drugs, and by detecting and exposing home adulteration.

2d. To establish the relations between druggists, pharmaceutists, physicians and the people at
large, upon just principles, which shall promote the public welfare and tend to mutual strength
and advantage.

3d. To improve the science and the art of Pharmacy by diffusing scientific knowledge among
apothecaries and druggists, fostering pharmaceutical literature, developing talent, stimulating
discovery and invention, and encouraging home production and manufacture in the several de-
partments of the drug business.

4th. To regulate the system of apprenticeship and employment so as to prevent, as far as
practicable, the evils flowing from deficient training in the responsible duties of preparing, dis-
pensing and selling medicines.

5th. To suppress empyricism, and as much as possible to restrict the dispensing and sale of
medicines to regularly educated druggists and apotheeariea.

Article II.— Of the Members.

Section 1. Every pharmaceutist or druggist of good moral and professional standing, whether
in business on his own account, retired from business or employed by another, who, after duly
considering the objects of the Association and the obligations of this Constitution, is willing to
subscribe to them, is eligible to membership.

EDITORIAL. 383

Section 2. The mode of admission to membership shall be as follows : Any person eligible to
membership may apply to any member of the Executive Committee, who shall report his appli-
cation to the said Committee. If after investigating his claims they shall approve his election,
they shall at the earliest time practicable report his name to the Association, and he may be
elected by two-thirds of the members present, on ballot. Should an application occur in the recess,
the members of the Committee may give their approval in writing, which, if unanimous, and
endorsed by the President, shall constitute him a member, and the fact be reported to the Associa-
tion at the next succeeding meeting.

Section 3. No person shall become a member of this Association until he shall have signed the
Constitution, and paid his annual contribution for the current year. All persons who become
members shall be considered as permanent members, but may be expelled for improper conduct
by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any annual meeting.

Section 4. Every member shall pay into the hands of the Treasurer the sum of two dollars as
his yearly contribution, and is liable to lose his right of membership by neglecting to pay said
contribution for three successive years. Members shall be entitled, on the payment of three dol-
lars, to receive a certificate of membership signed by the President, Vice-President and Secretary,
covenanting to return the same to the proper officer on relinquishing their connection with the
Association.

Section 5. Every local Pharmaceutical Association shall be entitled to five delegates in the annual
meetings, who, if present, become members of the Association, on signing the Constitution, with-
out being ballotted for.

JOHN L. KIDWELL, President.

Georgetown, D. C, June 25th, 1859.

<£Mtorial IDcpartmcnt.

American Pharmaceutical Association. — On the 13th of September
next, at 3 o'clock P. M., at the rooms of the Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy, Temple Place, in the city of Boston, the members of the
Association will hold their Eighth Annual Meeting ; and the well known
hospitality of our New England brethren, the time and the place, all
promise that it will be large and interesting. But two months ajad
a half remain for the action of committees and investigators who propose
to report on that occasion. Rumors of the action of some of these occasion-
ally reach us, which are taken as an earnest of the good fruits to come in
autumn. The important subjects of " Weights and Measures," " The
Revision of the Pharmacopoeia," and " Home Adulterations," will need
much careful attention, and we doubt not the several committees are alive
to their duties. Every pharmaceutist or druggist, whether a member or
not, who has in possession facts relative to adulterated drugs, would mate-
rially aid the last committee by communicating them to the chairman,
Charles T. Carney, Washington St., Boston. Of the numerous important
subjects accepted for investigation by members, we trust a large proportion
will be reported on, and thus add permanent value to the Proceedings of
the Association. We know of no better discipline to elevate the tone of
American Pharmacy than that taking its origin in the pursuit of chemical
and pharmacological investigations ; they open up subjects of thought
which enlarge the mind and benefit others as well as ourselves.

There is a little matter suggested by the Executive Committee, which

884

EDITORIAL.

is worth calling attention to, in view of lessening the labor of editing the
Proceedings. It is that members should be more careful in the prepara-
tion of their manuscripts, both as regards the handwriting and the spelling
of technical or scientific words, and especially the names of plants, sub-
stances, and authors. No words should be left abbreviated unless intend-
ed to be so printed. As it is impossible to afford the authors of reports
and papers, in many instances, an opportunity to see a proof, it is due to
themselves that they present plainly written documents. "We also agree
with the committee that greater attention to brevity in composition is desir-
able, so as to prevent the unnecssary extension of the " Proceedings."

Catalogue of the Library of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. —
It is due to the chairman of the Library Committee, as well as to the editor
of this Journal, to state that the Catalogue published in our last issue
was, owing to a misunderstanding as to who should read the proof, carried
through the press without correction by either member of the committee,
which will account for a number of typographical and other errors to be
found in it, much to their regret.

Catawba Brandy. — Our readers will observe at page 363, a paper on
the mode of manufacturing the best American Brandy, as practised by
Zimmerman & Co., of Cincinnati, in a communication to the Maryland
College of Pharmacy. From a conversation with the author, we are in-
duced to believe this Brandy stands deservedly high for medicinal pur-
poses, being prepared from the grape by fermentation and distillation.

The American Dispensatory. By John King, M. D., &c. Fifth Edition.
Cincinnati, 1859.

Our last issue contained a few general remarks on this book, and since
then, at some sacrifice of time, we have glanced over its pages sufficiently
to get an idea of its contents. The present title, which is the third, is the
same as that of Coxe's Dispensatory, which, for thirty years, was the chief
reliance of American apothecaries, until displaced by the work of "Wood
& Bache. The author claims for the sect he represents the merit of hav-
ing developed the medical qualities of a large portion of the American
Materia Medica, many of which have been in the officinal list of the U. S.
Pharmacopoeia for nearly thirty years, and were described and figured pre-
viouslyby Bigelow & Barton.

Before noticing the work itself, " the Editor of the American Journal of
Pharmacy" feels bound to express his regret that Dr. King, under the in-
fluence of sore feeling towards the authors of the United States Dispensa-
tory, should so far forget the claims of justice and truth, as to have penned
the last sentence of the first paragraph at page xii. of his Preface, a sen-
tence, which, however ingeniously worded, is too transparent to conceal the
motive which prompted its expression.

EDITORIAL.

385

When we state that the first part of the American Dispensatory describes
a very large number of our indigenous plants, most foreign drugs in use in
regular practice, besides a large number of non-metallic and metallic min-
eral substances, the reader will understand its voluminous character.

The merit of this portion of the book, as a work for general reference,
is considerable. The descriptions of indigenous plants are chiefly from
Gray or Wood, the author having apparently given himself little trouble in
investigating botanical authorities, or by actual observation. The history
and properties of drugs are generally described in plain, untechnical lan-
guage, well suited to a large number of those to whom the book is ad-
dressed. The reader will be struck with the sparseness of chemical obser-
vations in reference to our indigenous plants. Nearly all that are quoted
by Br. King have been the work of Graduates of the Philadelphia College
of Pharmacy during the past thirty years. Although every year adds
some light on this subject, and the transactions of the American Pharma-
ceutical Association are taking this direction, yet it is time that the "Ec-
lectics" themselves should aid in the work. So far they have expended
their exertions in getting up " concentrated preparations " and " resin-
oids," which, in but few instances, have any claim to be considered pure
proximate principles. Dr. King has relied chiefly onPereira and Christison
as authorities in describing the foreign Materia Medica, and Darby's edi-
tion of Wittstein's Pharmaceutical Chemistry has proved a perfect god-send
in the line of rationales in chemical processes. Among the journals we
observe that the American Journal of Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical
Journal have contributed largely to his aid. With unlimited space for quo-
tations, and with considerable ingenuity in working up contributions from
various sources, Dr. King has made a very readable book, embracing a wide
range of information ; but viewed as a scientific work of reference for in-
vestigators on the Materia Medica, its inaccuracies are so numerous, and
its patch work character so unmistakable, that it will have no scientific
authority, except so far as each individual quotation is concerned.

We have already alluded to the want of homogeneousness in the compo-
sition of the work. This will be particularly noted at the article Cinchona,
which occupies sixty-six pages, and which is attributed, by the author, to
Prof. E. S. Wayne. On looking closely into this chapter, it will be found
to consist chiefly of copious, well selected extracts from Weddell, Howard,
Pereira, Winckler, Pasteur, Leers, Riegel, and others, which are thrown
together as though they were intended to be employed in elaborating an
article on the subject. If we may hazard an opinion in regard to the mat-
ter, it is that Mr. Wayne so intended his paper, whereas Dr. King has
published it in extenso. In no other way can we account for the devotion
of sixty-four pages to the botanical, commercial and chemical history of a
single drug, Cinchona, the latter carried out to the minutest details.

The therapeutical portions of the articles contain many that may be
called eclectic ideas. There is no doubt that a large number of practition-

386

EDITORIAL.

ers are using " Eclectic medicines" in a way peculiar to their sect. The
old war-cry of the botanic doctors was the abuse of mercury, and the more
refined Eclectics, though they do not keep up the cry against minerals, still
repudiate mercury, antimony and arsenic, and busily seek among our na-
tive plants, agents capable of substituting the compounds of these potent
metals, as cathartics, colagogues, emetics, alteratives ; and in Leptan-
dra, Podophyllum, Lobelia, Apocynum, etc., believe they have found them.
The physician may find many useful hints in the "American Dispensatory/'
in regard to the medical uses of these plants, the result of the rude experi-
ence of unprofessional observers, as well as of graduates of the " Eclectic "
Schools.

Among the plants which have attracted most attention we may name
the following, attaching an asterisk to each of those which are particularly
relied on in their practice, viz :

Aletris farinosa. *Dioscorea villosa. "^Lobelia inflata.

Ambrosia trifida. *Epigea repens. *Myrica cerifera.

*Apocynum cannabinum. Erechthites liieracifolius. ^Phytolacca decandra.

Asclepias incarnata. *Euonymus atropurpu- ^Podophyllum peltatum.
"^Asclepias tuberosa. reus. Ptelea trifoliata.

*Baptisia tinctoria. *Eupatorium purpureum. *Sanguinaria canadense.

*Caulophyllum thalictroi- ^Geranium maculatum. ^Scutellaria lateriflora,

des. Helianthemum cana- *Senecio aureus.

Chelone glabra. dense. ^Stillingia sylvatica.

*Cimicifuga racemosa. ^Hydrastis canadensis. ^Viburnum opulus.

Coralorliiza odontorliiza. *Iris versicolor. *Xanthoxylum fraxi-

Corydalis formosa. Kalmia latifolia. neum.

*Cypripedium pubescens. *Leptandra virginica.

In glancing over the pages, we find that errors have crept in which
should be noted and corrected - for instance, in describing the properties of
Aralia spinosa, the bark of Xanthoxylum Carolinense, has been con-
founded with it — known among the Eclectics under the name of Southern
prickly ash. At page 175, Tous les Mois is said to be very soluble in water
— when it should be boiling water. At page 186, " Ethereal Oil of Capsi-
cum " is said to become " filled with crystals of Capsicin of curious dendroid
forms." These "crystals" are really the solid fatty oil which separates.
(See ante 185.) At page 241 it is stated that the Dutch government has
introduced Cinchona into "Japan," when it should read "Java," etc., etc.

One of the peculiarities of the Eclectics, found among the Materia Med-
ica, and a feature upon which they take much credit to themselves, is the
class of " Resinoids," or "principles," as they are called, of which Cimici-
fugin, Podophyllin and Leptandrin are types, and the manner of making
some of them is so peculiar, that we quote the following:

"Caulophyllin. — Extract the root of Caulophyllum, and obtain a thick
fluid extract, in the same manner as recommended for obtaining Podo-
phyllin [by means of alcohol]], the product is added to twice its volume of
a saturated solution of alum, and placed asido to rest for three or four
days ; then place it on a filter cloth, and allow the water to filter through ;

EDITORIAL.

387

wash the product two or three times with fresh water and let the residuum
dry in the open air ; when dry, it readily forms a powder of a light gray
color."

Made by another process, under the head of " Chemical Properties," the
author remarks, " Caulophyllin, thus prepared, is a resinous substance, of
a light brown color, with a peculiar/not unpleasant odor, slightly bitter
taste, with some pungency. Its chemical reactions have not been thoroughly
investigated ; it appears, however, to be a neutral substance, like salicin,
exhibiting neither acid or alkaline principles." Such is a fair sample of
Eclectic organic chemistry.

Cimicifugin is the resinous precipitate obtained by precipitating a syrupy
alcoholic extract of Cimicifuga, by pouring it into water, washed, dried and
powdered, and is one of the most highly esteemed Eclectic medicines, and
spoken of as an active principle.

Dioscorein is prepared like Cimicifugin, from the root of Dioscorea villosa,
and is considered a powerful anti-spasmodic and a specific in bilious
colic.

Eupurpurin is the substance obtained when Eupatorium purpureum is
treated as in making Cimicifugin.

As a sample of the looseness and empyrical character of some of these
so-called " principles," we extract the following, viz :

"Geraniin. Geraniin is obtained by making a saturated tincture of
the root of Geranium maculatum, filtering, distilling off a part of the alco-
hol, adding water to the rest, and evaporating to dryness. The operation
is similar to that for Podophyllin. Many manufacturers prefer making
it by evaporating an aqueous decoction of the root to dryness and evapor-
ating."

We should like to see the result obtained by evaporating a dry extract,
the preparation is nothing, so far as we can make out, but an extract of
Geranium. Why not call it by its right name ?

Besides the above, and obtained in a manner analogous to Cimicifugin,
are Iridin, Leptandrin, Podophyllin, Ptelein, etc. Of the whole list, the
only one that is crystalline is Hydrastin. The rest being mixtures of resin
and apothem, resin and volatile oil, resin and fixed oils, or mere extracts.
Dr. King defends the practice of giving names to these mixtures, which
really indicate to those unacquainted with Eclectic literature that they are
distinct organic principles. We believe, from the indefinite manner in
which many of his processes are given by the originators of these prepara-
tions, that it would puzzle any but an Eclectic to produce similar results,
and we fear that in his anxiety to give formulse, he has been imposed upon
by some of the manufacturers, whose processes are very Brahminical.

Part second of Dr. King's book is entitled " Pharmacy," and includes
the general principles of the art of preparing medicines, and a detailed
account of most of the preparations, regular and irregular, used by Eclec-
tics and physicians. The chapter on the collection and preservation o

388

EDITORIAL.

plants is judiciously drawn up. That on specific gravity is an improve-
ment on the previous edition.

The subject of weight and measures, though illustrated in the appendix
with tables, is but slightly dwelt upon in the preliminary chapter - and in
the body of the formulary, the author is full of inconsistencies arising from
inattention to this subject in giving the recipes of foreign Pharmacopoeias.
The reader in this department will be struck with the absence of the
formulas of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. Whether the author, in carefully
avoiding the U. S. Dispensatory, has felt disposed to ignore the Pharmaco-
poeia also, we do not know, but he has undoubtedly seriously injured his
book in view of its use by apothecaries and physicians, by substituting
formula from heterogeneous sources, where other systems of weights and mea-
sures are used. We can only attribute this course to the inconvenience of
writing a commentary on the U. S. Pharmacopoeia without resorting to the
TJ. S. Dispensatory. The general arrangement of the classes of prepara-
tions is similar to that in the latter work. The processes of maceration
and percolation are both directed in extraction, and C. A. Smith's idea of
vapor percolation is repeatedly recommended in making extracts. Being
unbound by any authority in regard to formulse, the author has used the
utmost license in selecting and naming preparations.

Among the Vinegars, Acetum Lobelise and Acetum Sanguinarise are
found, made from the seed and root respectively, two ounces to the pint.

Under the Ethers : The Edinburgh formula for sweet spirit of nitre is
adopted ; sulphuric ether is not recommended for inhalation, nor is any
allusion made to the discovery of Anaesthesia in connection with it, the
preference being given to chloroform, which is described among the Materia
Medica. Under the head " Cataplasma," those of carrots, lobelia, cran-
berries, and poke root are described, the latter made by roasting the recent
roots in hot ashes until soft, and then mashed till of the right consistence. De-
coctions as a class of preparations are abandoned, general directions for
their preparation being given. The class Encmata contains several pecu-
liar to the Eclectics, as Enema Cimicifugce composita Lobelice comp., Xantliox-
yli, &c. The extracts and fluid extracts are quite numerous. Preliminary
directions are given for each variety of extracts. Under watery extracts it
is advised that " the substance be not too finely divided, in order to avoid
the extraction of inert principles." (!) It is also recommended in the
general directions to evaporate aqueous solutions at a low temperature, and
not to stir them, so as to avoid the action of the air upon them ; yet extract
of taraxacum is directed to be constantly agitated during that process!
Want of care in expression is of frequent occurrence : for instance, under
Exiractum Aconiti Alcoholicum, the author says extract Aconite leaves or
Aconite roots with diluted alcohol and evaporate, &c, and then " this is
the only extract of Aconite which should be used query ? that of the
leaves or roots ? Again the formula for extract of colocynth directs three
pounds of colocynth deprived of the seeds tp be macerated in five pints of

EDITORIAL.

389

diluted alcohol, &c, and attributes it to the London Pharm., when that
authority directs water as the menstruum. And of this alcoholic extract
he says the dose is from 5 to 30 grains, whilst at the article Colocynth, at
page 357, he says the dose of that substance or its aqueous extract is from
4 to 10 grains, and of the alcoholic extract 1 to 4 grains ! Among the ex-
tracts described there are many from plants rarely used, except by the
Eclectics, as Baptisia, Caulophyllum, Cypripedium, Hydrastis, Leptandra,
Phytolacca, Ptelea, Scutellaria, &c, which are all hydroalcoholic.

The general directions for preparing fluid extracts are written by William
S. Merrill, and are as follows, viz : For each pound of the substance or
ingredients to be treated, four pints of alcohol, 76 per cent., four ounces of
sugar and a sufficient quantity of water are taken. The substance suita-
bly comrnunited is digested in part of the alcohol for 24 hours at a gentle
heat, then displaced with the rest of the alcohol, reserving four fluid
ounces of the strongest liquid and evaporating the remainder of the tinc-
ture to four fluid ounces. The dregs in the displacer are then exhausted
with hot water, the infusion evaporated to 8 fluid ounces, the sugar dis-
solved in this, and after again evaporating to half a pint, the syrupy liquid
is mixed with the reserved tinctures.

This is a good general direction for ordinary operations. Among the

peculiar fluid extracts is the following by Mr. Merrill of Cincinnati.

" Extractum Rhei et Potassje Fluidum. Fluid Neutralizing Extract.
Preparation. Take of India Rhubarb and Bicarbonate of Potassa, of each two
pounds Av. ; Cinnamon and Golden Seal, [Hydrastis] of each one pound; Good
French Brandy, one gallon ; Oil of Peppermint, one fluidrachm ; Refined Sugar,
three pounds. Water a sufficient quantity. Grind or coarsely bruise the
Rhubarb, Cassia and Golden Seal and mix them, macerate for 24 hours or
longer in the brandy, express the tincture with strong pressure, and add to it
the oil of peppermint dissolved in a little alcohol. Break up the residue from
the press, place it in a percolator and gradually add warm water until the
strength of the articles is exhausted. Evaporate this solution to four pints,
and while the liquor is still hot dissolve in it the Bicarbonate of Potassa and
Refined Sugar, and continue the evaporation, if necessary, until, when added to
the tincture first obtained, it will make one gallon and a half of fluid extract."

This preparation is used as an aperient antacid, like the compound pow-
der of rhubarb. The preparations of iron are mostly described, and among
them Dr. Sanders' Ferri et Salicinece tartras and Ferri et Morphiae tartras
— two very indefinite compounds — will be found. Under the head " Lac-
tinated Preparations," there is a class of powders consisting of active
medicines diluted with lactin. Under the several heads of Linimenta,
Liquores, Lotiones and Mistura, numerous Eclectic preparations are brought
forward, many of them well adapted for the purposes intended, and
eligibly compounded, and some very peculiar ; among these we may enu-
merate the following ;

"Linimentum Caoutchouci. Caoutchouc Liniment. Preparation. — Take
of Caoutchouc, in fine pieces, a convenient quantity, Oil of Origanum, a
sufficient quantity. Dissolve the caoutchouc in the oil. Paper saturated
with this liniment is applied as a stimulant.

390

EDITORIAL.

Linimentum Succini compositum. Preparation. — Take of oil of Stillingise
(an alcoholic oleo-resinous extract), rectified oil of Amber, each a fluid
ounce. Oil of Lobelia (ethereal extract) three fluid drachms ; olive oil two
fluid ounces. Mix together."

This preparation is used in " chronic asthma, croup, cholera, epilepsy,
sciatica," and other spasmodic affections, and is said to act efficiently.

"Lotio Hydrastis composita. Preparation. — Take of strong decoctions
of Green Tea, and Golden Seal, [Hydrastis] each one pint; Sulphate of Zinc,
Gunpowder, dried Sulphate of Iron, each two drachms. Mix the two
decoctions, add the remainder of the articles and agitate briskly. After
solution and decomposition have ceased, decant the supernatant liquid ."

Used "as a collyrium in chronic ophthalmic diseases/' and " in all
chronic diseases of mucous surfaces."

"Mistura Chenopodii composita. Preparation. — Take of Castor oil, one
fluid ounce; Wormseed oil, Anise oil and Tincture of Myrrh, of each
a fluidrachm. Mix. This is pronounced to be an excellent vermifuge,
resembling Fahnestock's, which the author says is said to be composed of
"Castor oil, one fluid ounce; oil of Wormseed, one fluid ounce; oil of
Anise, half a fluid ounce ; Tincture of Myrrh, half a fluidrachm ; oil of
Turpentine, 10 minims; Croton oil, one minim. Mix. Dose a teaspoonful
for an adult every 2 hours, to be continued for ten or twelve hours."

As a result of ignoring the U. S. Pharmacopoeia, the author has supplant-
ed the beautiful officinal process of Dr. Staples, for Morphia, by that of the
Dublin Pharmacopoeia, after Gregory and Robertson.

The chapters on pills, powders and syrups, embrace many compounds
peculiar to the Eclectics. Among the syrups, that for Wild Cherry Bark
is made by digesting 5 oz. of the coarsely powdered bark (contained in a
muslin bag) in Oj. of hot simple syrup, for twenty-four hours, when it is
expressed and strained.

The chapters on quinia, soda and strychnia are sufficiently full. Among
the preparations of quinia are Tartrate of Quinia and Tartrate of Quinia
and Salicin. (H At page 200, our author admits Salicin to be, as it un-
doubtedly is, a neutral principle — as well might we call Syrup of Citrate
of Iron a solution of Ferri et Sacchari Citras.

In the general remarks on Tinctures, the author, at page 1292, ventures
the opinion that " If all tinctures were prepared and dispensed, not ac-
cording to the amount of drug exhausted in them, but according to the
sp. grav. of the solvent employed in making them, and the density of the
resulting tinctures, there would be more uniformity of strength among
this class of preparations than at present, and by means of a hydrometer
every druggist could keep his tinctures of the officinal strength." To
prove how erroneous this conclusion is, it is only necessary to remind Dr.
King that the medical value of drugs, as opium, barks podophyllum, etc.,
depends on the per centage of their active principles, and that many of

EDITORIAL*

391

these bear no uniform proportion to the amount of matter soluble in the
diluted alcohol that they contain.

The ointments and wines embrace nothing on which to remark.

Part 3d of the Dispensatory is chiefly occupied with " obsolescent or ob-
jectionable medicines," which include "those minerals which have for many
years past been the principal medicinal agents used by medical men, but
which, inconsequence of the great uncertainty of their action, and the per-
manently deleterious effects they produce in the system, are going rapidly
out of use, being at the present day employed by very few of the liberal and
investigating members of the profession." Under this plausible heading
Dr. King proceeds to describe the chemical and medical properties of the
compounds of antimony, silver, arsenic, barium, cadmium, copper, mercury,
nickel, platinum, lead and zinc, thus placing the forbidden fruit within
reach of his Eclectic brethren, to tempt them to sin. He should have re-
collected the words of the poet : —

"Vice is a monster of such hideous mem,
That to be hated needs but to be seen ;
But seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace."

If the progress made by the Eclectics, in the adoption of mineral prepara-
tions in their practice, is as rapid for the future as it has been during the
past, we shall not be astonished to find that some Eclectic savan will dis-
cover the means of depriving those terrible bugbears, "mercury, antimony
and arsenic," of their medicinal danger, and adopt them into practice as
safe and eligible.

We must not, before concluding, forget to concede to the publishers due
credit for the neat and substantial manner in which the work is printed
and bound.

The Microscopisfs Companion ; a popular Manual of Practical Microscopy.
Designed for those engaged in microscopic investigation, schools, semi-
naries, colleges, etc., and comprising selections from the best writers on
the microscope, relative to its use, mode of management, preservation of
objects, etc., to which is added a Glossary of the principal terms used in
microscopical science. By John King, M. D. Illustrated with 114 cuts.
Cincinnati, Robert Clarke & Co., 1859. 308 pp. octavo.
In these days, when even children are supplied with microscopes to in-
dulge curiosity, it is not surprising that the more advanced should feel an
interest in getting a glance at that interesting portion of existence, which
the structure of our eyes preclude us from recognizing unaided by the
lens. To meet this interest, for several years past the manufacture of
microscopes has been greatly extended, and they may now be had of all
qualities to suit every variety of demand. These instruments are often
much less valuable to amateur students, from a want of understanding the
principles involved in their construction and mode of action ; and of knowing
how to use them and keep them in order. The " Microscopisfs Com-

392

DEATH OF HUMBOLDT.

panion" is just the work to give this information to the beginner, whilst it
also embraces a description of all the higher grades of microscopes,
well illustrated by figures, and enters into those minutiae of mani-
pulatians practised by the best microscopists in physiological and chemical
research. There are chapters on the mounting and preservation of objects,
the manner of conducting investigations into the nature of organic structure,
living and dead, and into the characters of urinary and vesicular deposits,
so important to the physician. The Glossary appended to the book will be
found useful in understanding micrographical papers, and descriptions of
instruments. On the whole, we believe the work to be a compilation of
much that is valuable to amateurs and students from the best writers on
the subject, besides much practical information in reference to the pur-
chase of instruments, their prices, and the names of those manufacturers
in this country and Europe, noted for the good quality of their workman-
ship.

What may be learned from a Tree. By Harland Coultas, Author of
" Organic Life the same in Animals as in Plants," etc.
We are indebted to the author for sending us some time ago, parts first
and second of this work, and we have just now received part third. The
former were read with considerable interest, and as soon as opportunity
offers, we hope to derive pleasure and instruction from following the author
through chapter vii., in which he brings forward some new views in regard
to the developement of leaves, and chapter viii. a sketch of the geological
records of primsBval botany. Mr. Coultas certainly has the true enthu-
siasm of a student of nature, and after setting forth the numerous beauties,
harmonies and adaptabilities of vegetable life as exhibited in the tree, he
uses them in illustration of his views of political and social economy — aim-
ing to benefit as well as interest his readers. We hope the author will
receive substantial encouragement to continue his work to completion. It
is issued, for convenience, in a serial form, at twenty-five cents the num-
ber of 48 pages. For sale by John Alexander, 52 South Fourth Street,
Philadelphia.

DEATH OF HUMBOLDT.

The recent notices of the gradual decline of this illustrious European phil-
osopher have prepared the public for the intelligence of his decease, which is
announced as having taken place in Berlin on the 6th of May. Had he lived
but a few days more than four months longer he would have completed the
ninetieth year of his age. His fame belonged not only to Europe, but to the
world, and in this country especially, probably no man who was known to us
only through the medium of his scientific writings was held in equal reverence
and admiration. The simple record of his life forms the noblest monument to
his memory. We need only gather up the successive facts in his career to
show that the " man of the century " has been taken from the world.

Freidrich Heinrich Alexander von Humboldt was born in Berlin, Sept. 14,
1769. His father, who was a man of military and civil distinction in Prussia,
died when his son was but ten years old, but the latter still enjoyed the advan-

DEATH OF HUMBOLDT.

398

tage of a singularly careful education. He studied at Frankfort-on-the-Oder,
at Berlin, and at Gottingen, devoting himself chiefly to the natural sciences, to
the Greek language, and to the application of science to the practical arts.
Among his early instructors in the former were Blumenbach, Beckmann, and
Lichtenberg. His university studies were varied by excursions to the Hartz,
Mountains, and to the vicinity of the Rhine, which occasioned the first-fruits
of his literary labors, in a work entitled, "The Basalt on the Rhine" (1790).

In the Spring and Summer of that year, accompanied by one or two conge-
nial friends, he made a tour through Belgium, Holland, England, and France.
The acquaintance of Sir Joseph Banks, and the enthusiasm of one his companions,
who had made a voyage to the South Sea, awakened the desire for visiting
tropical regions, and gave a coloring to his future life. On his return from En-
gland, he passed some time at a commercial academy in Hamburg, with a view
of engaging in the pursuits of trade. But his inclinations strongly tended to
the cultivation of physical science, and in 1791, he repaired to the School of
Mines at Freiberg, where he received private lessons from the celebrated
Werner, and enjoyed the friendship of Leopold von Buch, Freiesleben, and Del
Rio. His researches in this locality led to the preparation of a treatise on the
fossil botany of Freiberg, which was published a year or two - later (1793.) A.
larger work on the physiology of the nerves and muscles (1797-99) attests the
predominant tendency of his mind.

The death of his mother in 1796 removed one of the obstacles to his cherished
purpose of a grand scientific expedition to the tropics. After pursuing an ex-
tensive course of study in the application of astronomy to geography, and
engaging in meteorological observations with Von Buch, he went to Paris,
where he first made the acquaintance of Bonpland, with whom he passed the
Winter of 1798 in Madrid. This was, in fact, the turning point of his life.
Such a favorable impression did he make on the Spanish authorities, that he
received permission to visit at pleasure any of the Spanish possessions in
America or the Indian Ocean, with a guaranty of the free use of his astronomi-
cal instruments, and of no restraint in the collection of specimens in natural
science.

In June, 1799, he embarked, in company with Bonpland, for South America,
and arrived at Cumana in the middle of July. The next eighteen months were
spent in an exploring tour through Venezuela ; and in February they left the
sea-coast for the south, with a view of reaching the river Apure and the Orinoco.
They passed over the cataracts of Atures and Maypures in Indian canoes to
Fort San Carlos on Rio Negro, about two degrees from the equator, and after
a weary journey through the wilderness, returned to the Orinoco, of which
they made the first exact scientific observation. From Cumana, at which they
arrived in safety after their perilous excursion, they sailed to Havana, where
they remained several months. They next went to Bogota, the vicinity of
which they carefully explored, and in September, 1801, continued their journey
to the South, arriving in Quito, Jan. 6, 1802. Here they remained until the
following June, pursuing their researches in the volcanic region, and ascending
to heights which had never before been trodden by the foot of man. On June
23, 1802, they reach a height of 19,230 feet on the Chimborazo, which was
more than 3,000 feet higher than the point attained by La Condamine in 1738.
Here they planted their instruments upon a narrow ledge of rock which pro-
jected from the vast field of unfathomed snow. A broad impassable chasm
prevented their further advance ; they were enveloped in thick fogs, and in an
atmosphere of the most piercing cold ; they breathed with difficulty, and blood
burst from their eyes and lips. Only once has this elevation on the Chimborazo
been surpassed, when Boussingault, in 1831, attained a summit of 19,600 feet,
by a different path from that chosen by Humboldt.

Crossing the passes of the Andes, the travellers pursued their way to the
upper valley of the Amazon, and made a thorough exploration of that portion
of Peru. In December, they sailed from Gallo to Guayaquil, and after a second
tedious voyage, arrived at Acapulco, March 23, 1803. Thence, they proceeded

394 DEATH OF HUMBOLDT.

to Mexico, where they remained for several months, pursuing their researches
in the volcanic regions, and making rich and valuable collections in natural
history. In March, 1804, after exploring numerous localities on the Mexican
coast, Humboldt sailed to Havana, where he remained for two months, gather-
ing and arranging the materials for his "Political Essay on Cuba" (Paris,
1826). He next directed his attention to the United States, and accompanied
by Bonpland, visited Philadelphia and Washington, where he was treated with
distinguished attention by President Jefferson, and after a brief sojourn, sailed
for Bordeaux in July, 1804.

He now took up his temporary abode in Paris, where, in connection with
Gay-Lussac, he devoted himself to chemical researches, chiefly on the compo-
sition of the atmosphere, until the following March. After a journey to Italy,
he returned to Berlin in December, 1805. In 1807 he accompanied Prince
William of Prussia on a political mission to France, and with a view to the
publication of his works, made Paris his residence until 1827. The first por-
tion of his great work, " Voyage to the Equinoctial Regions of the New Conti-
nent," was published in Paris in 1809. In the Winter of 1827 he delivered a
course of lectures in Berlin on the " Cosmos," which were the foundation of
his celebrated work of that name.

In 1829, Humboldt was commissioned by the Emperor Nicholas to make an
expedition to the Altai and Ural Mountains, with a view to examining the
mineral treasures of those regions. The tour extended through Moscow, Kasan,
Tobolsk, and Barnaul to the Chinese frontier. He was accompanied by his two
friends, Ehrenberg and Gustav Rose. The journey, which occupied nine months,
is described in " Central Asia " (Paris, 1843). This journey furnished the
most valuable contributions to the science of physical geography. New light
was thrown on the volcanic agencies in Central Asia : many important facts
were set forth on the soil, climate, and connection of the mountain chains ;
and owing to the interest which it awakened, a regular system of observations
was established by the Imperial Academy of St. Petersburg, throughout the
Russian Empire, for the purpose of noting the changes in meteorolgical phe-
nomena.

The political movements of 1830 gave the activity of Humboldt a political
direction to a certain extent, but without diverting his attention from the pur-
suits of science. In May, he attended the Crown Prince of Prussia to the last
Diet of Warsaw, and soon after was with the King at Teplitz ; and on the ac-
cession of Louis Philippe, was commissioned by Frederic William III. to ac-
knowledge the new dynasty at Paris, and to forward political intelligence from
that capital to Berlin. He received many similar commissions within the
course of the next twelve years, which required him to spend a considerable
portion of his time in Paris.

Since 1842, Humboldt has resided at Berlin, engaged in the preparation of
u Cosmos," which sums up the observations of a long life on what may be
termed the " Harmonies of the Universe," receiving visits from strangers of
every nation, who were attracted by his scientific fame, carrying on an exten-
sive correspondence with men of learning in various departments of research,
and cherishing the curiosity of youth with regard to every new discovery and
phenomenon in the realms of nature.

Humboldt was remarkable for combining the fruits of his own observations
with the exhibition of whatever had been accomplished by other investigators
in the field of physical inquiry. In this comprehensive department he was
equally eminent as an explorer and a historian. As he detected every pheno-
menon with wonderful sagacity, so he recorded every discovery with unparal-
leled fidelity. This is not the place to give an account of his contributions to
science. His positive additions to the treasures of human knowledge would
fill many volumes. But what will ever distinguish Humboldt from the mass of
physical inquirers who had preceded him, is his study of the universe as a har-
monious whole, and his search for the laws of order, beauty, and majesty be-
neath the apparent confusion and contradictions of isolated appearances. — AT. Y.
Tribune.

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY,

SEPTEMBER, 1859.

PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.
By Ferd. F. Mayer, of New York.

For some time back a preparation has been introduced to the
attention of physicians, professedly for the cure of epilepsy, un-
der the title, " Hydrocyanate of Iron," as it appears an alias for
the officinal Ferri Ferrocyanuretum or Prussian Blue, which,
after the precedence of Dr. Kirchoff, of Ghent, and Dr. Bridges,
of Philadelphia, had become a standard remedy in that dread
disease many years ago. Since an impression has gained ground,
and been upheld by diverse notices in some of the pharmaceuti-
cal and medical papers, that the hydrocyanate of iron in ques-
tion is a new and altogether distinct, as well as a pure chemical
compound, in short, the long sought for proto-cyanide of iron,
it may not be amiss to place the matter in its true light by an
analysis of the article sold under that name at a high price,
partly, very probably, because its supposed mode of preparation
is somewhat more expensive than that of the officinal ferrocyanuret
of iron.

The name of hydrocyanate of iron, Ferrum Hydrocyanicum,
although an unchemical one, has been for many years a synonym
for Prussian Blue ; and whatever might be the impression of a
chemist as to the probable nature of such a compound, any
pharmaceutist would unhesitatingly dispense the officinal Prus-
sian Blue, unless the practitioner insisted upon its being a dif-
ferent preparation.

An ounce-bottle of the substance in question, labelled « Hy-
drocyanate of Iron — Dose : \ grain twice a day — Tilden & Co.,
New York," was handed to me for examination, with the request
to find out, if possible, the formula for it, as it was the compound

23

396

PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.

spoken of in a number of the Journals under the title of Dr.
McGuigan's Hydrocyanate of Iron.

It is a dark blue powder, of a very dull tinge, somewhat grit-
ty, and air-dry. It dissolves in cold or hot water, leaving be-
hind but a trace of what appears to be dust. Hydrochloric acid
dissolves out some perchloride iron, which on dilution produces
a finer blue. Caustic Potassa precipitates hydrated peroxide
©f iron, the decolorized, or rather yellow solution containing now
ferrocyanide of potassium. On calcining the substance at a low
heat it gives off a somewhat empyreumatic odor, and is gradual-
ly converted into a deep reddish brown powder, which on being
washed with water yields up a considerable proportion of cyanide
of potassium, or when the heat applied has been too high, princi-
pally carbonate of potassa. The red powder, if properly oxi-
dized by exposure to the air while hot, dissolves completely in
strong hydrochloric acid ; it sometimes leaves behind a black
powder, which dissolves in nitro-muriatic acid, and proves to be
carburet of iron.

The quantitative assay (in which I employed altogether the
graduated solution of Dr. Mohr, Fresenius, and Neubauer, as
particularly adapted to this kind of compounds) gave the follow-
ing results :

I. One gramme of the powder, rubbed fine, placed in a flask
and dissolved in water, then decomposed by caustic potash, boil-
ed up and filtered. This operation was repeated three times in
succession with one gramme each. The filtrate, acidulated and
measured with permanganate of potassa, showed ;

=0 0942 gramme = 9 -42 p. c. of Fe=
= 01211 " =12-11 p. c. ofFeO=
=0-1816 " =18-16p.e.ofFeCy=

=0-7102 " =71-02 p. c. of FeCy+2KCy-f3HO (yellow prus

siate.)

=0 3633 " =36.33 p. c. of FeCy+2HCy (ferrocyanic acid.)

II. The hydrated peroxide of iron obtained under I. collect-
ed on the filter, well washed with water and dissolved in hydro-
chloric acid, showed :

01417 gramme =1417 p. c. of Fe=
=0-2024 " =20.24 p. c. of Fe203=

PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.

397

III. One gramme of the substance was calcined until con-
verted into a uniform brownish red powder, placed on a filter
and completely exhausted with water, the filtrate evaporated to
dryness, neutralized with hydrochloric acid, calcined, and the
chloride of potassium thus obtained measured with a graduated
solution of nitrate of silver. The three experiments made in
this manner gave :

0-0895 gramme = 8-95 p. c. of KCI =
= 0 0469 " = 4-69 p.c. of K =
= 0-1266 " =12-66 p.c. of FeCy+2KCy+3Ag=
= 0 0324 " = 3-24 p. c. of FeCy=
=0 0648 " =6-48 p.c. of FeCy-f 2HCy
The analysis then stands :

0 2024 grarame= 20 24 p. c. of Fe203, (peroxide of iron.)

0-2984 " = 29-84 p. c. of FeCy+2HCy (ferroejanic acid.)

0-1266 " =12-66 p. c. of FeCy+2KCy-f 3HO (ferrocyanide
of potassium.)

0-3726 " =37-26 p. c. of water, partly free, and in part held
in combination.

1 0000 100 00

This substance is therefore a mixture of ferrocyanuret and
peroxide of iron, with ferrocyanide of potassium. From its color,
which is very unsightly compared with that of common Soluble
Blue, I concluded that it was not the precipitate formed by yellow
prussiate in a protosalt of iron, but the preparation mentioned in
vol. 26 (1854), page 504, of the American Journal of Pharmacy,
and prepared somewhat in accordance with the formula there
suggested by the Editor of this Journal.

Gmelin states : " On mixing a solution of cyanide of pot-
assium with one of a ferrous salt, a light reddish brown precipitate
is formed, partly soluble in acids, the composition of which has
not yet been determined. This is probably the true proto-
cyanide of iron, FeCy."

That this precipitate be free from potassa is, to say the
least, very doubtful. It is well established that the alkaline
cyanides immediately on being brought into contact with
salts of iron, form alkaline ferrocyanides? or hydrocyanates

398 PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.

of the protoxide of iron and potassa (or soda), which at
once seize upon whatever oxide of iron is present to form the
soluble combinations of ferrocyanide of potassium (or sodium)
and of iron, similar to the white precipitate brought on by prus-
siate of potassa in solutions of protosalts of iron. The manu-
facture of prussiate of potassa is partly founded on this very
reaction.

This reddish precipitate must be considered as a combination
of the white precipitate mentioned and cyanide of potassium,
which, on digestion, gradually passes into yellow prussiate,
ferrocyanide of potassium. The color can be no objection,
when it is considered that ferrocyanide of potassium, though
consisting of two supposed-to-be colorless salts, has a more or
less rich yellow color.

An experiment to illustrate this formation of prussiate of
potassa is easily made, even with the common fused cyanide of
potassium, (which, besides a varying proportion of cyanide, con-
tains hydrate, carbonate, cyanate and formiate of potassa). By
adding a large excess of this salt to a solution of a ferrous salt,
protosulphate of iron for instance, a reddish brown precipitate
is formed, which turns rapidly dark, but dissolves on heating,
with the exception of a trace of peroxide of iron, and this solu-
tion forms Prussian Blue with perchloride of iron.

On repeating the experiment with a strong alcoholic solution
of the cyanide, pouring off most of the supernatant liquid and
replacing it by fresh spirits, it will be found that as soon as the
dark precipitate has somewhat settled, yellowish white flakes
appear suspended in the liquid, which prove to be ferrocyanide
of potassium, and in the course of a few days the whole precipi-
tate left to itself under alcohol will be found to be converted
into that salt.

When the excess of cyanide of potassium has not been so
large, the ferrocyanide of iron and potassium can, of course, not
all be converted into yellow prussiate, and this is especially the
case when the common cyanide of potassium has been used,
which, in contact with a salt of iron, forms also a certain
amount of hydrated or carbonated oxide. Still, all cyanide of
potassium forms a proportional quantity of ferrocyanide, which
partly forms a more or less colored Prussian Blue, partly re-
mains, combined with the precipitate, and causes its solubility.

PRUSSIAN BLUB, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.

399

It is of no avail to wash the precipitate with water, nor can
washing with alcohol produce a pure cyanide of iron, since the
prussiate of potassa contained in the precipitate is altogether
insoluble in spirits.

If the cyanide of potassium used was pure, the precipitate
formed by an excess of it dissolves completely in the liquid.
Obtained from the common cyanide, it is mixed with more or
less hydrated protoxide of iron, which does not at once combine
or dissolve with the excess of cyanide or ferrocyanide already
formed, but does so when it has been converted into peroxide
by exposure, in which condition it combines with the alkaline
ferrocyanide to form soluble Blue ; and this is the substance ex-
amined.

Neither the proto- nor the per-cyanide of iron have ever been
obtained in a pure form. The compound FeCy, 2HCy, ferro-
eyanic acid, the theoretical acid of the yellow prussiates, is a
whitish, generally slightly yellow or blue, powder, which bears
heating to 212° F., a little above that point gives off hydro-
cyanic acid and water, leaving a grayish yellow substance, of
what composition is not exactly known, which, at a slightly
elevated temperature, changes to a black powder, which consists
of 12 equivalents of iron, 20 of carbon, and 5 of nitrogen. A
solution of this acid on boiling precipitates a white substance,
which Berzelius supposes to be a protocyanide of iron, though
it could not be determined whether it contained water or not, as
it changes instantly, in contact with the air. The substance
obtained by heating ferrocyanide of ammonium is probably
purer than that had from ferrocyanic acid, but, like the. former,
not constant enough to allow of being analysed. The circum-
stance that these substances, on being heated with hydrochloric
acid, give off hydrocyanic acid, speaks for the presence of
the elements of water in them. Chemically pure Prussian Blue
suspended in water, and thus treated with sulphuretted hydro-
gen, furnishes a white product, which undoubtedly contains
protocyanide of iron ; but mixed with a quantity of sulphur
equivalent to the peroxide of iron reduced by the hydrogen. I
say peroxide of iron, for whatever symbols may be used for
convenience' sake, all the mixtures comprised under the name of
Prussian Blues contain water chemically combined, and always
enough to constitute hydrocyanates of protoxide and of per-

400

PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON.

oxide of iron. Thus, chemically pure Prussian Blue contains
the elements of twelve equivalents of water, and it is to the
latter that it owes its color? since it loses it, when heated, besides
the cyanogen contained being either lost or dissolved in its ele-
ments.

In order to find out whether the ferrocyanide of potassium
present in the so-called hydrocyanate was retained merely as a
mechanical admixture, caused by the use of alcohol in washing
it, I subjected to examination two fine specimens of the officinal
Prussian blue, the one (I.) from our leading chemical manufac-
turers, the other (II.) from a prominent German pharmaceutist
of this city.

I. is a powder of a beautiful lazur-color, perfectly insoluble in
pure water, and as completely soluble in prussiate of potassa.

II. is in lumps, rather heavier than I., with the characteristic
bronze fracture belonging to pure, or well prepared, Blue ; in
its qualitative reactions identical with I.

I.

Iron 33-2 p. c. of which 32-40

as FeCy 14-80
as Fe2Q3

18-41

Cyanogen

4-24 in the prussiate.
Potassium

47-20 p. c. of which
4-30 p. c.

II.

p. c. of which
as FeCy 13-35

34-26

as Fe203
p. c.

19-05

2-93 p. c.

Taking as above the FeCy as ferrocyanic acid, we have

I.

Peroxide of Iron 26-30 p. c.
Ferrocyanic Acid 51-49 p. c.
Ferrocyanide of Potas-
sium 11-48 p. c.
Water 10 73 p. c.

100-00
which carried out gives
I.

With Prus-
siate of Pot.

Iron 31-68
Carbon

II.

27-21 p. c.
47-44 p. c.

7-90 p. c.
17-45 p. c.

Nitrogen
Water

Prussiate of Potassium
(anhydrous)

19-83
23-13
15-34

1002

Without
Pr. of Pot.

35-21
22-04
25-70
1705

10000 10000

100-00

With Prus.
of Pot.

32-40
15-81
18-45
26-46

100-00

II.

Without
Pr. of Pot.

3479
16-97
19-81
28-93

100-00

PRUSSIAN BLUE, OR HYDROCYANATE OF IRON. 401

It will thus be seen that, although these two samples of fer-
rocyanuret of iron contain, the one 11 J, the other 8 p. c. of
ferrocyanide of potassium (cryst.), they are insoluble in water,
but become so on adding some prussiate to them. It is, there-
fore, not merely the presence of the potassium salt which causes
the solubility, but it is required to be in mechanical admixture
to render Prussian Blue soluble. This is precisely the case with
the hydrocyanate examined, from which it has not been removed
by water, and the amount of prussiate is sufficient to hold this
basic ferrocyanide of sesquioxide of iron in solution. The
smallness of the dose explains itself by the ready solubility of
the substance.

[Note. — It may be well to append a few words to Mr. Mayer's paper,
explanatory of our connection with what has been called " Dr. McGuigan's
Hydrocyanate of Iron. Some time previous to November, 1854, Dr.
McGuigan, of Keokuk, Iowa, wrote to us in relation to " Hydrocyanate of
Iron," which he was desirous of procuring for use in Epilepsy, for which
disease he had seen it strongly recommended, at the same time intimating
that the article wanted was not Prussian Blue. In reply we wrote to him,
that strictly speaking, no such preparation had yet been made, but that
the nearest approach to it that we could offer, was the precipitate formed
by cyanide of potassium, in a proto-salt of iron, freed from water by
aid of alcohol, but that in the process of drying it became altered. Such
as it was, it was sent to him, and afterwards noticed at page 504 of
this Journal for 1854, with the details. Dr. McGuigan afterwards wrote
stating that he had derived good results from the use of the powder sent
to him. He afterwards, we believe, induced Tilden & Co. to prepare the
preparation for him and others. Our own view of the matter is, that the
substance originally intended by M. Roux and others, as mentioned by
C. Bernard, is pure Prussian Blue, (see Journal de Pharmacie, May, 1853,
page 388) because it is there spoken of as Cyanuret of Iron and Hydro-
cyanate of Iron, both of which names are synonyms of Prussian Blue, in
France. In the last paragraph it is remarked, " Let us add that Cyanuret
of Iron, nearly abandoned in France, is in Germany and the United States
considered as an excellent succedaneum to Cinchona, and that it has been
much employed as an anti-spasmodic, especially in chorea, hysteria and
Epilepsy." Whether the association of Ferrocyanide of Potassium with
Prussian Blue, as shown by the analysis of Mr. Mayer, adds to its power
by giving it solubility, we are not able to determine, but it is probable
that it may be true. — Editor Amer. Jour. Pharmacy.]

402 THERAPEUTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PROTEIN.

SALTPETRE IN HYOSCYAMUS.
By F. Mahla, M. D.

During the preparation of the alcoholic extract of Hyoscya.
mus niger, according to the directions of the U. S. Dispensatory,
I observed, after the obtained tinctures were evaporated to about
Jth, the formation of copious crystalline masses. I separated a
portion, and after purifying them by repeated crystallizations, I
obtained large transparent crystals. These crystals were subject-
ed to analysis, and proved to be nitrate of potassa. I cannot
state in what quantitative proportions saltpetre is obtained in the
leaves, but think if I had separated it carefully I would have
obtained from 50 lbs. of leaves at least 1 lb. of the dry salt.

Chicago, June 21, 1859.

THERAPEUTICAL APPLICATIONS OF PROTEIN.
By J. C. Hupp, M. D.

[Note. — We have received the following note, with the copy of the one that
elicited it, from Mr. Booking, of Wheeling, Virginia, in reference to Protein. It
appears that certain correspondents of that gentleman, desirous of knowing to
what uses Protein was applied, had written to him for information, which he
obtained by application to the prescriber. — Editor Am. Jour. Pharm.~\

Wheeling, Va., July 20th, 1859.

E. Booking, Pharmaceutist':

Dear Sir : In answer to yours of 14th inst., I cheerfully com-
municate the "uses" to which I have applied the Protein,
which you have been ordering for me. As a remedial agent, I
have used it with results the most satisfactory. Two causes
prevented me from using it more generally than I have done,
namely : the scarcity of supply and the cost of the article. When
I have desired an aid to the assimilative process, I have invari-
ably found a reliable adjuvant in Protein. When the nutritive
system was at fault, I have not failed to find the appetite rapidly
improve from its use. I have employed it with satisfaction in
various forms of skin diseases, combining in the treatment
alteratives and tonics as indicated. Those inveterate and other-
wise vexatious and annoying skin diseases incident to childhood,
such as eczema and impetigo capitis, I have seen rapidly

REMARKS ON MONSEL'S PERSULPHATE OF IRON. 403

disappear under its use* the child at the same time improving in
health generally, and no untoward symptoms arising on the dis-
appearance of the dermal inflammation. I have used it suspended
in simple syrup on the glycerole of the hypophosphites, giving
to a child under five years of age from 2 to 5 grains thrice daily.
Children take it without disgust or loathing.

I have thus hastily answered your inquiry, and remain,

Yours, respectfully,

J. C. Hupp, M. D.

REMARKS ON MONSEL'S PERSULPHATE OF IRON.
Br William Procter^ Jr.

M. Monsel, whose name attaches to this preparation, is at pre-
sent in the position of Pharmacien Major in the French service.
In 1852, whilst attached to the medical corps of the French army
at Rome, he published, in a letter dated Oct. 13th, of that year,
the fact that persulphate of iron was the most powerful haemos-
tatic among the agents then known, and he has the credit of
having first noticed this property of the salt.

When Pharmacien Aid-major, at the Military Hospital of
Bordeaux, M. Monsel published an essay in the Bulletin de
Theraputique, which M. Soubeiran republished in the Journal de
Pharmacie et de Chimie, page 208, Sept. 1857, with a note of
approval. The following is Monsel's process and comments as
there detailed : —

" Take of distilled water 100 grammes,

Sulphuric acid (60° B.) 10 grammes. /

Heat the mixture to ebullition in a porcelain capsule capable
of holding a pint, and add : —

Protosulphate of iron, 50 grammes,

After the solution is completed, throw into the boiling liquid,
little by little :—

Nitric acid (35° B.) 16 grammes.

When the violent evolution of red vapors has ceased, add in
portions : —

Protosulphate of iron, pulverised, 50 grammes.
The solution of this new portion of sulphate of iron disen-
gages more red vapors. Lastly the volume is completed to 100

404 REMARKS ON MONSEl/S PERSULPHATE OP IRON.

fluid grammes, by the addition of q. s. distilled water ; allow it
to cool and filter.

" The clear solution marks 45° of Baume"s pese*-sels. It has a
very deep red brown color, is inodorous, and is extremely astring-
ent to the taste without causticity. When largely diluted with
water it separates after many hours into a soluble acid sulphate
and an insoluble subsulphate. It concentrates by evaporation
to the consistence of honey, and if then spread on plates of glass
it may be dried at a temperature above 95° Fahr., and obtained
in brilliant red scales like citrate of iron. These scales retain
25 per cent of water, dissolve easily in a small quantity of water
without decomposition and reproduce the original solution.
When evaporated with less care to dryness, a greenish yellow
anhydrous salt is obtained, soluble slowly in cold water, requiring
48 hours to reproduce the original solution, and immediately in
boiling water except a slight yellow residue.

" The salt in scales is soluble in alcohol without decomposition.
The solution at 45° B. is susceptible of dissolving hydrated
sesquioxide of iron by digestion, but it cannot be evaporated
vnthout decomposition. When sulphuric acid is dropped into
the solution it is decolorized, and an excess of acid gives a solid
compound, white as plaster.

" Particular attention is directed to the manner in which it
comports itself with the albumen of eggs and with blood ; some
drops produce a very voluminous and very consistent clot, ab-
solutely insoluble, which continues to swell and harden for many
hours. The new sulphate contains 2| equivalents of sulphuric
acid to one equivalent of sesquioxide of iron, and it is certainly
preferable to the sulphate of the peroxide described by Sou-
beiran, which is very caustic and contains a great excess of nitric
acid."

M. Soubeiran remarks in his note at page 210, "I have re-
peated the experience of M. Monsel ; it is perfectly success-
ful, and his process will be accepted always for procuring a
solution of the ferric sulphate. The salt dried in a stove is so
deliquescent as not to bemanagable, and if it is intended to pre-
serve it in a dry state, it is necessary to have recourse to greater
heat which renders the product like that by the old method."
In a more recent paper, (Jour, de Pharmacie et de Chimie,)

REMARKS ON MONSEl/S PERSULPHATE OP IRON. 405

July, 1859, page 35), M. Monsel, after recapitulating his pro-
cess, noted above, suggests that the quantity there produced
should be shaken with a few grammes of linseed oil at intervals
during 12 hours, to completely remove all traces of nitric odor,
and which tends to preserve it.

From the experiments made at the Val de Grace at the re-
quest of the Council of Health by M. Poggiale, on dogs and
rabbits placed in the same condition, it resulted that the sul-
phate of the peroxide of iron is a hemostatic as powerful as
the perchloride of iron, and that in two cases a prompt cure
was obtained, although the wounds were very serious and large
vessels had been severed.

The following is the formula for Monsel's solution rendered in
officinal weights and measures : —

Take of Distilled water, three fluid ounces,

Sulphuric acid two drachms and a half (Troy.)
Protosulphate of iron, twenty-five drachms (Troy).
Nitric acid 35°B. four drachms (Troy.)

Add the sulphuric acid to the water in a porcelain capsule and
heat it to boiling ; powder the sulphate of iron, and add one half
of it to the acidulated water; when dissolved, pour in the nitric
acid little by little. When the red fumes cease to be developed,
add the remainder of the sulphate of iron, and stir with a glass
rod till dissolved, and the effervescence ceases. Continue the
heat until the solution, which at first is dark colored, has be-
come reddish-brown, and measures three fluid ounces and three
fluid drachms. The nitric acid must not exceed 35° B.

The specific gravity of this solution is 1522. When it is
carefully evaporated in a capsule, removing the pellicle which
forms on the surface from time to time, it gets exceedingly
tough like an extract, and when dried on glass in transparent
laminse, it is very difficult to remove it, owing to strong ad-
hesion ; moreover it is so deliquescent that the drying cannot be
well performed in the open air, but requires a stove heat.

In reviewing the process of M. Monsel it would appear that
he employs 100 grammes of water, and 100 grammes of sulphate
of iron, besides the sulphuric acid, and the process does not in-
volve much evaporation, yet at the close the whole is to measure
only just as much as the water originally employed, viz : 100

406

REMARKS ON MONSEl/S PERSULPHATE OF IRON.

fluid grammes. It would seem more appropriate to say, " evapo-
rate until the solution measures 100 fluid grammes," because on
trial the resulting solution measured 130 fluid grammes, and had
to be evaporated nearly one fourth of its bulk to get the pre-
scribed measure. This discrepancy between theory and practice,
has arisen from his lengthening the first part of the process, so that
more waste of water occurs than is needful. It is better that
the application of heat should be continued after the last addition
of sulphate of iron than before, because owing to the tendency
of a solution of sulphate of iron to dissolve and retain deutoxide
of nitrogen, much of this gas remains in the solution giving it
a blackish brown color. The presence of this gas is evidenced
by the escape of red vapors and effervescence when the heat is as
great as 212° or more, without boiling, and its absence is shown
by holding a piece of paper moistened with solution of proto-
sulphate of iron close to the surface of the heated solution, which
should not be colored if no nitrous acid is forming at the surface
from the union of deutoxide of nitrogen with the oxygen of the
air.

M. Monsel appears to lay much importance on the fact that
the proportion of sulphuric acid in his salt is below that neces-
sary to make a regular ter-sulphate of iron. The merit of his
process, if its product is really better adapted for therapeutical
use than the ordinary solution of persulphate of the Pharmaco-
poeia directed in the process for hydrated sesquioxide of iron,
rests in the fact that by using just the quantity of proto-sulphate
that is necessary to decompose all the nitric acid, he insures,
without failure, the absence of that acid from his solution, which
in fact may be viewed as a mixture of the ter-sulphate and bi-
sulphate of sesquioxide of iron. M. Monsel is perhaps wrong,
in attributing the formula 2(Fe203) 5(S03) to his salt which may
be represented by the formula, Fe203,3S03+Fe20,32S03, salts
which are known to exist.

As in the next Pharmacopoeia there is a strong probability that
a solution of sesquisulphate of iron will be made a distinct officinal
preparation with a view to its use in making hydrated sesqui-
oxide of iron, Prussian Blue, etc., it will hardly be necessary to
employ a special formula for producing a solution for haemostatic
purposes, because with the requisite precautions in constructing

ON SOLUBLE CITRATE OF MAGNESIA.

407

the formula it will be easy to get a salt neutral in composition
and free from NO5 which will replace the salt of Monsel in all
respects as a coagulative astringent. At a more convenient
season the writer proposes to return to this subject, and by the
aid of his medical friends have ascertained by adequate trials
the relative efficiency of the regular and of Monsel's sulphate in
surgical practice.

SOLUBLE CITRATE OF MAGNESIA.

It is undoubtedly a desideratum to get a solid Citrate of Mag-
nesia that is soluble in water and may be used when required
in graduated doses. It is well known that Dorvault and others
have published formulae for producing such a preparation.
All seem to unite in the conclusion that it is necessary, in
order to get a soluble citrate, to unite the magnesia with the
citric acid through the agency of its water of crystallization
only, as where the salt is in presence of an excess of water it
appropriates sufficient to make the crystalline tribasic salt with
14 equivalents of water, too insoluble for use.

It is also well known that Solution of Citrate of Magnesia is
often found to be unpleasantly acid, the excess being greater
than is desirable for controlling the magnesian taste. A well
prepared solution leaves nothing to be desired except its in-
eligibility for transportation by travellers, and its liability
change by keeping. It is well, therefore, whilst retaining this ex-
cellent preparation, to aim at perfecting the solid citrate, so that
it will afford a good substitute for the solution for travellers and
others. These remarks have been called forth by the following
letter to the Editor.

Richmond, Indiana, July 18, 1859.
Respected Friend, — My almost forgotten promise to send a
sample of our " Soluble Citrate of Magnesia" was called to mind a
day or two since, and I now send two packages ; they are taken
from a lot made for our regular custom, and differ in no wise
from that always made. We have kept them as long as four
months, in which time the powder appears to cake, but is easily
broken up, when it dissolves as readily as ever, and produces as
full cathartic effect as the fresh. We have made and sold them
for eighteen months or more, and the demand is larger now

408

ON SOLUBLE CITRATE OF MAGNESIA.

than ever. We have made no effort to introduce them into gene-
ral use, beyond our own city, but use from forty to fifty pounds
of citric acid a year, in its preparation, so that we feel that its
use as a reliable cathartic is fairly established. It produces no
sickness or pain in its operation ; is mild, but very thorough
in its action, and is prescribed by all of our regular physicians
who deal with us, and most generally in fully half to three
fourths of the cases requiring cathartics. Its composition is
citric acid three parts and calc. magnesia one part, incorporated
by aid of the water of crystallization only.

In reference to the solubility of strychnine, we have as yet re-
ceived nothing corroborating or disproving our experiments, and
feel anxious to hear from you. We have repeated the experi-
ments with reference to its solubility in absolute and officinal
alcohol, and find them to fully sustain the first. Two grs. pow-
dered cryst. strychnine placed in one ounce absolute alcohol,
and one gr. in one ounce of alcohol of sp. gr. -835, dissolved
very soon, and entirely, so far as the eye is a guide, and we know
of none better. Respectfully,

Plummer & Kelly,
Per J. W* Plummer.

Each package contains four powders, the united weight of
which is a little over an ounce and a half. As received, the pow-
der had caked ; one of them put into a tumbler dissolved in 15
minutes, with the exception of a few grains of magnesia, and af-
forded a perfectly neutral solution. It would, with a little more
of the acid, have made a clear solution and more pleasant to the
taste. They have on trial been found to come up to the opinion
expressed by the manufacturers.

In relation to the answer regarding the solubility of strychnia,
we cheerfully admit our obligation to those gentlemen to give it,
but it has been put off from time to time for a more convenient
opportunity, and is not yet accomplished. A mere repetition of
their trials, would have been attended with little trouble, but
it has been intended to so conduct the experiment as to give
rigid results as to the solubility of that potent alkaloid. They
will therefore give us more time, when the pressure of labor for
the Association is less heavy than at present. — Editor Amjer.

JOURN. PHARM.

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.

409

PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES.
Liquor Ferri Iodidi.

Much has been written on this instable preparation. As we
have had no difficulty with it for the past three years, we would
like to add our mite to the common stock as follows :
R. Iodine .

Iron . 3i.
Sugar . J xx.*

Water . . f.£x.

Mix the iodine with five fluid ounces of water in a flask, add
the iron filings and occasionally agitate the mixture, until the
iodine has entirely combined with the iron (known by the light
green color produced,) filter through paper into a flask contain-
ing the sugar, wash the filter with the remaining five fluid ounces
of water and boil thoroughly for several minutes ; a slight scum
will arise, which remove by draining ; bottle, cork tightly until
cold, then agitate sufficiently to incorporate the water, which
will have condensed in the neck of the bottle, and nothing
further is necessary, as it will keep loosely stopped for an inde-
finite period, the strength is the same as the officinal, and the
increase of sugar does not seem objectionable.

Hydrargyri Iodidi Rubri.
Many who have prepared this article have no doubt noticed
the waste incurred by its adhering to the sides of the vessel
used in precipitating it, and also to the filter ; we have adopted
the plan of having both solutions hot and more concentrated at
the time of precipitation, by which means the iodide is thrown
down somewhat more dense and the " pasty " character
avoided.

*[Note. It is presumed that " Thuja " intends the sugar to be weighed
with avoirdupois weight, ^xx. troy with ^iiss. of the iodide of iron would
hardly be retained in solution in the bulk of f^xx., as we know it would
not be in the absence of the iodide. The anonymous position assumed by
Thuja prevents our consulting him, and suggests the propriety of his drop
ping his " nom de plume." — Ed. Am. Jour. Phar.

410 ON THE SOLUBILITY OF PHOSPHATE OF IRON.

Liquor Arsenici et Hydrargyri Iodidi.
In preparing this, we have sometimes had a red instead of
pale straw-colored product, this we believe arises from free
iodine contaminating the iodide of arsenic ; it can be removed by
boiling in an evaporating dish, but believe not without loss,
owing to the volatility of the arsenic salt.

Vinum JEJrgotce

We have prepared by first treating the ergot in fine powder
with pure ether, until deprived of its fixed oil, and then after the
removal of the absorbed ether, by evaporation, carefully dis-
placing with Madeira wine. The preparation has certainly
more taste, but we have had no evidence that it is therapeu-
tically improved.

Tinctura Myrrhce.
The use of sand in the manufacture of this preparation by
displacement we have found to be entirely unnecessary, as there
is sufficient gum in myrrh to prevent the resin from adhering
and becoming clogged. The operation is also more satisfactorily
conducted.

" Thuja."

SOME FACTS IN RELATION TO THE SOLUBILITY OF PHOS-
PHATE OF IRON.

By John M. Maisch.

Philadelphia, August lOih, 1859.

Editor of Amer. Journ. Pharm. :

Dear Sir, — In Vol. xxix., page 404, you have given a
formula for the preparation of a syrup of pyrophosphate of iron,
in accordance with the recommendation of E. Robiquet, by dis-
solving this ferruginous salt by means of a solution of citrate of
ammonia. I have repeatedly prepared it in the way there indi-
cated, but within a few days I have come to the conclusion that
the preparation of the pyrophosphatic salt is entirely unneces-
sary for the purpose.

If a solution of citrate of sesquioxide of iron is mixed with an
alkali, no precipitation takes place, since the newly formed
double salt is easily soluble in water ; the same behaviour as the
alkalies, has a solution of pyrophosphate of ammonia, and also

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF PHOSPHATE OF IRON. 411

the ordinary phosphate; no precipitate of phosphate of iron
occurs.

A solution of sesquichloride of iron, after being mixed with a
solution of citrate of ammonia, is likewise not precipitated by
the ordinary phosphate of ammonia, or of soda ; but the phos-
phate of potassa produces a precipitate immediately. If, how-
ever, a sufficient quantity of phosphate of ammonia had been
previously added, the further addition of the potassa phosphate
will not disturb the clear solution.

I inferred from these experiments that, not only pyrophos-
phate, but also the other phosphates of iron, will enter into a
permanently clear solution with citrate of ammonia; in accord-
ance with this inference, I prepared some ordinary phosphate of
the sesquioxide of iron, and found it in its recent state entirely
soluble in the ammoniacal citrate. It would appear, therefore,
an easy matter for a physician to give phosphate of iron in so-
lution by simply ordering citrate of iron and phosphate of am-
monia, the solution, no doubt, will contain the citrate and phos-
phate of both bases.

My time being so much occupied, I have not had time to make
any more experiments at present, and the few above related are
not calculated to answer the question, whether or not a soluble
double phosphate of ammonia and sesquioxide of iron may exist,
or whether Robiquet's syrup of pyrophosphate of iron is merely
a solution of an insoluble phosphate in citrate of ammonia.

I remain yours, very respectfully, J. M. Maisch.

[Note. — The employment of citrate of ammonia as a solvent
for pyrophosphate of iron, originated, we believe, with M.
Robiquet, who suggested it as a better agent than the pyro-
phosphate of soda for that purpose ; and at pages 401-4 of this
Journal for 1857, his process will be found noticed. Subse-
quently, (January, 1858,) J. G. Richardson, of Philadelphia, in
a new process for Compound Syrup of the Phosphates, uses
citrate of ammonia as a solvent for pyrophosphate of iron,
which he introduces into that preparation in lieu of the ordinary
phosphate, and at the same time effects the solution of the phos-
phate of lime by free citric acid. Joseph Roberts, of Baltimore,
(see Maryland Journal of Pharmacy, March 4th, 1858,) suggests

24

412 ON THE SOLUBILITY OF PHOSPHATE OF IRON.

a syrup in which acid phosphate of ammonia is the solvent of
phosphate of iron, and which he considers a permanent prepara-
tion. In Mr. Maisch's letter a step further is taken ; he as-
certains that citrate of ammonia will dissolve and retain the
ordinary phosphate of iron in solution, and that in presence of
citrate of ammonia the oxide of iron cannot be precipitated
from the sesquichloride of iron in solution. The latter observa-
tion has been made before by Rose, (see Gmelin's Hand. xi. 447,)
so far as citric acid in a free state is concerned.

In a paper, which has reached us since the above was written,
by Mr. A. F. Haselden, on names in connection with Pharmaco-
poeial usage, (Pharmaceutical Journal, August, 1859,) we find
the following ; alluding to " syrup of phosphate of iron, some-
times called syrup of superphosphate of iron, and sometimes
syrup of phosphate of iron, I have no doubt that generally the
same preparation is looked for ; but in the first, if prepared as
the name would imply, an opaque syrup of an insoluble com-
pound is the result ; in the last two, an excess of acid to the
phosphate enables the operator to produce a clear preparation,
but this is uncertain in its strength and unstable in its nature.
In order to meet this difficulty, the General Apothecaries' Com-
pany have introduced a preparation by the assistance or addition
of citrate of ammonia to the phosphate of iron, and thus a prepa-
ration in scales is obtained like the ammonio-citrate of iron,
which still sails under the name of the pyrophosphate of iron,
and with which a light brown or dark straw colored syrup is
prepared, bearing the title of syrup of pyrophosphate of iron."

From this it appears that Mr. Maisch is anticipated in regard
to citrate of ammonia dissolving phosphate of iron. By trial
we have ascertained that citric acid in a free state is a perfect
solvent for recently precipitated phosphate of iron, and the ad-
dition of an alkali afterwards does not precipitate the phos-
phate. This naturally suggested a trial with the blue com-
mercial ferroso-ferric phosphate. When equal parts of citric
acid and of this blue phosphate are triturated with four parts of
water and allowed to stand several hours with occasional agi-
tation, the blue color gradually disappears, the phosphate is dis-
solved, and forms a greenish brown solution, which on dilution
is not precipitated, nor does ammonia or potash throw down

ON THE SOLUBILITY OF PHOSPHATE OF IRON.

413

the phosphate, which would indicate the formation of a double
salt.

As suggested by Mr. Maisch, these facts render the prescrib-
ing of phosphate of iron in solution extremely simple, and phy-
sicians can extemporaneously vary the proportion of the phos-
phate to suit their views of particular cases, as a few examples
will explain, viz :

Take of Phosphate of soda, . . giij.

Sulphate of iron, . . giiss.

Citric acid in powder, . . 3J*.
Lemon syrup,

Water, of each, . . . fgiij.
Mix the syrup with the water, dissolve the phosphate in one
half, the sulphate in the other half, mix them and add the citric
acid.

The resulting mixture is a transparent thin syrupy liquid,
not very unpleasant to the taste. Each fluid ounce contains
about 12 grains of protophosphate of iron and a little sulphate
of soda. The dose may be either a dessertspoonful or a table-
spoonful, (3 or 6 grains), as the case may require.

Or the sulphate of soda may be avoided thus :

Take of (Vallet's) protocarbonate of iron, siiss.
Citric acid, .... ^iss.
Phosphate of soda, . . . ^iij\
Lemon (or other syrup)
Water, of each, . . . fgiij.

Triturate the carbonate of iron with half the water and the
citric acid, till dissolved, add the syrup and lastly the remainder
of the water in which the phosphate of soda has been dissolved.

The resulting liquid is a solution of phosphate of iron and ci-
trate of soda, containing about three grains of the iron salt to
the dessertspoonful.

A syrup of proto-phosphate of iron may be made by dissolv-
ing five drachms of sulphate of iron, and six drachms of phos-
phate of soda, severally in hot sweetened water, mixing the solu-
tions, washing the precipitate with warm sweetened water on a
cloth filter, expressing carefully and forcibly, and dissolving
the moist mass with two drachms of citric acid, and sufficient
water to make the whole measure two fluid ounces. To this add

414 GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.

six fluid ounces of simple syrup, mix and filter if necessary.
Each teaspoonful will contain three grains of phosphate of iron.
It is probable that the addition of sufficient ammonia to the solu-
tion to convert the citric acid nearly all into a citrate of that
base ; would render the syrup more permanent, but less agree-
able, and by evaporating this solution, without adding sugar,
to a syrupy consistence, it is quite probable that the soluble
phosphate, in scales above alluded to, may be prepared.

The formula for << Chemical Food" or Compound Syrup of
the Phosphates, may also no doubt be modified by substituting
citric for phosphoric acid as a solvent for the phosphate of iron,
as it has already for that of lime. — Editor Amer. Jour. Phar-
macy.

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.
By the Editor.

Researches on the Essential Oil of Valerian M. Pierlot,

(Repertoire de Pharmacie, Juin, 1859,) finds as the result of his
researches ; 1st. Essential oil of valerian pre-exists in the recent
root of valerian. 2d. Recent or old, ithis oil contains five per
cent, of valerianic acid. 3d. Rectified on caustic potassa it is
perfectly neutral, and no agent has power to generate the acid
from it. 4th. It contains two different essential oils ; one
a hydrocarbon (C20H16) which is neutral and volatilizes entirely
without leaving a residue, and constitutes 28 per cent, of the
crude oil. The other, oxygenated oil or valerol (C24H20O2), is
neutral, resinifiesin the air and under the influence of nitric acid,
and decomposes into several bodies. 5th. Valerol is constituted
of stearoptene of valerian, resin and water ; and lastly, that
valerol cannot be acidified by any process whatever.

Purgative and Vermifuge Biscuits. — M. Fabre, of D' Aries, re-
commends the following biscuits for medicinal use, viz : To medi-
cate each biscuit add for :

No. 1. For children between 5 and 10 years old.

Precipitated sulphur, pure resin of jalap, and pure resin of
scammony, of each a grain and a half.

No. 2. For children from 10 to 15 years old.

Precipitated sulphur 4 grs., resin of jalap and resin of scam-
mony of each 3 grains.

GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS. 415

No. 3. For adults.

Precipitated sulphur 8 grains, resin of jalap and resin of
scammony of each 5 grs.

The powders are well mixed in the paste of the biscuit and
baked in an oven, increasing the quantities to suit the number
of biscuits to be made.

Oil of Ground Nuts, (Araehis hypogea.) — According to M.
Perrins, editor of the Jour, de Pharm. de Bordeaux, ground-
nut oil may be used instead of olive oil for preparing leadplaster
and medicated oils. It has the advantage of costing less than
olive oil, and is less disposed to become rancid. [The ground-
nut oil in use in Philadelphia has too much odor to replace olive
oil for many purposes. — Editor.]

Formation of Qyanide of Potassium in smoking Cigarettes of
Belladonna and other Solaneo?. — M. Marchand, of St. Germain,
(Repertoire de Pharmacie, Mai, 1850), states that cyanide of
potassium is formed during the combustion of medicinal segars
from the nitrogenous products of the alkaloid with the potassa of
the nitrate of potassa found in them, and that cyanogen may be
detected by drawing the smoke through a solution of potassa
and testing with a persalt of iron.

Oily Solution of Oleate of Binoxide of Mercury Prof. Janneb

of Bordeaux, gives the following formula for making this mercu-
rial preparation :

Take of Pulverized red oxide of mercury 10 parts.
Crude oleic acid 100 «

Sweet oil of almonds 200 "

Distilled water 300 «

Introduce the whole into a flask, heat to 104° Fahr., during
48 hours, agitating from time to time. The oxide of mercury
being dissolved, throw the contents of the flask on a filter ; the
water passes rapidly, and after the paper has dried, the oily
solution slowly passes through, requiring about thre e days
for 9 ounces. The solution is limpid, amber colored, visc1d, odor
analogous to oleic acid, and taste at first sweet but very dis-
agreeable afterwards. It keeps well unless exposed to the direct
solar rays, when the oxide of mercury is reduced and me Gallic
mercury precipitated. It is used both internally and externally
(Rep. de Pharm. Mai, 1859.)

416 GLEANINGS FROM THE FRENCH JOURNALS.

Roman Chamomile. — M. Trimbal Lagrave, of Toulouse, (Rep.
de Pharm. Avril, 1859) states that he has found this drug in
French commerce adulterated with the flowers of Crysanthemum
parthenium, Pers., and those of Matricara parthenoides, Derf.

Elixir of Citro- Lactate of Iron. — M. Robineaud, {Jour, de
Rharmacie,) gives the following recipe for this preparation ;
Take of Citrate of the protoxide of iron, half a drachm.

Lactate of the protoxide of iron, half a drachm.

Distilled water, nineteen fluid drachms.

Alcohol (80 p. ct.) fourteen fluid drachms.

Simple syrup, twenty fluid drachms.

Tincture of lemon peel,

Tincture of cinnamon, each half a fluid drachm.
Tincture of cloves, six drops.
Caramel, q. s.

Put the lactate of iron in powder in a capsule with the distilled
water, heat gently till dissolved, add the proto-citrate of iron,
which dissolves promptly, filter the solution into a bottle contain-
ing previously the syrup and alcohol, and lastly, add the tinctures
and caramel.

On the Essence of Scurvy Grass, (Cochlearia officinalis) by M.
Geiseler, (Arch, der R harm, and Jour, de Rharm. July, 1859.)
The leaves of scurvy grass contain of organic matter 6.23 per
cent, ashes 1.57 per cent ; and of water 92.19 per cent. The
essential oil which these leaves afford by distillation with water-
does not pre-exist in the plant, but is produced under the influ-
ence of water and a peculiar ferment. According to M. Simons
the dried leaves do not afford the oil unless bruised white
mustard seeds are admixed with them to furnish the ferment.
The younger leaves afford more oil than the old, about l-5000th.
The seeds of the plant also yield the oil.

Essence of scurvy grass has heretofore been considered to be
identical with oil of mustard, but M. Geiseler finds it to be
C6H50,S ; that is to say, oil of garlic plus one atom of oxygen.

Essence of scurvy grass is very volatile, its odor recalls at the
s&me time ether and horseradish, its density is 0.942, slightly
soluble in water and very soluble in alcohol.

Mixed with six or eight times, its volume of concentrated

DETERMINATION OF TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX. 417

solution of ammonia, it yields crystals which are fusible above
212° F. and have the composition C6H5OS,NH3 corresponding
to thiosinnamin from oil of mustard.

On the Constitution of Solania. — M. Otto Gmelin {Annal.
der Chemie und Pharm. and Jour. dePharm. July, 1859), says,
contrary to the received record, that solanin does not contain
nitrogen, but is one of the glucosides, yields by the action of
dilute acid solanidin and glucose, as observed by Zwenger and
Kind. 100 parts of solanin yield 65.3 of glucose. The result
following these facts is that solanin is not an organic base as
heretofore considered.

DETERMINATION OF TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX.
By E. Geith.

The author considers that the detection of the adulteration of
wax with tallow or stearic acid, can only be effected by an agent
capable of separating the adulterating substances from the wax.
After numerous experiments, he found in carbonate of soda a
substance possessing this power. This salt, dissolved in water,
and employed in excess, is able to saponify the tallow, and, con-
sequently, also to combine with the stearic acid. The wax,
however, is, under certain conditions, not at all, or only very
slightly effected by it. But if pure white or yellow wax be
boiled in a porcelain capsule, with an equal weight of carbonate
of soda, and six times its weight of distilled water, and at the
same time constantly stirred with a glass rod, until the bottom
of the capsule begins to be coated with carbonate of soda, a
not inconsiderable part, even of the purest wax, will become
saponified. Whilst the mass is still hot, about six times its
weight of alcohol, of eighty per cent., are to be added, and the
whole rubbed down with a pestle, adding at the same time,
gradually, about sixteen or eighteen parts of alcohol, of fifty
per cent., until the undissolved parts are seen floating in the
liquid, in a finely-divided state. The mixture is then to be
placed on a filter. On the addition of excess of an acid to the
filtered liquid, we obtain a rather abundant white or yellow pre-
cipitate. This clearly proves that the wax contains a substance
which is easily saponified by carbonate of soda. It was there-

418 DETERMINATION OF TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX.

fore, necessary to discover some means by which this saponifia-
ble substance might be separated from those parts of the wax
which can not be saponified by carbonate of soda, and at the
same time, also, from the tallow and stearic acid. I found that
alcohol answers this purpose ; it dissolves this saponifiable sub-
stance in great quantity, whilst the dissolved proportions of tal-
low and of stearic acid, and of the not saponifiable wax, are but
very inconsiderable.

In order, therefore, to detect an adulteration of wax, we
must first examine whether it be adulterated with stearic acid.
For this purpose, we put into a retort about two drachms of the
wax, and pour over it one ounce of limewater, and one ounce of
distilled water, and boil for some time. If the wax does actu-
ally contain stearic acid, the liquid completely loses every trace of
alkaline reaction. This fact has already been mentioned by
others, but with the addition that the liquid throws down a pre-
cipitate of stearate of lime. I must, however, contradict this
observation, for, notwithstanding repeated experiments which I
have made, I was not able to discover anything of the kind. I
found, moreover, that even turbid lime water became clear,
whether boiled with pure wax, or with wax adulterated with
either tallow or stearic acid, but it did not lose its alkaline reac-
tion in the two first cases. Lime water furnishes us, therefore,
with an excellent test of the presence of stearic acid in wax.
It is also useful in determining the quantity of stearic acid pre-
sent ; for the more lime-water of constantly equal strength is
deprived of its alkaline reaction, by a given quantity of wax,
adulterated with stearic acid, the more of the latter must the
wax contain.

No stearic acid having been detected, the wax remains yet to
be tested for tallow, which is done in the following way :

One dram of wax is put with two ounces of alcohol, of eighty
per cent., in a retort, boiled for a few seconds, and the whole
quickly poured into another vessel, which contains one ounce of
cold alcohol of eighty per cent. The retort is to be washed out
with another ounce of boiling alcohol. After several hours,
when quite cold, the mixture is filtered, and two ounces more
alcohol, of eighty per cent., poured on the residue. After all
the alcohol has passed through the filter, the latter is wrapped

DETERMINATION OP TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX. 419

up in a few sheets of filtering paper, and pressed between two
bricks until it no longer appears moist. The wax is now placed
in a porcelain capsule, with one dram of carbonate of soda and
six drams of distilled water, and boiled until the bottom of the
cup begins to be covered with carbonate of soda, constantly
stirring it with a glass rod. One ounce of alcohol, of eighty
per cent., is then to be added to the hot mass, and the whole
rubbed down with a pestle, until the undissolved parts form a
fine powder ; while, at the same time, a few ounces of alcohol,
of fifty per cent., are gradually added. When cold, the whole
quantity is carefully filtered and washed with alcohol, of fifty
per cent., as long as the filtered liquid is rendered turbid, by a
solution of neutral acetate of lead with acetic acid.

The whole filtered liquid is now to be reduced by evaporation
in a porcelain capsule to one ounce, and when perfectly cold,
again filtered, and the residue washed with water mixed with
alcohol, as long as the washings are rendered turbid by a solu-
tion of acetate of lead, acidified by acetic acid.

Having thus obtained about two ounces of liquid, it is to be
poured into a medicine bottle, and well shaken ; if the wax was
pure, a slight froth will form, but will disappear after a few
minutes ; if, however, it was adulterated, with, even only to the
extent of from two to four per cent., tallow or stearic acid, a
very abundant froth forms itself, which does not disappear until
after half or one hour.

Another test may now be made, by adding to the liquid in the
bottle an excess of acetic acid. If the wax was pure, the liquid
will, at the most, become scarcely perceptibly opalescent, but
not distinctly turbid. If it contains, however, tallow or stearic
acid, a more or less abundant flakey precipitate will be formed
after a short time, particularly if the bottle be shaken. Grad-
ually these flakes rise to the surface of the liquid. If it is de-
sired to determine the quantity of tallow or stearic acid present,
the liquid is not to be mixed with acetic acid, but is to be treated
in the following manner : Add to it a solution of acetate of lead
as long as a precipitate falls down, then add acetic acid until
the liquid acquires a distinct acid reaction. The precipitate is
to be allowed to fall down, for several hours, then placed on a
filter, weighed, dried in a temperature of 212Q Fahr., and washed

420 DETERMINATION OF TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX.

with cold distilled water, as long as the washings become brown,
by the addition of sulphuretted hydrogen water. Then place
the residue in a small porcelain capsule, and weigh it again,
after having perfectly dried it in a temperature of 212° Fahr.

If the wax is pure, one dram of the original precipitate will
have been reduced to one-half two-thirds grain. If ten per cent,
of tallow were mixed with it, the precipitate will now weigh two
to two-and-half grains. If twenty per cent, tallow, it will be
three three-fourths to four one-fourth grains.

Unfortunately, the quantity of the precipitate is not constant,
even with the utmost care. The quantitative adulteration of
wax by stearic acid is more easily detected ; for one dram of
wax, adulterated with five per cent, of stearic acid, gives, when
treated in the above manner, 2 to 2§ grains of precipitate ; with
ten per cent., 4 to 4| grains; with twenty per cent., eight to
nine grains. The yellow wax does not materially differ in this
respect from white wax, and its adulteration can be detected in
the same way.

POSTSCRIPT BY DR. BUCHNER.

The author of the foregoing prize essay has accompanied his
brochure with ten samples of wax. — 1, perfectly pure white wax ;
2, white wax adulterated with two and-a-half, five, ten, twenty,
thirty and fifty per cent, stearic acid ; 3, white wax adulterated
with five, ten and twenty per cent, of tallow. The judges have
come to the conviction that these adulterations could only ap-
proximately be discovered by an exact comparison of the melting
degree, and of the specific weight, if the chemical test of My.
Geith was not made use of. The sensible properties, smell,
color, brilliancy, transparency, softness, toughness, fracture and
texture, are not safe indications for an adulteration, and al-
though wax, mixed with equal proportions of stearic acid, is, in
a cold state, considerable more brittle and less soft and pliable
than pure wax, still this difference is, in an adulteration with
twenty to thirty per cent, of tallow or stearic acid, not great
enough, as to discover with certainty the degree of adultera-
tion.

M. Lepage, of Gisors, has compared the different melting
points of pure bees-wax and of tallow, and also of given mix-

DETERMINATION OP TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX. 421

tures of these two substances, and has found that it is possible,
by means of this physical test, to discover with certainty the
purity or adulteration of wax. M. Legrip, of Chambon, has
closely examined this wax test of Lepage, and found it perfectly
correct and safe, as far as no great exactness with regard to the
quantity of the admixed tallow is required.* This method has
this advantage — that it is easily performed, not expensive, and
causes no great waste of wax. It is done in the following man-
ner :

In a quantity of melted wax the bulb of a thermometer is
immersed, so that it is covered with a moderately thick coat of
wax, and when perfectly cold, the thermometer is fastened with
a cork into a retort with a long neck, so that the bulb of the
thermometer is suspended in the body of the retort. The latter
is then placed in a vessel filled with water, which is slowly
heated over a moderate fire, the globe and the scale being closely
watched. As soon as the wax begins to melt and to drip off,
the degree of temperature is marked down and composed with
the following scale, given by Lepage and Legrip :

Pure tallow melts at 46° 0.

A mixture of 19 parts of tallow, and 1 of white wax, at 47.0 C.

" 7 " " 1 " 49.5 C.

" 5 " « 1 " 52.5 C.

" 3 " " 1 « 55.5 C.

" 1 " " 1 " 59.0 C.

«• 1 " « 3 " 60.5 0.

" 1 " " 5 " 61.5 C.

" 1 " " 7 " 62.5 C.

« 1 « « 11 " 63.0 C.

" 1 " " 19 " 64.0 C.

Pure white wax * 64.0 C.

Pure yellow wax , 64.0 C.

The difference between the melting point of wax and that of
tallow is, therefore, 18°, which gives sufficient scope for com-
parison ; still the melting point of a mixture of given parts of
wax and tallow, cannot be determined by calculation, if the
melting points of wax and tallow alone are given ; for, accord-
ing to theory, a mixture of fifty parts of wax and fifty parts of
tallow, should melt at 55° C. as =55, but experimentally
it was found to be at 59Q C ; we must, moreover, observe here,

* Jour. de. Chim. Med., 1845, p. 34.

422 DETERMINATION OP TALLOW OR STEARIC ACID IN WAX.

that the melting points found by Legrip do not quite agree with
those given by Lepage.

M. Legrip is, therefore, of opinion, that a more correct cereo-
meter could be obtained by comparing the specific weights of
wax and tallow. He found the specific weight of the white and
yellow wax to be =0.962, and that of tallow — 0.881. If, how-
ever, these data be compared with those given by other experi-
menters, we find also here considerable discrepancies ; for, ac-
cording to Muschenbrock and Brisson, the specific weight of
the yellow wax is 0.960 — 0.964, and that of white wax, 0.966 —
0.968. The specific weight of sheep tallow Mushenbrock found
to be = 0.943, and Brisson, =0.923- That of bullocks' tallow
is after M. —0.955, and after B. = 0.923, consequently much
greater than Legrip has found it.

The principles of Legrip's cereometer is, however, notwith-
standing these differences, correct and worthy of notice ; it is
this — alcohol, of a given specific weight, is diluted with so much
water, that the wax placed in it at a temperature of 15° C.
neither sinks nor swims on the surface of the fluid, but keeps in
the middle of the same ; it is, then, only necessary to employ
the areometer, in order to determine from the specific weight of
the alcohol, the purity or the degree of adulteration of the wax.
Assuming the specific weight of the wax to be =0.962, its purity
is established, if it keeps in the midst of alcohol of this specific
weight, or of 29° by Gay Lussac's areometer, whilst a specific
weight of 0.881 or 46° after Gay Lussac, indicates the pure
tallow. A mixture of these two standard fluids, taken at equal
parts, represents a mixture of equal proportions of weight of
wax and tallow, and corresponds with 37°. 5 on Gay Lussac's
areometer :

33°. 3 G. L. areometer =75 wax and 25 tallow.
37°.5 « « =50 " « 50 «

41°.7 " « =25 " •< 75 «

46°. 0 " « — 0 " « 100 «

The Druggist.

ON THE LEAVES OF WILD CHERRY.

423

THE LEAVES OF WILD CHERRY. (Cerasus serotina.)
Br William Procter, jr.

The poisonous nature of the leaves of the wild cherry tree has
long been known. Dr. Coxe, in his Dispensatory, (edition 1806,)
says, " The distilled water of the leaves is a powerful poison to
different animals, which seems dependent on the presence of the
same principles which exist in peach kernels, &c, lately shown
to be prussic acid." It is usual to import the " Aqua Lauro-
cerasi" of the foreign Pharmacopoeias to meet the demand of
physicians for this form of hydrocyanic acid. It is believed
that the distilled water of the leaves of wild cherry may be sub-
stituted for it with perfect reliability and equal uniformity. The
question has been asked, whence comes the volatile oil and prus-
sic acid of the cherry laurel leaves ? Does amygdalin exist in
them ? Liebig was not able to detect amygdalin in the cherry
laurel leaf. He believes that the oil is secreted in the leaf,
like other volatile oils, ready formed, but probably derived from
pre-existing amygdalin in the circulation of the plant. This
view is rendered probable by experiments in the paper on amyg-
dalin, before quoted, in which the presence of amygdalin in
3mall quantity was detected in the alcoholic extract of dried
wild cherry leaves. To ascertain the hydrocyanic acid value of
the leaves, 1,000 grains, recently gathered, were cut and bruised
quickly, put in a bottle, with twelve fluid ounces of water, ma-
cerated twenty-four hours, and distilled till three fluid ounces
had passed over. The first ounce was quite milky, the volatile
oil in suspension soon separating from it, and collecting in glo-
bules at the bottom of the receiver. The greater part of the
oil and the acid were in this portion, because, when the other
two ounces of water had distilled, they re- dissolved the oil, and
retained it in solution. 1,000 grains of this distilled water,
when treated with a weak solution of nitrate of silver, afforded
3.25 grains of cyanide of silver, indicating 0.65 grains of anhy-
drous hydrocyanic acid in that quantity of the distilled
water. It is believed, that if the quantity of distilled water
was made equal in weight to the leaves distilled, that the strength
of the water would amount to one-tenth of one per cent, which
is that of the best cherry laurel water.

424 ON THE POISONOUS PROPERTIES OP OIL OF ELEMI.

M. Cap found that cherry laurel leaves, between the 15th of
June and the 15th of August were very uniform in composition, and
that the distilled water made during that season was reliable, if
the process was conducted with the requisite care. M. Des-
champs determined that water distilled from the unbruised leaves
after twenty-eight hours' maceration, contained thirty-five per
cent less hydrocyanic acid than that from the same leaves, after
they were properly bruised. He is also of the opinion that
about five drops of sulphuric acid added to each pint of cherry
laurel water very much increases its permanence.

As the wild cherry grows in all section of the Union, it will
afford to the country physicians a source of hydrocyanic acid
easily attainable, and as reliable as cherry laurel water. — Proc.
Amer. Pharm. Assoc. 1858.

ON THE POISONOUS PROPERTIES OF THE ETHEREAL OIL OF

ELEMI.
By Dr. Emil Mannkoff.

The ethereal oil of elemi is obtained from the resin of elemi,
brought from Brazil and Yucatan. It is found in the resin in
very valuable proportions, but on the average it may be consid-
ered to exist in the quantity of about six per cent. The oil is
transparent, almost colorless, having a smell which is not un-
pleasant, and a somewhat acrid and bitter taste. It is insolu-
ble in water, but is easily disolved in alcohol or ether. Ac-
cording to Stenhouse and Deville, the analysis of the oil of elemi
gave the formula of C5 H8.

Dr. Mannkoff made a series of experiments on rabbits and
frogs, with a view of ascertaining the operation of the oil upon
the animal economy. In the case of the rabbits, the oil was in-
jected into the stomach by means of an elastic catheter ; in frogs
the same operation was partially resorted to, but in some the
oil was injected under the skin of the back. In a few cases the
oil was applied locally on particular parts of the frogs.

The conclusions drawn by Dr. Mannkoff as to the operation
of the oil of elemi on animals are the following : namely, that
when applied to the intestinal tract, it produces hemorrhagic

ON THE POISONOUS PROPERTIES OF OIL OF ELEMI. 425

erosions and numerous functional disturbances in the stomach ;
and in the intestines, increased peristaltic action and sensation
of pain, succeeded by paralysis and anaesthesia. The oil acts
in a similar manner wherever it is applied directly. After ab-
sorption it paralyses the sensitive portion of the nervous sys-
tem and the nervus vagus. Hence arise, — 1. Acceleration and
increased strength of the movements of the heart, and consequent-
ly increased diuresis, which is connected with an inflammation
of the kidneys to a greater or less extent, and perhaps of the
bladder, produced by a specific irritation of the poison ; and there
is afterwards a sensation of thirst. 2. The diminution and grad-
ual suppression of the respiration occasioned by atelectasis and
emptying of the lungs, and diminution of temperature, with
which deficient nutrition is associated as a cause. In the second
place, when paralysis of the heart is at last produced, death
ensues, probably due to the abolition of the functions of the
brain.

In concluding his paper, Dr. Mannkoff introduces the ques-
tion as to the use which may be made of the ethereal oil of elemi
as an internal remedy. In this point of view three circum-
stances ought to be taken into consideration. 1. The increase
of the heart's contractions. 2. The increase of diuresis. 3.
The anaesthetic effects on the sensitive nerves. The oil might
probably be given in the cases in which oil of turpentine is found
useful, for both oils coincide very much in their medicinal pro-
perties. Perhaps the oil of elemi might be preferable from its
less unpleasant taste. The question may be asked whether the
oil of elemi might not cause inflammation of the kidneys when
given in a sufficient dose ; but this point can only be determined
by experiments on the living subject. Still, since oil of turpen-
tine produces a decided effect in neuralgia, as is proved by the
operation of this oil on the sensitive nerves, Dr. Mannkoff be-
lieves that experiments with oil of elemi in similar cases would
be completely justified. — Brit, and For Med. Rev. from Vir-
chow 's ArcJiiv filr Path. Anat. und Phys. und fur Klinische
Med. 1859.

426

QUININE IN CINCHONA BARE.

PROCESS FOR ASCERTAINING THE PROPORTION OF QUININE
IN CINCHONA BARK.

This process, published by M. Guillermond in the < Gazette
Medicale' of Lyons, is a modification of one already published
by the same writer in 1847. The following is the process :
Take twenty grammes of yellow bark, powder it without leaving
any residue, and pour upon the powder alcohol at 76°, in suffi-
cient quantity to form a soft paste, which is to be heated for a
few minutes until the fibre is thoroughly penetrated by the
liquid ; then introduce into the paste ten grammes of hydrated
lime in fine powder : mix thoroughly, so as to form a homoge-
neous mass, which is to be heated on a plate until all humidity
is completely eliminated. This powder is afterwards to be
treated with 100 grammes of rectified sulphuric ether, which
will dissolve and remove all the quinine. This ether is then to
be rapidly evaporated at the heat of boiling water, and the resi-
due will contain only the quinine and a small proportion of a
yellow coloring matter, which may be neglected. In order to
determine the quantity of quinine obtained, either of the three
following methods may be adopted :

1. Dry completely the ethereal residue. Its weight will give
that of the quinine, plus the portion of coloring matter, the
quantity of which is insignificant. 2. Dissolve the residue in
a little alcohol and acidulate it with very dilute sulphuric acid,
the saturating power of which for quinine is ascertained. For
this purpose a graduated tube may be employed, so that a given
quantity of the dilute acid corresponds to one gramme of quinine.
3. Weigh the sulphate of quinine which is obtained. It may
be dried in a few moments by exposing it to the sun or to the
heat of a stove.

This process, according to M. Guillermond, is recommended
by its simplicity, and the celerity with which the result is ob-
tained, for only about three hours are required in the operation :
and the plan possesses the additional advantage of separating
completely the whole of the alkaloid. — Brit, and For. Med.
Rev. from Bull. Gen. de Ther. Oct. SOth, 1858.

ON THE AMOUNT OF TANNIN IN TANNING MATERIALS. 427

QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF THE AMOUNT OF TAN-
NIN IN TANNING MATERIALS.

By Gustav Muller.

The precipitant employed by the author for the determination
of the tannin in fluids is a solution of gelatin, which has al-
ready been made use of for the same purpose ; but the author
has convinced himself by numerous experiments, that an accu-
rate determination of tannin by means of solution of gelatin
cannot be made directly, inasmuch as the yellowish-brown pre-
cipitate of gelatin containing tannin, or tannate of gelatin,
thus produced, is never so completely separated from the solu-
tion that the supernatant fluid remains perfectly clear, which,
however, must be the case if the precipitation of the tannin by
solution of gelatin be adopted for the quantitative determina-
tion of the tannin in fluids.

After many trials, the author found that the addition of a
small quantity of alum to the solution of gelatin furnished a
suitable means to enable tannin to be precipitated without any
difficulty from any fluids containing it, so that it might be deter-
mined with the greatest exactitude ; the separation of the pre-
cipitate (tannate) takes place so rapidly and completely that in
the course of a few minutes the fluid over the precipitate appears
quite limpid, and consequently may be immediately tested for
any possible residue of tannin. For this purpose, according
to the author, the best plan is to employ two watch-glasses,
placed upon a black ground to enable the reaction to be detected
with more ease ; a few drops of the fluid standing over the pre-
cipitate are taken up with a little stick and dropped into each
watch-glass, and then into one glass two drops of the aluminous
solution of gelatin, and into the other a drop of solution of tan-
nin or decoction of galls ; a distinct rod should be used for each
test-fluid in order to avoid mistakes. In this way, by the tur-
bidity produced, we may detect on the one hand the smallest
quantities of tannin, and on the other, the smallest traces of
gelatin, in case the quantity necessary for precipitation should
have been exceeded. To avoid the latter occurrence, the solu-
tion of gelatin is only dropped into the solution of tannin un-

25

428 ON THE AMOUNT OF TANNIN IN TANNING MATERIALS.

der examination, but this is continued uninterruptedly until on
the falling of a drop upon the surface, the characteristic ring of
tannate of gelatin is no more to be detected. When this mo-
ment occurs, it is necessary that the precipitation should be in-
terrupted for a time, and that the fluid, which appears limpid
after a lapse of a few minutes, should be tested for tannin.
The little trouble attending this operation should not prevent its
being done frequently, in order that no more of the aluminous
solution of gelatin may be employed than is just necessary for
the precipitation of the tannin, as the amount of the latter is
finally calculated from that of the gelatin.

In order to ascertain how much aluminous solution of gelatin
represents a given quantity of pure tannin, 5 grs. of the latter
were dissolved in half an ounce of distilled water, and precipi-
tated with the greatest care. After repeating the experiment
five times, the author found that 155 grs. of the solution of ge-
latin were required for this purpose. Consequently a decoction
of J ounce of oak-bark, if 1 ounce (=480 grs.) of aluminous so-
lution of gelatin were employed in its precipitation, would have
contained 15 Jj- grs. of tannin, in accordance with the formula
155:5: : 480 ; 152*

' 31

The quantity of solution of gelatin employed for the deter-
mination of tannin is ascertained by accurately weighing a 3 or
4 ounce glass filled with it, and ascertaining the difference of
weight after the precipitation ; this difference of course indicates
the quantity of solution of gelatin employed.

For the preparation of the aluminous solution of gelatin, 4
ounces of distilled water are weighed in a phial ; into this 1
drachm of ordinary clean joiner's glue, crushed a little, is put,
when the glass, surrounded with paper, is placed in a vessel of
water, and set upon the fire. When the glue is dissolved, which
takes place without any residue when the so-called Russian glue
is made use of, 15 grs. of pure powdered alum are added to the
hot fluid, which is then shaken round several times, and may be
kept, well-stoppered, in a dark place.

The substances (about 50 — 100 grs.), the amount of tannin
in which is to be ascertained, are to be extracted for a few min-
utes with as much distilled water as will cover them ; and this

INTRODUCTION OF THE CINCHONA INTO INDIA.

429

process must be repeated from four to six times, with constant
stirring, so as to exhaust them as much as possible. The decoc-
tions are poured off each time, without straining ; the fluids, to
which the residue is finally added, are collected in a beaker, but
the determination of the tannin must not be proceeded with un-
til they are cold. In dropping in the cold solution of gelatin,
a small rod must be employed to prevent it from flowing out in
a stream, by which, especially towards the close of the experi-
ment, the precipitation might easily be exceeded. It is also
well to allow the exhausted residue to remain in the fluid, as it
assists greatly in the rapid separation of the tannate of gela-
tin.

The determinations effected by the author in the way above
described gave the following results : —

Grains of Tannin.
100 grs. of young oak bark, . . . 13| 1
" " of oak bark from a tree 100 years old . 81A
" « Eschurg oak-bark . . . 1911

" " Pine-bark from young stems . . 122.-8.
" " of native galls .... 50-1
" " of Divi divi .... 49^

" " of Sumach .... 1911

« « of Tormentilla root .... 3314
" " of American bark (the so-called Mimosa-
bark, probably belonging to a cinchon-
aceous plant) .... 31g5T
" " of best gall-nuts . . . 77l|

" " of Chinese galls (from Rhus semi-alatum) 65||
Chem. Gaz. from Eisner's Techniseh-cliemische Mittheilungen
fur 1857-1858, p. 45; Polytechn. Oentralblatt, 1859, p. 56.

INTRODUCTION OF CINCHONA INTO INDIA,

We have great satisfaction in stating that steps have been
taken for the realization of this important project, for we
understand that Mr. Clement Markham has been appointed by
the Government to proceed to the Cinchona districts of South
America for the purpose of obtaining seeds and plants of some
of the more valuable species of Cinchona, and of transporting

430 ON A NEW SOURCE OF AMMONIA.

them to India, where there is good reason to hope their acclima-
tization will be as successful as it has already been in Java.
We are glad to hear that Mr. Markham is well acquainted with
the Cinchona districts, and has a thorough knowledge of the
Spanish language. Such qualifications, when accompanied by
good botanical acquirements, can scarcely fail to achieve suc-
cess in so important an undertaking, and we sincerely trust that
all who are in any position to assist Mr. Markham will do so
cheerfully, and then we have little doubt the experiment will be
entirely successful.

We take this opportunity of correcting an error which many
Pharmaceutical Chemists and others have fallen into, with
reference to the supposed discovery of a species of Cinchona in
Africa by Dr. Livingstone. The plant thus thought to be a
Cinchona is a species of Malouetia, Nat. Ord. Apocynacece,
This plant, like several others of the order to which it belongs,
possesses febrifugal properties, but it contains no quinine or

other alkaloid resembling it, as supposed by Livingstone

Pharm. Journ., London, July 1, 1859.

ON A NEW SOURCE OF AMMONIA.

Mr. Alexander Williams, of Neath, in a letter to the Joural
of the Society of Arts, has suggested a means of economizing
the waste nitrogen products escaping from the oil of vitriol
chamber, by effecting their conversion into ammonia. This is
done by passing the escaping gasses, mixed with steam, over
heated charcoal, and then into dilute sulphuric acid, by which
sulphate of ammonia is obtained.

The following is Mr. Williams's description of the arrange-
ment he employs, and which has been tried on a large scale at
the Pontardawe Vitriol Works.

The apparatus fitted up was of the following description : —
A furnace was built above the exit tube of one of tl eir vitriol
chambers, and a brick gas retort, about 14 inches in diameter,
8 feet long, and open at both ends, was passed through its whole
length. This retort was filled with charcoal, and kept at a red
heat ; the exit tube of the chamber, and a steam-jet to supply

ACTION OF CHLORIDE OF ZINC ON FATS.

431

the hydrogen, were attached to one end, whilst to the other end
was fixed an upright leaden cylinder, filled with coke, and
moistened with diluted sulphuric acid. On passing the waste
gases and steam through the retort containing red-hot char-
coal, both were decomposed, the oxygen of each uniting with
the charcoal to form carbonic acid ; the nitrogen and hydrogen
combining to form ammonia ; then together, probably forming
carbonate of ammonia, which was again decomposed by the
diluted sulphuric acid, the sulphate of ammonia being found
remaining in solution. This solution was then evaporated, and
in July, 1857, I first had the pleasure of obtaining any quan-
tity of crystals of sulphate of ammonia, by this process, from
a vitriol chamber in actual work.

Mr. Williams does not intend to make this process the subject
of a patent Pharm. Journal, July, 1859.

SAPONIFICATION OF FATTY BODIES BY MEANS OF CHLORIDE

OF ZINC.

By Leon Keafft and Tessie du Mottay.

The object of the authors' investigations was the discovery for
some South American merchants of the means of transforming
the fatty bodies of their countries into stearic acid, and after-
wards into candles. The conveyance of sulphuric acid by sea
was to be avoided, on account of its danger.

Struck by the great analogy of the action of sulphuric acid
and chloride of zinc upon organic matters, they thought of ap-
plying the latter to the saponification of the neutral fatty bodies.
Economically the idea was very feasible, as fused chloride of
zinc may be obtained at Marseilles for 25 francs per 100 kilo-
grammes ; when packed in cases or casks, it may be conveyed
anywhere without inconvenience. The application remained to
be realized.

When any neutral fatty body is heated with anhydrous chlo-
ride of zinc, the latter melts and disappears as the temperature
rises. Between 302Q and 392° F. the mixture of the two bodies
is complete. If the temperature be then sustained for some
time, and the product washed several times with hot water, or,

432

ACTION OF CHLORIDE OF ZINC ON FATS.

still better, with water acidulated by hydrochloric acid, a fatty
body is obtained, which, when distilled, furnishes the correspond-
ing fatty acids with an insignificant production of acroleine.
The washing-waters carry off nearly all the chloride of zinc em-
ployed, which can be again prepared for use by evaporation.
The fatty acids are thus produced in as great quantity as by the
ordinary methods ; they have the same aspect, qualities and
melting-point as those produced in manufactories where the dis-
tillation is effected after the sulphuric saponification. To operate
well and quickly, the mixture of the neutral fatty body and
chloride of zinc must be heated rapidly until the moment when,
in consequence of the violent reaction of the two bodies upon
each other, aqueous vapors are evolved in abundance.

The washing with acidulated water after saponification may
be avoided, but then the products of the distillation are softer.
If the distillation be hastened by means of a current of super-
heated steam, this defect may be corrected in a great degree.
In all cases steam allows harder and less colored products to be
obtained with rapidity. The quantity of chloride of zinc neces-
sary for a good saponification varies from 8 to 12 per cent, of
the weight of the neutral fatty body.

The following are some of the authors' experiments : —
Tallow. — Experiment 1. 300 parts of tallow, fusible at 100e
F. After saponification and washing 284 ; loss by saponifica-
tion, 5 per cent. After distillation with steam, 250 parts of
substance fusible at 113° F. ; loss by distillation, 13 per cent.
Experiment 2. 2000 parts of fat fusible at 100° F., and 240
parts, or 12 per cent, of chloride of zinc. After saponification
the fusing-point was 107°6 F. ; and after distillation, without
steam, 113° F. Chloride of zinc recovered 215 parts.

Palm-oil. — Experiment 1. 2160 parts of palm-butter fusible
at 75Q F., and 12 per cent., or 260 parts of chloride of zinc.
The product of saponification was fusible at 95° F., and that of
distillation (without steam) at 113° F. Chloride of zinc re-
covered, 211.

Experiment 2. Palm-butter. 195 of saponified product gave
175 of fatty body, fusible at 122° F.

Experiment 3. 300 of palm-oil ; after saponification, 290 ;

PREPARATION OF METALLIC COBALT.

433

loss, 3-3 per cent. 260 parts fractionally distilled with steam
gave — -

First product. . . 155 white crystallized, fusible at 131° F.
Second product. . 32 yellowish " " « 91°4F.
Third product . • 55 greenish yellow, consistence of honey.

242

Cocoa-nut Oil gave equally conclusive results. It requires
a little more chloride of zinc, in consequence of the large quantity
of water which it contains or produces.

Oleic Acid 300 parts of oleic acid from a candle factory

where the lime saponification is practised, treated when hot with
12 per cent, of anhydrous chloride of zinc, furnished on distilla-
tion a solid white product weighing 170, and fusible at 89^.6 F.,
and a yellow product of butyraceous consistence weighing 60.
This is a remarkable fact, and clearly shows the similarity of the
action of chloride of zinc and sulphuric acid. By means of sul-
phuric acid, 25 to 30 per cent, of solid fatty matter is obtained
by distillation from oleic acid produced in the manufactories of
candles where lime-saponification is practised. — London Ohem.
Graz. April 15, 1859, from Oomptes Bendus, February 21, 1859-

ON THE PREPARATION OF METALLIC COBALT.
By William Sharswood.

The attention of the author was attracted to this subject
owing to a necessity of obtaining the element for the purpose of
making researches in thermo-electricity.

The source from which the author recommends the metal to
be obtained is the chloride of purpureocobalt,* from the fact of
its presenting the means by which a pure chloride of cobalt
can be obtained with comparatively most ease and certainty.

The formation of the chloride of purpureocobalt is effected by
simply oxidizing the chloride of cobalt with ammonia by ex-
posure to the air.

It is not necessary to use a pure chloride of cobalt in forming

* Researches on the Ammonia-Cobalt Bases, bj Walcott Gibbs and Fred.
Aug. Genth, Chemical Gazette, vol. xv. p. 188.

434

PREPARATION OP METALLIC COBALT.

the chloride of purpureocobalt ; any commercial oxide answer-
ing, even in the presence of arsenic, nickel, iron, and other im-
purities.

A perfectly pure chloride of cobalt is easily prepared from
this salt by heating it in a porcelain crucible until vapors of am-
monia and chloride of ammonium cease to be driven off. The
pure anhydrous chloride of cobalt thus obtained is characterized
by beauty of color, forming pale blue talcose scales.

To obtain the metal in a state of sponge, it is merely neces-
sary to reduce the chloride by means of hydrogen. In order
to fuse the metal, it is an indispensable precaution, to preserve
its purity, that it be effected by means of the lime crucibles as
employed by M. Sainte-Claire Deville. In connection with
these crucibles, he uses a lamp of peculiar construction, in
which the vapor of any liquid hydrocarbon, as oil of turpentine,
is completely consumed by means of an artificial blast of air.
By means of this instrument the fusion of felspar can be ac-
complished with facility. It has been found that the platinum
metals fused in these crucibles, present properties very different
from those hraretofore attributed to them, the lime serving to
deprive them of osmium and silicon.

As much carbon becomes mixed with cobalt in the ordinary
method of fusion, one of its characters, that of malleability, be-
comes entirely destroyed ; and a piece of the metal thus pre-
pared, when placed before the oxyhydrogen blowpipe, upon a
brick, in which a groove had been cut for the purpose of obtain-
ing it in the form of a bar, merely assumed an intumescent
state, without exhibiting any tendency to enter the incision.

Since this, M. Debray has found that pure molybdenum com-
pletely withstands the temperature at which platinum, &c. be-
come liquid; and that its melting-point, in a crucible of carbon
before the oxyhydrogen blowpipe, is at a temperature at which
rhodium fuses. He further states, however, that the fused mass
was contaminated with from 4 to 5 per cent, of carbon. — Lond.
Chem. Gf-az., June 15, 1859, from Proc. Charleston Nat. Hist.
Soc.

ON OXIDE OP ZINC.

435

ON OXIDE OF ZINC.
By Charles Caspari.

Hellot was the first who, in the year 1735, taught the prepa-
ration of the Oxide of Zinc by the pyro-chemical process ; and
formerly all the oxide used for pharmaceutical and medical pur-
poses was prepared by the combustion of metallic zinc. It was
this preparation which, in former years, acquired so high a
reputation as a therapeutical agent, under the names of Calx
Zinci, Flores Zinci, Lana Philosophica, Pompholix, Oxidum
Zinci, Nihilum Album, etc. To prepare it in this manner, we
expose metallic zinc to a red heat in a deep crucible, placed
somewhat obliquely in a good blast furnace. The vapors, aris-
ing from the zinc, will absorb oxygen from the air, take fire,
and burn with a splendid greenish-blue shining flame. The
oxide, thus formed, covers partly the sides of the crucible and
partly the molten metal, in the form of white flocks, which
have to be removed, now and then, with an iron spoon, so as
not to interrupt the oxidation of the zinc, and to allow a free
access of air. To remove all particles of metal, the oxide,
when cold, is washed frequently with water, passed through a
sieve, and then dried. The metallic zinc ordinarily occurring
in commerce is never entirely free from other metals, and when
oxidized in the above manner, part of the contaminating metals
are also oxidized and will be mixed with the oxide of zinc.
However, by using the better qualities of the metal, these im-
purities are only trifling and seem not to have lessened its ap-
plication for therapeutical purposes. Most of the oxide of zinc
now in use is hydro-chemically prepared by precipitating a pure
salt of zinc in such a manner as to decompose it either with
carbonate of ammonia, or with carbonate of soda. The follow-
ing mode of preparation seems to answer well all the demands
required of it, both as to cheapness as well as the quality of the
product thereby obtained.

Dissolve 17 ozs. of carbonate of soda in 6 pints of water ;
after filtration, heat the solution to the boiling point, and add
to it, by degrees, continually stirring, a filtered solution of 16
ozs. pure sulphate of zinc in 3 pints of water. The precipitate
thus obtained is not gelatinous, but more loose powder-like, and

0

436 ON OXIDE OF ZINC.

is deposited, therefore, very quickly, and is also very easily
washed out. To obtain a good precipitate, it is necessary to
have the solution of soda heated to boiling, and then to add to
it the solution of the sulphate of zinc. By mixing the solutions
cold and by pouring the solution of soda into that of the zinc, a
thick, gelatinous, bulky precipitate is produced, and it can not
be avoided, that some sub-sulphate of zinc, or some other basic
combination of sulphuric acid, is formed with the oxide ; all, or
any, of which can not so easily be washed out from the precipi-
tate, on account of their difficult solubilities.

To avoid, therefore, these inconveniences, Schindler proposed
to add the solution of zinc to that of soda, and not to mix until
the latter is heated to the boiling point. The object of treating
in this manner is perfectly attained, and the formation of a basic
salt entirely prevented. Although equal parts of carbonate of
soda and of sulphate of zinc will decompose each other, yet it
is preferable to use a small excess of the carbonate of soda, to
prevent, more completely, the formation of any basic salt.

The well washed and dried precipitate is then heated in a
crucible, until diluted sulphuric acid no longer causes an effer-
vescence ; when a small quantity, after having cooled, is tested
with it. The zinc losing its carbonic acid at much less than
red heat, it is, consequently, unnecessary to employ so high a
temperature ; and Mohr, therefore, proposes to burn it in a
glass matrass on an open coal fire, requiring only one-half the
time and fuel in this way. For this purpose, the carbonate of
zinc, triturated to fine powder, is put into a dry glass matrass
and placed on an iron ring, or in a wire net, over a moderate
coal fire. The carbonate of zinc, when heated, loses its water
and carbonic acid, and appears, during their disengagement, as
a liquid, apparently boiling in the centre.

The matrass is heated cautiously, shaking it now and then
until all the carbonic acid has passed off, and a small quantity,
taken out after cooling, no longer effervesces when brought in
contact with acids.

The oxide will now appear like any other fine powder, adher-
ing quite closely to the matrass. Small quantities can, by this
method, be very readily prepared in a few minutes by heating
them in a small matrass over a common spirit lamp. The same

ON FLUID EXTRRCT OP YARROW. 437

result will be obtained by burning carbonate of zinc in a porce-
lain dish over a moderate coal fire. The burning in a glass
matrass will be preferred, after some practice, over all other
methods ; giving the result in less time, less loss by dusting
away, and no danger of the oxide being injured by dust and
other impurities. Whenever carbonate of zinc is edulcorated
with water until the salts of baryta no longer produce any re-
action with it and then burned, after burning we see the reac-
tion again taking place, though often only slightly, but always
more or less. Mohr, therefore, recommends to rub down the
oxide of zinc, with a little distilled water, to a fine pulpy mass,
and to edulcorate it with hot distilled water, until no longer any
reaction takes place. Furthermore, this has the effect of divid-
ing and separating all those small lumps and granules generally
produced by the burning ; and the preparation, after being
dried again, will have a finer appearance and be considerably
whiter than before.-— Journ. Trans. Md. Col. of JP harm., June,
1859.

FLUID EXTRACT OF YARROW.
By Chares Tilyard.

Having been requested by a medical friend to make for him
(for use in his own case) some condensed form of the herb, and
inasmuch as no preparation of the kind was obtainable, I was
induced to experiment for the purpose ; the result was the pro-
duction of an extract satisfactory to him, beneficial in his own
case, and in the case of others for whom he has prescribed it.

Yarrow, though heretofore used in domestic practice only, and
then in the form of an infusion, possesses properties sufficiently
medicinal and valuable to warrant it in assuming its proper place
among officinal preparations.

The Physician above referred to informs me, that it possesses
tonic, astringent and expectorant properties to a degree not
generally known to the profession, and which requires in his
estimation, more attention than has heretofore been bestowed
upon it.

The following is the plan I have adopted, as producing after
several trials, the most satisfactory results. Take of Yarrow
(the recently dried herb) in coarse powder eight ounces, (offici-

438 ACTION OF NITRIC ETHER ON IODIDE OF POTASSIUM.

nal) alcohol diluted (2 parts 95 per cent, alcohol and one part
water) a sufficient quantity. Pour over the powdered herb, four
ounces of the diluted alcohol, and work through with the hands
until thoroughly moistened, allow it to stand in a covered jar
for 24 hours. Pack closely in a funnel or other displacer and
proceed to displace, until twenty-four fluid ounces are obtained,
which, if performed with proper care, will exhaust the herb, as
tested, by tasting the droppings. The resulting liquid should
be exposed in a shallow dish (in summer to a draft of air under
an open window, in winter on a shelf near the top of the room)
and allowed to evaporate spontaneously until it measures sixteen
fluid ounces. Thirty or forty grains bi-carb. potassa in powder
may then be added, which retains the extractive in solution and
clears the liquid, without interfering with its properties.

The evaporation of this fluid extract may be continued, if de-
sired, with a very gentle heat (in a water-bath) until reduced to
the consistence of an ordinary extract. The result in either
case, fluid or solid, possesses in a marked degree the sensible
and other properties of the herb, each teaspoonful representing
30 grains of the herb. — Journ. Trans. Md. Col. of Pharm.,
June, 1859.

NOTE ON THE ACTION OF NITRIC ETHER UPON IODIDE OF

POTASSIUM.

By E. JlJNCADELLA,

The action of nitric ether upon iodide of potassium is very
complex; amongst other products hydriodic ether and a little
ordinary ether are formed.

Equivalent proportions of iodide of potassium and nitric ether,
mixed with their volume of alcohol, were put into a tube and
sealed up, and then heated to 212° F. for 15 hours ; the tube,
opened after cooling, evolved a small quantity of gas, and con-
tained a liquid strongly colored by free iodine. By distilling
it, hydriodic and ordinary ether were separated.

The ordinary ether appears to result from the action of the
hydriodic ether upon alcohol in an acid liquid, in accordance
with the experiments of Eeynoso. The gaseous products and

PREPARATION OF ANHYDROUS SULPHURIC ACID. 439

the free iodine are also due to some secondary reaction produced
by the oxidizing action of the nitric acid.

The reaction which furnishes hydriodic ether is a new exam-
ple of slow decomposition between a salt and an ether ; it is
represented by the equation

C4H50,N05+KI= C4H5I + KO,N05.

Lond. Chem. Gaz., May 16, 1859. — From Comjotes Rendus, Feb. 14, 1859.

ON THE PREPARATION OF ANHYDROUS SULPHURIC ACID.

By M. Osann.

Nordhausen sulphuric acid has a spec. grav. of 1-856, and only
boils at 550° F. The consequence of these two properties is
that in the reoccupation of the space formed at the bottom of
the retort by the vapors of the acid, a percussion takes place
which may easily break the retort.

To prevent such an accident, the author made use of a well-
known means, consisting in the introduction of a coiled up pla-
tinum wire into the acid. It is necessary that one end of the
wire should touch the bottom of the vessel, and the other pro-
ject above the surface of the fluid. By this means the distilla-
tion of sulphuric acid may be effected over an Argand lamp
without any danger.

In this case the author remarked that the distillate contained
a much larger quantity of anhydrous sulphuric acid than is ob-
tained by distillation without the platinum wire.

The receiver was placed in a water-bath at 50° F. White
flakes were then seen in the distillate ; they gradually increased,
and it was observed that about half the acid became consoli-
dated into a white mass of anhydrous sulphuric acid. If the
receiver be taken out of the water-bath and exposed to the air,
a portion of the distillate evaporates, whilst the rest solidifies to
anhydrous acid. The author makes the following remarks in
explanation of this fact.

The boiling-point of a fluid depends partly upon its individual
nature, partly upon the pressure of the atmosphere, and lastly,
in part upon the pressure exerted by superior strata of fluid
upon the lower ones, supposing the heat to be applied from be-
low. If the uppermost stratum of the fluid be brought to the

440 ACRID PRINCIPLE OF RANUNCULUS SCELERATUS.

boiling-point, there is only the pressure of the atmosphere to be
overcome ; but if, on the contrary, the lowest stratum be heated
to boiling, the pressure of the upper strata is to be overcome
besides that of the atmosphere. The fluid must, therefore, in
this case, boil at a higher temperature ; but if there be in it a
coiled platinum wire, passing from below upwards, the heat will
be conducted from the bottom to the superior strata, and the
uppermost stratum will boil sooner than the lowest. Now it is
evident that as oil of vitriol is a mixture of anhydrous and hy-
dra ted acid, and the former boils at a lower temperature than
the latter, the anhydrous acid will carry over more of the hy-
drated acid with it when the distillation is carried on at a high
temperature, than when it is effected at a lower one. If, there-
fore, the uppermost stratum boils, comparatively very little of
the hydrated acid can be carried over. The author, however,
thinks it not improbable that the catalytic action of the plati-
num may have something to do with the effect produced. —
Ibid., from VerhandL der Wurzburger phys.-med. Gfesellsch., Oct.
30, 1858.

ON THE ACRID PRINCIPLE OF RANUNCULUS SCELERATUS.
By 0. L. Erdmann.

In compliance with the request of Professor Clarus, who is in-
vestigating the physiological and therapeutical action of Pulsa-
tilla and other Ranunculaceae, the author made some experiments
with the acrid principle of Ranunculus sceleratus.

The fresh juice mixed with the aqueous liquid from the second
expression of the plant, with the addition of water, yields an
acrid clear distillate of a disagreeable odor, which, whether
kept in open vessels, or in well filled and corked vials, is ren-
dered milky, and gradually precipitates anemonic acid, which
Schwarz obtained from the aqueous distillate of Anemone
Pulsatilla s. Pulsatilla pratensis. Dr. Trommsdorff remarks,
that from a concentrated Aqua pulsatilla, anemonic acid, besides
anemoninis separated in open and in well corked bottles; anemonic
acid is precipitated first, anemonin afterwards ; the not con-
centrated water only precipitates anemonic acid ; accordingly,

ON THE WEIGHT OF DROPS.

441

it is not probable that anemonin by the atmospheric oxygen is
oxydized to anemonic acid.

Neither anemonic acid, nor anemonin, are volatilized with the
vapors of water. The distillate of Ranunculus sceleratus, on
being shaken with ether, imparted to it a yellowish color ; after
evaporation of the ether, a golden yellow oil was left behind,
heavier than water, vesicating when applied to the skin, and on
smelling violently aifecting the eyes. It has no reaction on litmus,
and contains no sulphur. It gradually hardens to a white horn-
like mass, thereby losing its odor ; the supernatant aqueous
liquid precipitated much flocculent anemonic acid. The moisture
cannot be removed by chloride of calcium, the oil hardening
the same as under water. Alcohol and chloroform extract
anemonin from the hornlike mass, leaving anemonic acid behind.

The acrid principle of Ranunculus sceleratus is a volatile oil,
which is easily changed into anemonin and anemonic acid ;
whether the contact of water or of air is necessary, could not be
determined. Anemonic acid has no medicinal properties, ane-
monin possesses very little acrimony, but acts as a narcotic
poison. — Journ. f. praJct. Ohem. lxxv. — Buchners N. Repert.
viii. 55-58. j. m. m.

ON THE WEIGHT OF DROPS.
By Dr. J. J. Bernoulli.

The author was unable to find in pharmaceutical works any
reliable facts concerning the weight of drops, and besides
Mohr's, in his Pharmacopoeia Universalis, II. 915, very few ex-
periments. All statements are mostly based upon arbitrary
suppositions, like that of the Bavarian Pharmacopoeia of 1856,
which states that " a drop is equal to 1 grain only of such liquids
which are like chloroform considerably heavier than water."
Evan L. Gmelin says in his " Handbook," « the cohesion of
liquids is pretty nearly in proportion to their specific gravity."
But the size of the drops must be dependent also on adhesion,
and vary if dropped from vessels made of different material.
There has been too little attention paid to this matter, which
in many cases may probably give us a clearer insight into the

442

GLYCEROLE OF LEAP.

purity of some liquids, and the standard strength of some phar-
maceutical preparations than the specific gravity can do ; it is
therefore to be recommended to make investigations with great
accuracy, keeping in view the nature of the vessel, the tem-
perature, the rapidity of dropping, and other circumstances cal-
culated to affect the weight. The following are the medium
results of the author's investigations, the figures in parenthesis
denoting either the specific gravity, or the proportion of the
articles contained in the liquids. 1 Swiss drachm= 3.9062
grammes, gave drops of

Acetum plumbi (1.33) 42

Acidum aceticum 50

" hydrocyan. spirit 126

u muriat. cone. (1.15).. 48

" " dilut. (1.018) 46

u sulphur, cone, angl 100

" " dilut. (1:6) 70

.Ether 204

" aceticus 135

Alcohol sulphuris 104

Amylen 160

Aqua destillata 52

Bals. Copaivae 105

" Peruvianum 65

Chloroform 126

Elix. Acidum Halleri (1:1) 100

Kreosot 100

Liq. Ammonias caust 63

" Zinci muriat. (1:1) 47

Mixt. sulph. acida (1:3) 124

Mucilago Gi. arabici (1:3) 42

Oleum Amygdal. seth.. 80

« " dulc 89

" Anisi 113

« Carvi 118

" Caryophyl 108

" Chamom. aeth 146

" Croton Tigl 204

" Fceniculi 100

" Menthse pip 126

" Rosse 142

" Terebinth 105

Petroleum 130

Solutio Argenti nitr. (1:5) 64

" Arsenic. Fowl 67

Camphorae alcoh. (1:2) 140

« Extr. Bellad. (1:2) 126

" " Hyoscyami (1:2) 126

" Lactucarii Gallici (1:2) 84

" Morphiae acetat. (1:7) 48

" Plumbi acetat. (1:5) 27

" Potassae carbonat. (1:2)..... 36

" " nitratis (1:5) 45

" Potassii iodidi (1:1) 78

" Sodas carbonat.(l:3) 34

" " nitratis (1:2) 89

Spiritus aethereus 152

" camphoratus ..120

" muriatico-aether 150

" nitrico-aether — 150

" vini30°Beck 152

" " 20° " .. 141

Syrupus simplex 42

Tinctura Aloes (1:6) 124

1£ Castorei spirit ....120

Cincbon. comp 136

" Ferri pomati 89

<« Iodinii (1:11) 158

" Opii crocata 82

" " simplex 134

" Rhei vinosa 76

" Valerianae aether 158

Vinum Antimonii 71

—(Sohweizer. Zeitschr.f. Pharm. 1858, 97-100.) J. M. M.

GLYCEROLE OF LEAD.
By Charles Tiltard.
The following is suggested as a substitute for Goulard's Cerate.
This cerate, as is well known, becomes speedily rancid, and in

mel nosm.

443

that state is more irritating than soothing to inflamed surfaces.
The substitute does not change, is easily washed off with water,
and can be reduced to any desired extent, for the purposes of a
wash, with rose or distilled water.

Pure Glycerin, ..... 13| oz. (fluid).

Solution of Sub-acetate of Lead, . 2| oz. «

Camphor, ...... i drachm.

Triturate the camphor into powder with a few drops of alcohol,
add the glycerin, heat in a water-bath until the camphor is dis-
solved, when cool add the solution of lead and shake well to-
gether. These proportions are those for Goulard's Cerate,
substituting glycerin for the oil and wax. — Journ. Trans. Md.
Col. of Pharm., June, 1859.

MEL ROS^E.
By Israel J. Grahame.

In the preparation of Mel Rosse of the Pharmacopoeia a short
time since, the writer was desirous of obtaining a result possess-
ing more fully the characteristics contemplated by the formula,
than any that he had seen made in accordance with it. Although
it is a preparation of very limited use, yet it is believed that, if
properly made, it would be more generally resorted to, not only
as an agreeable but valuable astringent " addition to the gar-
gles employed in inflammation and ulceration of the mouth and
throat."

The following formula will be found easy of execution and
productive of a handsome and otherwise satisfactory result :
Take of Red Rose leaves, in powder, (No. 50 sieve,) 2 ounces.

Clarified Honey, ... 20 fluid ounces.
Diluted Alcohol, . . . sufficient quantity.
Oil of Roses, .... 4 drops.
Dampen the powder with the diluted alcohol and pack moder-
ately firmly in a glass funnel displacer — place over the surface
a piece of perforated filtering paper, and pour on the menstruum ;
set aside the first six fluid-drachms of liquid which pass, continue
the percolation to exhaustion (about 6 fluid-ounces) — reduce this
by water-bath at a temperature not exceeding 160° F., to ten

26

444

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

fluid-drachms, and having mixed this with the portion first ob-
tained, add the oil of rose and mix the fluid extract thus made
with the clarified honej.

As thus prepared Honey of Roses is highly astringent, and
possesses much richness of color and flavor. — Journ. Trans. Md.
Col. PI i arm., June, 1859.

ON THE ESTIMATION OF THE ORGANIC MATTER OF THE

AIR.

By Robert Angus Smith, Esq., Ph. D., F. R. S.

After describing the opinions concerning organic matter in
the air, and the various attempts made to estimate the amount,
the lecturer described a method of obtaining the relative quan-
tity by means of mineral chameleon, permanganate of potash or
soda. This mineral had been proposed by Forchammer as a mode
of estimating the organic matter in water, but it was capable of
estimating quantities much more minute. At first the air was
passed through the solution of chameleon, but this was not found
to cause complete action. It was necessary that the air should
remain for some time in contact with the solution to be decom-
posed. It was then ascertained that the relative amount of or-
ganic and other oxidizable matter in air could be found by a
simple metrical experiment in a few minutes.

The lecturer then said : — In working out this idea, it has been
found that a vessel of the capacity of 80 to 100 cubic inches is
the most convenient. This is equal to rather less than a quart
and a half, [Imp. mea.] and rather more than a litre and a half.

The solution of chameleon used must be extremely weak, so
that small quantities cannot readily be distinguished by gaslight.
600 grains of it are required to decompose 5 grains of a standard
solution of oxalic acid. The standard solution of oxalic acid is
so made that 1000 grains neutralize 1 grain of carbonate of
soda. A thousand grains contain therefore 1-184 grain of crys-
tallized oxalic acid.

To prepare the solution, a manganate was formed by heating
nitrate and carbonate of soda and manganese, assisted by a little
chlorate of potash. There was the most minute trace of nitrate

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

445

remaining in the solution. Perhaps chlorate of potash would
have been better, but I had no idea at the time of the difficulty
afterwards found in obtaining the same quality. A solution of
this manganate was made in pure water, and carbonic acid
passed through until a reddish purple shade was obtained. It
was then tested by oxalic acid, adding three or four drops of
pure sulphuric acid. The purest water obtainable was added to
dilute it to the proper amount. This often failed; and I have
sometimes for a whole week failed to obtain the proper solution.
Although I call it permanganate, it is not entirely so ; it is a
mixture of manganate and permanganate. A permanganate of
the strength described has a dingy appearance and uncertain
color. I do not doubt that a pure permanganate of a suitable
strength may be obtained pleasant to work with. There is some
difficulty in obtaining pure water for preparing the solution. If
allowed to stand for some time with a manganate it becomes
purified.

The solution of chameleon is apt to change, although slowly,
even when it is hermetically sealed in a glass tube. The solu-
tion described had become nearly colorless when sealed up her-
metically for about three months. It is found readily to change
when it is exposed to air by frequent removal of the stopper of
the bottle containing it. Its strength must be tested occasion-
ally ; and if it differs from the standard, a calculation must be
made for its reduction. The strength of the permanganate solu-
tion is extremely small. A few grains of the ordinary solutions
of manganese used will make some thousand grains of the solu-
tion here employed. The reason of this lies in the extremely
small amounts of organic matter found in even the worst air.

The vessel used is simply a bottle with a perforated stopper,
through which pass two tubes. To one of these a stopcock is
attached, to the other a clasp or stopcock. The standard size
proposed is 100 cubic inches ; and to this all the experiments
have been reduced ; the vessels actually used contain between 80
and 100 cubic inches of air. The stopcock is of glass, or of hard
caoutchouc, which is still better. When the bottle is to be filled
with the air to be tested, the stopper is removed, and the pipe
of an exhausting pump is inserted, reaching to the bottom of the
bottle. The pump is made like a cylindrical bellows of about 8

446

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

inches long when stretched out, and about 4 in diameter, and is
compressible into the thickness of about 2 inches. The sides
are made of thin Mackintosh cloth. By the use of the pump the
air of the vessel is removed, and the external air of course enters.
A few strokes of the pump are sufficient, i. e. from 6 to 10.
After ten strokes I perceive no change, and am inclined to think
that it is an unnecessary number. The test liquid is poured into
a graduated tube or burette, containing somewhat more than will
be required. A portion is then poured into the tube which
passes through the stopper, and the stopcock is opened to allow
it to pass. Small quantities are used ; when it has entered the
bottle, the liquid is made to spread over the sides, and time given
it to be exposed to the action of the air ; it is found that in five
or six minutes a decided epoch is attained from which to date
the comparative action.

In order to see the color the liquid must be allowed to trickle
down the sides of the vessel, and collect itself at one point of the
circumference at either end of the cylindrical part of the bottle.
This part must be raised up to the level of the eye, so that the
longest axis may be presented to the sight, and thereby the
deepest shade of color. It requires some time to accustom one-
self to the sight of such a small amount of color; but when it is
once well observed, it will be found to be a method which will
admit of the greatest precision. The first few drops which are
poured in will probably be decolorized at once : a few drops more
must then be added ; if they become decolorized, a few more
must be used ; and so on until there is a perceptible amount of
color remaining. When this occurs, the experiment is con-
cluded. The amount of the reagent used is then read ofi° from
the graduated measure. If the liquid be of the proper strength,
and the bottle the required size, the number of grains gives the
comparative quantity at once. Sometimes the amount of organic
matter is so small that there is no appreciable action, on even
the smallest amount of solution by one vessel of air. In this
case it is necessary to fill the bottle several times. The mode
of doing this is apparently extremely rude, but the results are
such as not to demand a finer method at present. A finer
method, of course, would need little ingenuity to contrive. At
present I merely remove the stopper and fill again with air as

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

447

before. During the period of filling the vessel the surface of the
liquid is reduced to its smallest amount, and the change it under-
goes is either inappreciable, or so constant as not to affect the
results.

In analysing the air in this manner, it is found that a decided
result is attained in about five minutes. Sometimes the result
is decided in one ; that is, there is a termination to the rapid ac-
tion. This peculiarity is probably to be explained by the follow-
ing experiments. If we pour decomposing matter on the per-
manganate solution, it is rapidly destroyed. If the matter be
not in a state of decomposition, the action is much slower.

These different results promise a mode of dividing the organic
matter of the air into classes according to its quality. These
facts are mentioned merely as germs of a future inquiry. In
large towns, where coals containing much sulphur are burnt, the
sulphurous acid takes the oxygen of the chameleon, and an ap-
parently large amount of organic matter results. This sulphur-
ous acid is of itself an impurity, perhaps as hurtful as some kinds
of organic matter.

We measure by this means the amount of oxygen needful for
the oxidizable matter of the atmosphere, and all such matter is
impurity, in some places entirely organic ; in others, such as
towns, mixed with inorganic gases.

Some of the principal results obtained by this method were as
follows : —

Relative quantities of Organic and other Oxidizable Matter in the

Air of*

Manchester (average of 131 experiments) . . . 52-9
" All Saints, E. wind (37 experiments) . . 524
" " W. wind, less smoky (33 expts.) 49-1

« « E. wind, above 70° F. (16 expts.) 584

« « « below 70° F. (21 expts.) 48-0

" In a house kept rather close . . . 60-7

In ajpigstye uncovered ....... 109-7

* A few of these result3 were published in the ' Athenaeum ' during last sum-
mer. The present numbers are somewhat higher, being reduced, for the sake
of uniformity, to correspond to a vessel of 100 cubic inches.

448

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

Thames at City, no odor perceived after the warmest

weather of 1858 584

Thames at Lambeth ....... 43-2

" Waterloo Bridge 43-2

London in warm weather (six experiments) . . . 29.2

" after a thunder-storm ..... 12*3

In the fields S. of Manchester 13»7

" N. of Highgate, wind from London . . 12-3

Fields during warm weather in N. Italy . . . 6-6

Moist fields near Milan 18-1

Open sea, calm (German Ocean, 60 miles from Yarmouth) 3-3

Hospice of St. Bernard, in a fog . . . . 2-8

N". Lancashire ....... about same

Forest at Chamouni ....... 2-8

Lake Lucerne ........ 1-4

The first experiments undertaken were in Manchester, and the
average amount obtained was in the city about 50, gradually
diminishing in moving towards the country until it was found in
the fields at 13 ; on passing a sewer stream about a mile from
the outskirts, the amount rose to 83. The atmosphere on the
Thames was not measured whilst at its worst, but immediately
afterwards ; when, however, it had ceased to affect the senses of
most persons at least, the amount was very high, viz. 58. I was
anxious to know how far the Thames affected the atmosphere of
London, and tried some experiments : the result was that the in-
fluence appeared to cease almost immediately ; the fact of a block
of houses standing in the way was enough to prevent the in-
fluence ; when at the worst this may not have been the case ; to
arrive at the other side of the block, the vapor would generally
require to rise high, so that it would become mixed with a great
deal of air. The amount obtained in a few trials in the streets
of London was 22 to 34 ; going on to Highgate, the numbers
sank from 33 to 24; on descending the north side of Highgate
Hill a distinct change was perceived, the numbers being 18; the
wind meantime was blowing from the city : the few experiments
made in the fields in summer gave 10 to 12. The numbers 6 to
18 were obtained in Switzerland and Lombardy. The moist
fields around Milan gave 18 ; when the water passes off the rice

ORGANIC MATTER OF THE AIR.

449

fields, producing the unhealthy season, I do not doubt that the
amount will be much higher. It was not convenient for me to
stay, nor to go further to places distinctly infected with malaria.
I was desirous of trying it in some of the hovels of the Vallois
and the Yal d'Aosta, but the weather being fine, and the people
living much out of doors, the inquiry was not encouraging. The
few experiments made did not give very striking results, whereas
the lower parts of our own towns gave results most decided. I
imagine the cause of this to be that a drier air does not allow
the offensive matter to rise so readily. This fact has many
ramifications, but it will explain several difficulties in our sani-
tary science. It is with the assistance of moisture that the
organic matter is conveyed into the air.

Moisture itself, as may be supposed, does not produce any ac-
tion on the test ; one of the lowest numbers obtained was on the
German Ocean, about 60 miles from land; the day was calm and
clear. In the straits of Dover, when the wind was blowing
briskly from the German Sea, the amount obtained was very
high, but as there was a slight spray the experiments were dis-
regarded. About 8000 feet high on the Alps, a dense fog
showed also one of the smallest amounts obtained ; the ground
was entirely bare rock, and could not give out organic matter.
The amount was 2-8.

The influence of height was very decided ; in the higher
grounds of Lancashire, near Preston, the numbers being from 2
to 4. A wind blowing down from the Mer de Glace gave rather
more than at a lower point, although coming down the hill; a
dry pine forest in the neighborhood, although very fragrant, did
not appear to raise the number. The influence of the sea and
of height seem equally decided.

A few hasty experiments made in the hothouses at Kew led
me to believe that there was less increase there than might have
been expected, the amounts obtained being less than in London,
but more than outside the houses, where it was cooler. At the
same time weeks or months should be given, when only hours
were allowed for the experiments.

The influence of heat appears to be to increase the amount,
when there is moisture present.

450

BITTER WINE OF IRON.

The influence of dryness seems to be towards diminishing the
amount.

The influence of great cold has not been tried yet.

The influence of rain in hot weather, to some extent of course
a cooling influence, but chiefly a means of washing the air, seems
most decided. After a thunder-storm and shower at Camden
Square, the number, which was previously 31, fell to 12.

The influence of our towns, especially our smoky towns, is
most decided also ; it is easy to tell by this test, when in the out-
skirts of a town, whether the wind is blowing from the town or
the country.

A distinct difference was always found between the front and
back of Manchester houses : a similar difference obtained when
a room had been inhabited for some time, and the difference was
of course very marked when the smell of a sewer came into the
house. I had a good opportunity of observing this in my labora-
tory last year.

It must be remembered that the numbers given for some places
were obtained on one day of the year only, and we must be care-
ful not to draw too many conclusions : we have yet to learn what
kind organic matter is wholesome and what is unwholesome. I
believe that this is the next great point to be attended to ; at
present we are only becoming able to ascertain the gross amount.
I feel this caution to be needful, lest the numbers should be used
to prove too much London Chem. Graz., May 2, 1859.

BITTER WINE OF IRON.
By William S. Thompson.
Having been requested by a medical friend to make the pre-
paration above named, to contain one grain of Wetherill's pre-
cipitated extract of bark and two grains of citrate of iron in a
teaspoonful of sherry wine, I devised th . following formula, after
several experiments :

Take of solution of persulphate of iron (containing 60 grains of
dry oxide to the fluid ounce,) . 17j fluid-drachms.
Citric acid, «... 6 drachms.
Sherry wine, .... 24 fluid-ounces.
"Water of ammonia, . . .a sufficient quantity.
Wetherill's precipitated extract of bark, 224 grains.

MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE OF BARYTA. 451

Dissolve the precipitated extract of bark in the wine and filter
through paper. Dilute the solution of persulphate of iron with
a sufficient quantity of water, (about one quart) and add a suffi-
cient quantity of water of ammonia to precipitate the peroxide ;
wash the precipitate in the usual manner, drain it on a muslin
filter, transfer the washed magma to a porcelain dish, and add
the citric acid previously reduced to a fine powder, then apply a
gentle heat, stirring constantly until the oxide is dissolved, when
add three and a half drachms of water of ammonia ; taking care
that the latter is not in excess. The bright green solution of
ammonio-percitrate of iron obtained, should be reduced by gentle
evaporation to four fluid ounces, and then poured into the 24
fluid-ounces of vinous solution of precipitated extract of bark,
above described. Our medical friend prefers, in some cases, the
above preparation of half the given strength, which is prepared
by using wine enough to make the whole measure 56 instead of
28 fluid-ounces. The flavor of the wine may be improved by the
addition of a small quantity of strong tincture of orange peel,

or a few drops of fresh oil of orange Journ* Trans, Md. CoL

Pharm., June, 1859.

ON THE MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE OF BARYTA.
By J. Pelouze.

Several manufacturers of chemicals prepare sulphate of bary-
ta, known by the name of " baryta-white," by treating native car-
bonate of baryta with hydrochloric acid, and precipitating the
solution obtained by sulphuric acid ; thus regenerating the hy-
drochloric acid which may be used for further operations.

This sulphate, in spite of its being dearer than that which is
prepared by other less costly processes, is always preferred to
the latter for painting.

I have discovered that a sulphate of baryta, similar to that
now in question, can be obtained by treating directly carbonate
of baryta with dilute sulphuric acid, without its being necessary
to pulverize the former. A very small quantity of hydrochloric
acid, 3 to 4 hundredths for example, is added to the diluted
sulphuric acid, and the whole kept at a slight ebullition. The

252

MANUFACTURE OF SULPHATE BARYTA.

pieces of carbonate of baryta, no matter how large, are acted
upon and completely transformed into a fine white power en-
tirely composed of sulphate of baryta, and of the greatest tenuity.

If the same experiment is made without the addition of hy-
drochloric acid, the carbonate is acted upon very slowly. The
part which hydrocholoric acid plays in this reaction is easily un-
derstood. It forms a soluble chloride of barium which sulphu-
ric acid decomposes, reproducing hydrochloric acid always in
the same quantity, so that it is in fact the latter acid, not the
sulphuric acid, which acts upon the carbonate of baryta.

This experiment becomes still more interesting if dilute sul-
phuric acid be placed with a few pieces of carbonate of baryta
in two matrasses, and brought to a boiling-point ; then with the
end of a glass rod introduce into one of them a few drops of hy-
drochloric acid. A white powder will be seen to detach itself in
increasing quantity from the pieces of carbonate, and at the same
time an effervescence will take place owing to the disengage-
ment of the carbonic acid. In the other matrass nothing of the
kind takes place ; the liquid is hardly rendered turbid by a
scarcely perceptible trace of sulphate of baryta.

In this case a similar phenomenon takes place, as in the man-
ufacture of white lead by the Dutch process, in which a trace of
vinegar is sufficient to determine the oxidation of an enormous
quantity of lead. Without the agency of that acid the lead
would not be acted upon by air or carbonic acid. In like man-
ner, although in a lesser degree, carbonate of baryta resists the
action of sulphuric acid without the presence of hydrochloric
acid.

I thought that marble would be acted upon still more easily
than carbonate of baryta by a mixture of diluted sulphuric acid
and a small quantity of hydrochloric acid ; but my experiments
have given a result contrary to my expectations. Under the
same conditions as those pointed out for carbonate of baryta,
marble is acted upon with more difficulty and more slowly than the
last named salt. The addition of a relatively large quantity of
hydrochloric acid shortens very little the time it takes to be con-
verted into sulphate of lime. The pieces of marble are deeply
impregnated with sulphate of lime. I do not know the cause of
this difference of action ; but, at all events, I have been obliged

ON HiEMATOXLIN.

453

to give up the hope which I entertained that marbled and com-
pact calcareous stones, under the influence of dilute sulphuric
acid and a small quantity of hydrochloric acid, might produce an
easy and regular disengagement of carbonic acid without being
previously pulverized, which might have been turned to useful
account by manufacturers of aerated waters. — Lon. Ohem. Graz.
June 1, 1859, from Comptes Rendus, April 18, 1859.

ON HEMATOXYLIN.

By 0. L. Erdmann.

The following experiments were made by C. Hesse in Erd-
mann's laboratory. The hematoxylin was prepared by Erd-
mann's method by means of aqueous ether. By subsequent
recrystallization from water, to which a little sulphite of am-
monia or soda is added, it is obtained in perfectly colorless
crystals. These contain more or less water of crystallization
as was previously stated by the author. Crystals with a larger
quantity of water of crystallization were analysed ; the analysis
agreed well with the formula given by Gerhardt, C32 Hu O12 -f-
6H0,—

Found. Calculated from Frevious experiments

C40H17Q15. C32H14Q12. ofErdmann.

C 63-21 63-67 63-57 63-19 63-62 63-72 63-66 63-17

H 4-68 4-51 4-63 4-65 4-70 4-69 4-68 4-70

C40 015 C32 H14 012

+ 8HO. +6HO.

Wta^ionS"} 15'30 16-°3 15'U 16<3T 16'51 16,09

If a solution supersaturated at ordinary temperature be left
standing, larger crystals are obtained in time ; these usually
have smooth faces which are sometimes strongly curved.

The crystals with a smaller quantity of water of crystalliza-
tion were determined by Naumann. They belong to the rhombic
system. The amount of water found was =5-40, 5.53, 5-61
per cent., the formula requires 5-62 per cent.

When hematoxylin is treated with boiled solution of potash
in an atmosphere of hydrogen, it is but slightly colored even by

454

ON HEMATOXYLIN.

boiling. When saturated with sulphuric acid, the fluid becomes
red ; but white hematoxylin may be obtained from it again.
Carbonate of soda behaves in the same way. Yeast (in a few
days at 86° F.) or emulsine (in 6 hours at 113° F.) colors the
solution of the substance red ; it then contains some hemateine
besides hematoxylin. Even concentrated muriatic acid effects
no essential decomposition.

Hematoxylin reduces Fehling's solution. It diverts the
plane of polarization strongly to the right. The experiments
show for 1 grin. C12 H14 O12 in 100 grms. of water, with a length
of tube of 200 millims., an average of — 1°-85 to the right.

Hematoxylin is soluble in a cold saturated solution of borax
until it comes to the consistence of a syrup. From a solution of
this kind the coloring matter cannot be recovered in a crystal-
line form by evaporation. By taking up hematoxylin the
solution of borax loses its basic reaction, and afterwards has
either a neutral or weakly alkaline reaction upon litmus-paper.
The borax cannot be precipitated from such a solution by abso-
lute alcohol, or by a mixture of absolute alcohol and ether. It
exhibits a bluish fluorescence.

If a few drops of muriatic acid be let fall into this fluid, a
violent movement is observed in it, and in 10 — 20 seconds the
entire fluid is converted into a dense crystalline mass. The
vessel may then be turned upside down, without the mother-
liquor flowing out. But within a few hours a conversion of the
crystals commences ; granular crystals make their appearance,
and settle to the bottom of the vessel, and above them there is
a large quantity of fluid. These granular crystals consist of
C32 H14 012+2HO. Sulphuric acid and acetic acid behave in
the same way as muriatic acid. If, on the other hand, a con-
centrated solution of chloride of sodium be dropped into such a
solution, each drop sinks to the bottom enveloped in an amor-
phous mass. In this way many drops of solution of chloride of
sodium may be seen depositing themselves one upon the other
in the boracic solution. If the fluid be stirred round, a slimy,
emulsive fluid is produced, from which a tenacious mass is de-
posited in a short time. This posesses a silky lustre, which is
caused by small cavities. The mass, which is at first but slightly
colored, soon becomes red, as it is very sensitive to light and

ON HEMATOXYLIN. 455

ammonia. It dissolves pretty readily in boiling water or alcohol,
but separates in its previous form on the cooling of the solution.
It consists of amorphous hematoxylin, and this may perhaps
be the reason why solution of hematoxylin in biborate of soda
produces a greater or less deviation in polarized light. A simi-
lar behaviour to that of chloride of sodium is also exhibited by
the chlorides of potassium and ammonium, ferrocyanide of pot-
assium, and bisulphite of ammonia, but chloride of sodium gives
the most beautiful precipitate. Oxalate of potash, and sulphate,
phosphate, and carbonate of soda produce no precipitates. Bi-
sulphite of ammonia dropped into the solution of hematoxylin
in borax, immediately produces a slimy precipitate. This dis-
appears when the solution is boiled, but separates again in its
characteristic form on its cooling. By continued dropping of
bisulphite of ammonia into the syrupus fluid, the point is soon
reached at which the amorphous hematoxylin disappears.
Crystals of hematoxylin are then very soon obtained. If
amorphous hematoxylin be dissolved in boiling water, and a
drop of muriatic acid be added to it, so that a distinctly acid
reaction is produced, crystals are very soon obtained, usually
with 2IIO.

Hyposulphite of soda when heated dissolves considerable quan-
tities of crystallized hematoxyline ; the solution has a purple
color, and on cooling deposits amorphous hematoxylin, which
appears somewhat colored.

Hematoxylin is rather difficult of solution in solution of chlo-
ride of sodium, but dissolves more readily in solution of chloride of
barium. From the latter fluid the crystals C32 H14 012+6HO sepa-
rated, but in the course of 24 hours these had become com-
pletely transformed into C32 H14 012+2HO. Phosphate of soda,

PO5, is capable of dissolving a large quantity of he-

matoxylin, and behaves very like the solution of borax, but
retains its basic reaction. When carefully employed, it but
slightly reddens hematoxylin — Qhem. Cfaz., June 15th, 1859,
from Journ. fitr Prakt. Chemie.

456 A COMPOUND OF IODIDE AND NITRATE OF SILVER.

A COMPOUND OF IODIDE AND NITEATE OF SILVER.

Dr. II of maim has described, at a meeting of the Chemical
Society, a compound of iodide and nitrate of silver, which was
obtained by treating a mixture of iodide and oxide of silver with
nitric acid. He found that the iodide fused in the boiling
liquid, forming an oily-looking stratum at the bottom of the ves-
sel, which solidified on cooling into a crystalline mass. This
salt, when treated with water, was resolved into nitrate and
iodide of silver. Upon further examination of this compound,
he found that its composition varies according to the relative
quantities of its constituents originally present, and the amount
of nitric acid employed. From the result of several experiments,
he found the limits of combination in the fusible compound to
be as follows : —

#

I. II.

Nitrate of Silver, . . 69.52 . . 33.67
Iodide of ditto . . . 29.84 . . 65M

The first of these results corresponds to the formula 3(AgO,
NO5), Agl, while the second may be represented as 2(AgO, NO5),
S(Agl).

By continued ebullition, the proportion of iodide of silver may
be still further increased, but the compound then no longer
fuses in boiling concentrated nitric acid.

A combination of iodide and nitrate has been also observed
and suspected by other chemists, although no analysis or exami-
nation appears to have been made, excepting by Dr. Hofmann.
Mr. F. Maxwell Lyte, in a recent letter to the Journal of the
Photographic Society, alludes to such a combination : —

"It is, I believe, allowed by many, though not by all, that
there does exist a compound of the iodide with the nitrate of
silver ; but the various forms and properties of this substance,
and the important part it plays in photography, have been little,
if at all, separately examined, and I now propose to mention a
few facts and considerations with regard to it.

"We have the iodo-nitrate of silver, if we may so call it, under
three different forms: — First, in solution, when we dissolve
iodide of silver in the negative nitrate bath ; secondly, in the

*

A COMPOUND OF IODIDE AND NITRATE OF SILVER. 457

amorphous form, as it appears on the surface of the collodion
plate ; and, thirdly, it may be obtained in the crystalline form
by adding recently precipitated iodide of silver to a nearly satu-
rated solution of silver nitrate, when it will be found that much
of the iodide, which at first dissolves, reprecipitates as a crystal-
line iodo-nitrate, and that even the excess of iodide which re-
mains undissolved slowly becomes converted into a similar crys-
talline deposit. This crystalline iodo-nitrate is sensitive to
light, like the amorphous deposit on the sensitized plate, and it
may be dried without losing its crystalline form ; but as soon as
it is touched by water it decomposes, loses its silver nitrate, and
by sufficiently prolonged washing, becomes reconverted into sil-
ver iodide, as insensible to light as it was before being placed in
contact with the silver nitrate. The amorphous deposit on the
plate is subject to exactly the same laws, only it is rather more
sensitive than the crystalline iodo-nitrate, a difference probably
attributable to the crystalline form of the latter; but by washing,
it loses, like it, its combined nitrate, and becomes equally in-
sensible to light, while at the same time it passes from a straw-
yellow to a pale primrose.

" jSTow, what results from the consideration of the above
facts?* Simply, that by their means we are enabled to explain
several of the rules which practice has from time to time given
to photography. As the iodide of silver, when placed in a con-
centrated solution of silver nitrate, first dissolves and then re-
precipitates as crystalline iodo-nitrate, we can understand why
it is that in practice it is found inconvenient to employ a bath
of nitrate of silver over a certain strength, as it infallibly de-
stroys the sensitive film ; and for a similar reason we should not
allow the nitrate bath to concentrate by evaporation and dry on
the plate. Again, we destroy the sensibility of the plate by
prolonged washing, since we thus decompose the iodo-nitrate
upon its surface, as above described ; and, lastly, when we wish
to preserve the sensibility of a collodion plate, we wash it with a

* " It is also curious to observe the change of color which takes place when
iodide of silver, which ha3 been precipitated in presence of an excess of iodide
of potassium, is added, after being well washed, to a solution of silver nitrate .
when its color will be seen to change at once from pale primrose to a deeper
and more brilliant yellow."

458 THE ADELHEID SPRING.

glutinous or syrupy liquid, which, by enclosing each atom of the
iodo-nitrate, protects it from decomposition while we are getting
rid of the superfluous nitrate.*

» Is it not also highly probable that the accelerating action
of many salts, as acetates, nitrates, fluorides, &c, the use of
which has been so much questioned by some, and recommended
by others, may be attributable to the formation of iodo-acetate,
iodo-fluoride, &c. of silver ? Iodide of silver is not the only
salt of this metal which possesses the property of retaining the
nitrate in combination. The chloride and bromide have the
same property, though in a less degree, and probably many
others also ; and we find the following passage in Turner s
Chemistry, under the head of < Tribasic Phosphate of Oxide of
Silver:' — 4 This compound subsides of a characteristic yellow
color, when the rhombic phosphate of soda is mixed in solution
with nitrate of oxide of silver. ... It is apt to retain some of
the nitrate in combination.' This doubtless arises from a simi-
lar reaction to the one I have described above." — London
Pharm. Jour, and Trans. July, 1859.

THE ADELHEID SPRING,

An Iodo-bromine Water at Heilbrunn, in Bavaria.
Communicated by A. Albright, Esq.

The small village of Heilbrunn (literally Healing-water}, lies
eight German miles from Munich, near Benedictbeuren, formerly
a monastery, upon a considerable elevation, commanding charm-
ing prospects. According to historical traditions, it may be
considered the oldest medicinal spring in Bavaria, and it is said
to have been destroyed, together with the monastery to which it

* " It was the knowledge of the fact of the existence of this iodo-nitrate of
silver — which is decomposable by water, but not so by washing with a weaker
nitrate bath — which induced me, when I first published my e Honey Process,
to recommend the addition of nitrate of silver to the syrup. This addition has
since been proved by Mr. Shadbolt to be, with certain precautions, unnecessary,
as the glutinous nature of the honey itself, coupled with the porosity of the
collodion film in which the iodo-nitrate is formed, suffices to protect that com-
pound from decomposition.5'

THE ADELHEID SPRING.

459

belonged, by the Hungarians in 935. A century later (1059)
the monks made some excavations, and the source of the spring
was discovered at a depth of four fathoms. At the same time
a fire burst forth over it, which occasioned the belief that the
spring itself was produced by a miracle.

In 1659, the Princess Adelheid, the Elector Ferdinand's wife,
who, after being married eight years, was without children, re-
sorted hither, and in a year afterwards bore a daughter, and
subsequently other children. It is from this circumstance that
the spring has acquired the name of Adelheid's Quelle, bestowed
upon it by the present abdicated King Louis of Bavaria. Though
this cure brought the spring into greater reputation, it was
allowed nevertheless to fall into neglect and disrepair by the
monastic authorities, and it was only used for a long time by
the country people for the cure of scrofulous and other diseases,
and by the villagers for mixing their bread, from finding less
salt thereby required.

The reputation of the spring for the cure of scrofula, caused
Dr. A. Vogel, of Munich, to investigate it in 1825 for iodine,
which he found it to contain in important quantity, and on this
its use came to be prescribed by the physicians of Munich and
Augsburg.

In the course of the alterations and deepening of the spring,
which this more extensive use required, a candle having been
brought near the surface, the gas escaping from the bubbles took
fire, and it was only after some pains that the flame was put out ;
thus was the miracle of 1059 explained. In fact, a considerable
covering of carburetted hydrogen floats over the mirror of the
spring, which will inflame with a sharp crack. At this period
the water began to be bottled and exported, and this is con-
tinued to the present day to a large and lucrative extent. Its
reputation and interest has led within the last 25 years to its
analysis by the following eight distinguished chemists : by
Vogel, in 1825; Dengler, 1826 ; Fuchs, 1833; Barruell, 1835;
Bauer, 1841; A. Buchner, jun., twice, 1842; Pettenkofer,
1849.

According to the latest analysis by the University Professor,
Dr. Pettenkofer, of Munich, with all the required exactness of

27

460

THE ADELHEID SPRING.

the present standard of chemical science, there are contained in
16 Bavarian ounces (480 grammes) of the water —

Iodide of Sodium,

Silica.

. 0.3678

grains"

. 0.2199

«

38.0684

a

. 0.0200

c<

. 0.0480

n

6.2168

u

. 0.5840

it

0.1440

n

. 0.0720

it

. 0.1424

a

0.1472

it

a trace

0.1648

it

J

}■ Fixed Constituents.

J

Free Carbonic Acid 13.18 cubic centimetres!

Carburetted Hydrogen 8.02 " " ( Absorbed in the

Nitrogen 6.54 " " l" Water.

Oxygen 1.38 " « J

In 100 measures of the gases escaping from the spring are contained —

Carburetted Hydrogen 75.5 measures.

Nitrogen ,18.0 "

Oxygen 2.2 «

Carbonic Acid 4.3 te

100

The bromine being in excess of the iodine, it has in Germany
rightly obtained the name of an iodine containing bromine- water
\_Iod-haltendes Brom-wasser.~\

The peculiarity of the spring does not rest, however, either
upon one or another of its constituents, but upon the qualitative
mixture as a whole, and regarded in this light it stands quite
alone. The greater number of iodine and bromine springs are
either altogether wanting in two ingredients which play an im-
portant part in the Adelheid spring, viz., the carbonate of soda
and the carburetted hydrogen, or they contain an excess of
common salt. It is the considerable quantities of iodine, bromine,
carbonate of soda, and carburetted hydrogen, with a relatively
low adjunct of common salt, which lends to this spring its sim-
ultaneous dissolving, calming, 'anodyne effect on the mucous
membrane of the stomach and the urinary organs, and which
belongs to no other bromine or iodine spring.

When the water is poured into a glass, a multitude of bubbles
of gas are formed, and the taste is nearly that of weak salted
meat broth. It excites the appetite, increases the urinary secre-
tion, operates powerfully on the absorbents, and the lymphatic

ANALYSIS OF HIGHLAND « CUTWEED " KELP. 461

and glandular systems, brings morbid deposits in the organic
tissues into a solvent condition, and promotes their removal out of
the system by the increased secreting and excreting activity of
the kidneys, and this whether the same have been occasioned by
simply inflammatory, scrofulous, syphilitic, or gouty affections.
The diseases in which extensive experience has proved its cura-
tive effects, are, scrofula and glandular swellings, bronchial affec-
tions, disordered condition of the follicles of the mucous
membrane, and thickening of the membane itself, mesenteric
disorders, enlargement or hardening of the testicle, female dis-
orders of the womb generally. It is especially distinguished
above all ordinary remedies for its effects in urinary diseases.
Also in diseases of the bones and joints. In one case of exces-
sive obesity it effected a cure by a reduction in the weight of the
body of 133 pounds. It only remains to state that the water pre-
serves its equality for years, in fact indefinitely, and that the
salt, &c, that it contains are brought into a saleable form, and
that both the water itself and the salts will soon be probably on
sale in London. — London. Pharm. Journ.

ANALYSIS OF HIGHLAND " CUTWEED " KELP.
By John Lamont, Student in Dr. Wallace's Laboratory, Glasgow.*

Although kelp is prepared in large quantities for the iodine
manufacture, very few analyses have been made of it. Indeed,
the only reliable analysis published in the chemical journals is
that of a specimen of Orkney « drift-weed " by Mr. George W.
Brown. f

The subject of the present analysis is cutweed kelp, so called
from its being prepared from sea-weeds cut away from the rocks
at low water. It was manufactured at the Island of Uist, one
of the Hebrides, during the summer of 1858.

The method of analysis was similar to that adopted by Mr.
Brown, with improved processes, however, for the estimation of
the phosphoric acid, alumina and iodine. The phosphoric acid
existing in the insoluble matter is calculated into phosphate of

* Communicated b}r the Author.

f Proceedings of the Phil. Soc. of Glasgow, vol. iii. p. 208,

462 ANALYSIS OF HIGHLAND " CUTWEED " KELP.

lime, but the precipitate obtained by the addition of ammonia
contained a considerable quantity of magnesia, as well as alumina
and oxide of iron. The iodine was estimated by the process de-
scribed in the « Chemical Gazette " for the present year, p.
137; the mean of three determinations was taken. The silicate
of lime was calculated according to the formula 2 CaO, SiO3.
The general analysis gave as follows : —

Soluble salts

60-9

Insoluble "

36-1

Moisture .

3-0

1 AA

KJOLllULi/ AJCttCO.

Sulphate of potash .

Chloride of potassium .

19-86

Chloride oi sodium . .

d-47

Iodide of sodium . . .

OA

•20

Sulphide of sodium . .

O AO

2-92

Hyposulphite of soda .

1-98

bulphite oi soda . . .

2-71

Sulphate of soda . . .

15-10

Phosphate of soda . .

A £T

•95

Carbonate of soda . .

5-15

•82—60-9

Insoluble Salts.

Sulphide of calcium . .

2-09

Phosphate of lime . .

6-44

Carbonate of lime . .

11-17

5-70

.23

Oxide of iron . . . .

1-42

Silicate of lime . . .

2-77

1-65

Carbonaceous matter

3-30

1.33—36.

3-00

100

NOTE ON OZONE.

463

The process adopted in the manufacture of kelp is well known
to have two very serious objections, the volatilization of a por-
tion of the iodine, and the reduction of a part of the sulphuric
acid, giving rise to the presence of sulphides, hyposulphites, and
sulphites in the product. The following process has been tried
on the small scale with marked success. The weeds are boiled
with a small quantity of water, the liquor evaporated to dryness,
and the residue charred very carefully. The mass, dissolved in
water, gives a colorless solution which is quite clear from sul-
phides, and may be at once boiled down to extract the salts, as
in an iodine work, or simply evaporated to dryness, and sold as
kelp. I am enabled, by the kindness of Dr. Wallace, to give
an analysis of kelp so prepared, chiefly from Laminaria digitata.

Sulphate of potash

14-35

Chloride of potassium .

42-49

Chloride of sodium

36-47

Sulphate of soda

3-90

Iodide of sodium .

L78

Carbonate of soda

1-01

100

London Cliem. Gaz. June 1, 1859.

NOTE ON OZONE.
By Thomas Andrews M.D., F.K.S., and P. G. Tait, M.A., F.C.P.S.

Since the publication of their "Note on the Density of
Ozone" (Chemical Gazette for August 15, 1857), the authors
have been occupied with an extended investigation into the na-
ture and properties of that body. The inquiry having proved
more protracted than they anticipated, they have thought it
proper to send to the Royal Society a brief notice of some of
the more important facts which they have already observed, 're-
serving a description of the methods employed, and of the de-
tails of the experiments, for a future communication.

The commonly received statement, that the whole of a given
volume of dry oxygen gas contained alone in an hermetically
sealed tube can be converted into ozone by the passage of elec-

464

NOTE ON OZONE.

trical sparks, is erroneous. In repeated trials, with tubes of
every form and size, the authors found that not more than
part of the oxygen could thus be changed into ozone. A greater
effect was, it is true, produced by the silent discharge between
fine platina points ; but this also had its limit. In order to
carry on the process, it is necessary to introduce into the appa-
ratus some substance, such as a solution of iodide of potassium,
which has the property of taking up, in the form of oxygen, the
ozone as it is produced. After many trials, an apparatus was
contrived in the form of a double U, having a solution of iodide
of potassium in one end, and a column of fragments of fused
chloride of calcium interposed between this solution and the part
of the tube where the electrical discharge was passed. The
chloride of calcium allowed the ozone to pass, but arrested the
vapor of water; so that, while the discharge always took place
in dry oxygen, the ozone was gradually absorbed. The experi-
ment is not yet finished, but already one-fourth of the gas in a
tube of the capacity of 10 cubic centimetres has disappeared.
To produce this effect, the discharge from a machine in excellent
order has been passed through the tube for twenty-four hours.

When oxygen is thus converted into ozone, a diminution of
volume takes place. The greatest contraction occurs with the
silent discharge, and amounts to about ~ of the volume of the
gas. The passage of sparks has less effect than the silent dis-
charge, and will even destroy a part of the contraction obtained
by means of the latter. If the apparatus be exposed for a short
time to the temperature of 250° C, so as to destroy the ozone,
it will be found that the gas on cooling has recovered exactly
its original volume. This observation proves, unequivocally,
that if ozone be oxygen in an allotropic condition, its density is
greater than that of oxygen. Experiments still in progress in-
dicate that the density of ozone obtained by the electrical dis-
charge must, on the above assumption, be represented by even a
higher number than that deduced by the authors from their ex-
periments on ozone prepared by electrolysis.

When mercury is brought into contact with dry oxygen, in
which ozone has been formed by the electrical discharge, it loses
to a great extent its mobility, and maybe made to cover the in-
terior of the tube with a fine reflecting surface resembling that

NOTE ON OZONE.

465

of an ordinary mirror. It is remarkable that this great change
in the state of the mereury is not accompanied by any further
diminution of the volume of the gas. The apparatus employed
by the authors would have enabled them to estimate with cer-
tainty a change of volume amounting to — )0g part of the whole.
On the contrary, on allowing the apparatus to stand, the gas
begins slowly to expand ; and in thirty hours, when the ozone
reactions have disappeared, the expansion amounts to a little
more than one-half of the contraction which had previously
taken place.

Dry silver, in the state both of leaf and of filings, has the
property of entirely destroying ozone", whether prepared by elec-
trolysis or by the electrical machine. If a stream of electrolytic
ozone be passed over silver leaf or filings contained in a tube,
the metal becomes altered in appearance where the gas comes
first into contact with it ; but no appreciable increase of weight
takes place, however long the experiment may be continued.
The volumetric results are similar to those already described in
the case of mercury.

Arsenic also destroys dry ozone, but, as it likewise combines
with dry oxygen, its separate action on ozone cannot be observed
with precision.

Most of the other metals examined, such as gold, platina, iron,
zinc, tin, &c, are without action on dry ozone.

Iodine, brought into contact with oxygen contracted by the
electric discharge, instantly destroys the ozone reactions, and a
yellowish solid is formed : no change of volume accompanies
this action.

Peroxide of manganese and oxide of copper have, it is well
known, the property of destroying ozone, apparently without
limit. The authors have found that these oxides undergo no
sensible increase of weight, even after the destruction of 50 or
60 milligrammes of ozone. The same oxides, when brought into
contact with oxygen contracted by the spark, restore it to nearly
its original volume.

Hydrogen gas, purified with care, and perfectly dry, was not
changed in volume by the action either of the electrical spark,
or of the silent discharge.

A similar negative result was obtained with nitrogen and the

466

ON SPIRITUS AMMONL33 AROMATICUS.

silent discharge; but with the spark a very slight alteration of
volume appeared to occur, the cause of which is still under in-
vestigation.

In the experiments now described, the electrical sparks and
discharge were always obtained from the common friction-ma-
chine. The discharge from the induction coil, even when passed
through two Leyden jars, produces very insignificant ozone
effects. The heat which always accompanies this discharge, and
its comparatively feeble tension, sufficiently explain its want of
energy.

All the results recently obtained by the authors fully confirm
the former experiments of one of them*, that in no case is water
produced by the destruction of ozone, whether prepared by elec-
trolysis or by the electrical discharge. They reserve any fur-
ther expression of their views as to the true relations which
exist between ozone and oxygen, till they shall have an oppor-
tunity of laying the results of this inquiry in a more complete
form before the Society. — London Chem. Gfaz. June 1, 1859.

REMARKS ON SPIRITUS AMMONIiE AROMATICUS.

By Mr. C. R. Tichborne.

The disparity in composition which the three Pharmacopoeias
exhibit in this article is greater than at first sight strikes the
eye. It is but one of the many cases of dissimilarity presented
by these works, which in some of the other preparations must
have produced serious results ; but tempora mutantur. If we
compare the methods directed to be followed by the three col-
leges, we shall find little analogy, Thus, placing them in juxta-
position, we shall find that in about three pints, the formulae
contain respectively —

Rectified Bpi- 1 L

/v- K { specific
rit On. water > 1
Q J f gravity

■J* J about .900

Chloride of ammonium

Carbonate of potash, ^v,
Aromatics in their primi-
tive form, ^xxss.
Specific gravity. -918.

Rectified spirits, Oij.^xiv,

Solution of ammonia
specific gravity -900

Aromatics in the form of

volatile oils, ^v. TT|Jj
Specific gravity -852.

E. PH.

Spirits of ammonia, Oij.
^xvij. 3v. tr[hnj.

Aromatics in the form of
volatile oils, gxviij. T^j*
Specific grav. about .846.

* Philosophical Transactions for 1856, Part I.

ON SPIRITUS AMMONIA ABOMATICUS. 467

We find that the proportions of absolute alcohol run as fol-
lows : — L. Ph., about gxxxiijss. ; D. Ph., about ^xxxxjv., and
the E. Ph. a little above the latter. The ammonia is in the
form of sesquicarbonate in one, and in the caustic form, varying
eccentrically, in the other two, whilst the aromatics in the E. Ph.
are about equivalent to quadruple those of the London Ph.

In looking over the processes, we find that in the D. Ph. dis-
tillation is not used, and although the product is not equal to
the other in appearance, I think it has one advantage which
ought not to be overlooked — that is, the facility it offers to the
Pharmacopolist to make the article for his own use, a consider-
ation to be held in view in all the processes introduced into the
Pharmacopoeia, so that the apothecary may become more in-
dependent of the manufacturer. There are hundreds of Phar-
macopolists who make their own articles as far as the appliances
go, but are prevented by circumstances from using distillatory
or other apparatus. The product of the present Dublin formula
is open to serious objections. When first made, it is decidedly
colored from the use of a certain oil, which becomes darkened
by the action of alkaline substances ; nor is this coloration les-
sened by the action of the sun's rays, added to which it lacks
the sweet saline piquancy gained by the introduction of sesqui-
carbonate of ammonia. In preparing a formula, such an oil as
cinnamon or clove is inadmissible, from its property of becoming
tinged when in contact with ammonia ; but by avoiding such
oils, we may get a solution which is not only perfectly color-
less, but will remain so for an indefinite period. The following,
or a similar formula, will give the desired results : —

Rectified spirits, Oj. ifxiv.

Sesquicarbonate of ammonia, powdered, gss.

Solution of ammonia, sp. g. -880, 3ij.

Oil of lemon, jiij.

Oil of nutmeg, ^j.

Oil of lavender, n^xx.

Water a sufficient quantity to make Oij.
Specific gravity, -870
Oil of rosemary may be substituted for the lavender, but I
think the flavor of the latter would be preferred. — London
Pharm, Journ. July, 1859.

468 RELATIONS OF THE SOIL TO VEGETATION.

ON THE EELATIONS OF THE SOIL TO VEGETATION.
By M. Boussingault.

From an investigation of the conditions of fertility of the soil
Boussingault draws the following conclusions : —

1. That in an extremely fertile soil the amount of nitrogen,
although derived from organic matters, and in part still com-
bined in them, cannot be the cause of fertility.

2. That the nitrates and ammoniacal salts are the only com-
pounds which convey assimilable nitrogen to the plant, whether
these salts pre-exist in the soil, or are only formed during the
progress of cultivation.

3. That a plant, in order to be capable of its normal develop-
ment, must have a very great volume of earth at its disposal,
because the amounts of nitric acid and ammonia, which are con-
tained in a given volume of soil, are very small.

4. TAat tho analysis of a soil as to its amount of nitrogen can-
not serve as the foundation of any opinion as to its fertility, be-
cause it gives the amounts in an assimilable form together.

5. That when the soil is lying fallow, a considerable quantity
of the carbon of the organic matters which it contains is lost, but
that the amount of nitrogen does not diminish but increases.
Whence this increase arises, whether it is caused by nitrification,
or by the production or absorption of ammonia, is still to be
ascertained. — Chem. Graz., July 15th, 1859, from Comptes
Rendus.

CANOUIL'S PROCESSES FOR MANUFACTURING CHEMICAL
MATCHES WITHOUT PHOSPHORUS AND CONTAINING NO
POISONOUS SUBSTANCE.

1. Mass without Phosphorus for Sulphured Matches.

The matches without phosphorus manufactured in Paris by
Canouil, are ignited by rubbing upon any hard body, whether it
be rough or smooth supposing the surface against which they are
rubbed to present a certain amount of resistance.

Neither a blow, nor a shock, nor a temperature of 356° F. are
capable of igniting these matches ; their combustion is only caused
by friction.

RELATIONS OF THE SOIL TO VEGETATION. 469

As the mass contains no phosphorus, their manufacture pre-
sents no danger for the workpeople, as thej neither cause explo-
sions, nor injurious emanations. The mass of these matches, .
which were patented in France in March 1857, contains the fol-
lowing substances : —

Dextrine .10 parts.

Chlorate of potash ... 17 "

Brown oxide of lead % . . 35 "

Iron pyrites .... 35 "

Water, the quantity necessary to form a
uniform paste.

The chlorate of potash, the oxide of lead, and iron pyrites
are separately powdered, and then made into a paste by means
of the solution of dextrine ; into this the ends of the sulphured
matches are dipped in the usual way.

The dextrine might be replaced by gum or glue, and the iron
pyrites by other metallic sulphurets, to some of which, however,
it is preferable as not being poisonous.

2. Safety -matches with a peculiarly prepared Friction-surface.
A second patent of Canouil's, dated October 7, 1857, relates
to safety-matches of wood, wax paper, German tinder, &c,
which ignite only at a particular surface, containing no phos-
phorus. The latter consists of a slip of wood, card, or metal,
covered with a layer of the preparation, which causes the ignition
of the chemical matches by mere friction. Such matches may
be sent anywhere without the least danger, as the matches and
the friction-surfaces may be packed in separate boxes. The

mass for the matches consists of —

Chlorate of potash ... .5 parts.
Acetate of lead . . . . 2 "

Bichromate of potash . . . ' . 2 "
Flowers of sulphur . . . 1 "

Gum or dextrine . . . . 6 "

Water 18 «

The covering for the friction-surface consists of —
Iron scales ..... lpart.
Emery . . ... 1 "

Chlorate of potash . . . 6 "

Minium . ... 1 "

470

ON ANTHEMIN AND ANTHEMIC ACID.

Size, a sufficient quantity to form a paste, which is ap-
plied to a slip of card, wood or metal.
The substances in both formulae are made into paste, described
for the first matches.

3. New Mass without Phosphorus for Sulphured Matches.

In order to avoid the slight explosions which occur on the
friction of the first matches, the discoverer now leaves the me-
tallic sulphurets or the sulphur out of the composition. They are
replaced by powdered glass or flint, which is mixed in various
proportions with the chlorate of potash, according as it is de-
sired to produce combustion with more or less ease by fric-
tion. Bichromate of potash is also added as an oxidizing body.

The new mass of sulphured ma
Chlorate of potash
Powdered glass or flint
Bichromate of potash .
Gum or dextrine
Water

ches consists of—

. 5 parts.
. 3 «
. 2 «
. 2 «
. 8 «

London Chem. Gaz. June 1, 1859, from Dingier1 s Polylechn. Journ,

ON ANTHEMIN AND ANTHEMIC ACID.

M. Pattone, Pharmacien of the civil hospital of Alexandria,
(Journ. d'Anvers), states that the common chamomile of Europe
(Anthemis arvensis) contains a crystallizable alkaloid, Anthemin,
and an organic acid. Anthemin is obtained from the flowers,
which are placed in a still with sufficient water, and the aroma-
tic oil distilled off. The residue is then expressed strongly,
the decoction evaporated to an extract, and this exhausted
with boiling alcohol, of 85 per cent., which dissolves out a
resinous matter and an acid. The undissolved residue is then
treated with boiling distilled water, filtered, and when cold,
ammonia is dropped in until the liquid has a decided alkaline
reaction. After a little while it deposits beautiful brilliant
prismatic crystals, which, after twenty-four hours, are removed,
and washed with cold water.

This substance has neither odor nor taste ; it is sensibly alka-

OBSERVATIONS ON THE SPECIES OF NICOTIANA.

471

line, very little soluble in cold water, a little more in boiling
water, insoluble in alcohol and ether, very soluble in acetic acid,
carbonized by heat alone, and by hot sulphuric acid.

Anthemic acid is prepared from the alcoholic liquid obtained
in the process for anthemin, which is evaporated to an extract ;
this treated with distilled water, and the aqueous liquid filtered
and saturated with caustic baryta. The liquid is now heated to
ebullition, filtered, and diluted sulphuric acid carefully dropped
in, to precipitate the baryta, avoiding an excess. The liquid
filtered from the sulphate of baryta is evaporated to dryness and
exhausted with ether, which is allowed to evaporate spontane-
ously, and yields prismatic crystals, contaminated with extract-
ive matter. These crystals have a decided bitter taste, and the
odor of chamomile ; they redden strongly litmus paper, are sol-
uble in water, alcohol and ether, and entirely insoluble in ben-
zin. The author intends extending his researches to the Roman
chamomile Anthemis nobilis.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE SPECIES OF NICOTIANA.
By Dr. John Le Conte.
The great variety of tobacco met with in commerce, differing
in color, in flavor, and in strength, does not depend upon a dif-
ference in species or variety, but almost entirely on the soil in
which it has grown, in the method of curing it, and the adulter-
ations which it undergoes in passing through the hands of un-
scrupulous dealers. Thus manured land never produces the
plant of the first quality ; for this purpose, a virgin soil, very
rich and strong, with but little calcareous matter, is required.
This, however, will not endure for a longer space than six years :
it gradually deteriorates, until at last it is entirely worn out,
and cannot be brought back to its original state by the applica-
tion of manure. This always renders it disagreeably strong, and
highly impregnated with nitre. Calcareous soils produce these
same effects, and thus the tobacco of our Western States is in-
ferior to the Virginian and may easily be known by a saline
taste. If tobacco bo cured without the use of artificial heat,
its fine flavor is better preserved, and its color more uniform.
Again, if dried with little exposure to the air, it becomes of a

472 OBSERVATIONS ON THE SPECIES OF NICOTIANA.

bright yellow color. The best tobacco for smoking comes to us
from the tropics, possessed of a peculiar flavor and perfume ;
this was once the case with all the segars brought from Cuba.
At present, those that are introduced into the United States
from that island are adulterated with tobacco of an inferior
kind ; they are not at all like those brought fifty years ago.
Either the plant has deteriorated by mixing with other species,
or is so adulterated by a mixture with the common tobacco of
our country, that the true flavor is entirely lost. Vessels loaded
with tobacco, the produce of our own soil, are constantly leaving
our shores for the port of Havanna. Besides, large quantities
of an inferior quality produced from imported seed are now sent
from New England, and either used there or brought back and
sold here as genuine Havanna. The last good tobacco that I
have smoked was made by myself in Georgia, about thirty years
ago. This possessed the delightful perfume peculiar to the best
raised within the tropics ; it was at the same time very mild and
burnt freely. There is, however, much imagination in the judg-
ment which we form of tobacco.

I might here point out the method by which deleterious sub-
stances are mixed with tobacco, and how the leaves of various
other plants are substituted for it. Some of the most exten-
sively used manufactured tobacco has poisonous drugs mixed
with it, which increases its action on the system, particularly on
the brain, in such a degree as to become really dangerous.
Those persons, therefore, who use it for a masticatory, would do
well to employ no other than the pure leaves as they are brought
from Virginia. Almost all the pressed tobacco is defiled with
liquorice or molasses, which substances conceal the bad taste of
the inferior qualities. The method by which the flavor of our
plant is imparted to plants which have none of their own is as
follows: — A quantity of the refuse tobacco is boiled in wine, or
more frequently in human urine, until a strong fluid extract is
obtained ; to this some salt is added. It is then poured upon
the dried leaves of other plants, such as rhubarb, burdock, sun-
flower, cabbage, or broad-leaved dock, which, after remaining in
the fluid a sufficient time to absorb as much of it as they can
contain, are hung up to dry, and then made into Havanna
segars. Cut tobacco, likewise intended for smoking, is mixed

OBSERVATIONS ON THE SPECIES OF NICOTIANA. 473

with the leaves of stramonium and foxglove, and with opium.
There is, however, no end to the dishonesties practised by to-
bacco manufacturers.

I now proceed to describe the plant as it has come under my
observation, premising that I do not believe that the species here
noted are any where to be found in a perfectly wild or native
state. Mr. Lehman, the last authority on this subject, enumer-
ates twenty-one species. I have seen but four, and one of these
looks very much like some other genus. I allude to JV. quadri-
valvis. The other species of Nicotiana have but two valves in
the capsules. The three remaining species, I know from ex-
perience, mutually mix together. I omit a description of the
genus.

Nicotiana tabacum. Annual, viscid, branching. Leaves
oblong lanceolate, broad, acuminate, most entire, for the most
part strictly sessile, at the base more or less decurrent, subam-
plexicaul. Flowers paniculately corymbose, terminal, with linear
lanceolate bractes. Calyx oblong, five-cleft, the divisions lance-
olate acute. Corolla infundibuliform, much longer than the
calyx, the tube viscid, greenish, the limb pale rosy, spreading,
the lobes ovate acute, capsule a little longer than the calyx,
stigma transversely sulcate on the top.

This is the common tobacco of commerce, called by different
names, Virginian, Kentucky, Nagadoches, &c. It is not agree-
able to smoke, unless weakened by washing in water. It is the
only kind fit for chewing. Too much care cannot be taken in
the operation of curing it, and much of its goodness depends
upon the manner in which it has been dried and fermented. The
Indians in this country are in the habit of mixing it with the
leaves of Rhus glabrum and Laurus Borbonia, or the scraped
bark of Cornus sanguinea, all of which improve its taste in a
remarkable degree.

N. fruticosa. Perennial, pubescent, viscid, branching

Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, most entire, sometimes very
shortly petiolate, most generally sessile, the lower ones am-
plexicaul. The infloresence the same as of the preceding, stigma
subbilobate.

This is the far-famed tobacco of the Island of Cuba and of all
the tropical parts of America. I have been told that it is the

474 OBSERVATIONS ON THE SPECIES OF NICOTIANA.

species cultivated in the interior of Africa. It is probably indi-
genous to that portion of the globe. An African, from a
region in that country, far distant from the sea, who was well
acquainted with the cultivation of the plant in his own country
as well as in this, told me when he first 3aw this species growing
in Georgia, that it was the kind which grew in his country. He
could not well be mistaken, for the leaves of N. tabacum are
very wide, whilst on the contrary of the N. fruticosa they are
rather narrow. It is from this species that the so-called Havanna
segars ought to be made. But it seems to me that very little
of it enters into the composition of what we now receive from
Cuba.

N. rustica. Annual, villous, viscid, branching.- Leaves
petiolate, ovate or roundish obtuse, most entire, sometimes more
or less cordate, divisions of the calyx short, ovate or roundish.
Corolla greenish yellow. Stigma entire.

From this species, which is nearly as agreeable for smoking
as the last, are produced the varieties called Turkish, Chinese,
East Indian, Shirazian and Latakia tobacco. It is said to have
been imported from America into England in the year 1578, and
yet has never been seen here except cultivated as a curiosity in
gardens, the seed being always brought from China. It must
be considered as a species confined originally to the older conti-
nents, and not known on this side of the Atlantic, until after the
discoveries of Columbus and others. I think that I have seen
it growing in a quasi indigenous state on the road sides in
Europe. No tobacco has ever been seen growing without culti-
vation in the United States. This circumstance taking place
with most of our cultivated vegetables is a certain proof of their
having been imported from some other country.

As has been observed before, these three species will mix to-
gether in every possible degree, hence the great number of
species which appear in our books. If we take the trouble to
analyse these, it can easily be perceived that they have been
produced by hybrid intermixtures, unless fertile hybrids are to
be considered as valid species. All those which resemble the
N. tabacum, but with narrower leaves than common, or in any
degree possessed of the peculiar characteristics of the N, fruticosa,
have been produced by the mixture with this species, and all of

THE CINCHONA TREE.

475

those with leaves more or less petiolate, whether lanceolate or
ovate, as formed by a combination of JV. tabacuTh, JV. fruticosa
and iV. rustica. It is remarkable what strange appearances
these will put on ; every possible variation of the principal forms
and every gradation of position will be found, all, however, easily
reducible to the three original types. — Proc. Acad. Nat. Set.

THE CINCHONA TREE.
The following interesting letter contains some valuable infor-
mation to persons in this country, which will be enhanced by the
knowledge that Mr. D. Jay Browne, of the Agricultural Bureau
of the Patent Office, has taken the initiative steps to procure
seeds, and will distribute them in the various parts of the country
for experimenting. It is from the bark of this tree that the
celebrated tonic, known as quinine, is obtained. It is now al-
most an indispensable article in medical practice:

U. S. Legation, Quito, Equador, ]
January 16ch, 1850. /
Dear Sir, — The great importance which has become attached
to the cinchona tree, which furnishes the Peruvian or fever
bark, will excuse me for troubling you with this communication.
I do not know whether attempts have been heretofore made for
its propagation in the United States or not, but there can be no
doubt that some parts of our country are adapted to its culti-
vation.

It is found in Ecuador, as well as in Peru, Bolivia, and New
Granada, and its value as an article of commerce has very greatly
increased during the last half century. In this country it for-
merly sold at $40 per hundred, while its present price is $1
per pound. (These prices are in Ecuadorian currency, to re-
duce which to United States money requires a reduction of
about one-fifth.) In Ecuador the tree is found at elevations of
from six to eight thousand feet, and where the temperature
ranges from 60 to 66°. But as Humboldt observes, a compari-
son between the climate of these regions and others is not satis-
factorv. and it does not follow that the tree will not flourish in

28

476

THE CINCHONA TREE.

temperatures quite different. Within a few years, seeds of the
tree have been sent to England and propagated in order to be
forwarded to India. The plants have been forwarded thither in
glass covered boxes, with what success remains to be seen. The
seed is diminutive, and may be sent by post to remote countries.
In northern Ecuador, and west of the mountains, and of Quito,
the inferior kind is found.

The red bark variety, which is most valuable, is everywhere
becoming scarce before the depredations of the hunters, and as
no care is exercised in its cultivation, it may, after some years,
unless attention is turned to the subject, become nearly extinct.
The most valuable and extensive forests of the tree are found in
southern Ecuador, in the vicinity of Loxa, and it is from that
quarter, so far as this country is concerned, that supplies are
drawn. Information regarding the cinchona tree may be found
in Humboldt's Personal Narrative, volume 1, page 138, and
more particularly in his Views of Nature (Bonn's Translation of
1850), pp. 280, 390, and (in note) 442.

It may be well for you to bring this subject to the attention
of Mr. D. Jay Browne, connected with the Patent Office, and I
should be glad to hear from him concerning it. From my posi-
tion here, I enjoy peculiar facilities for obtaining the seeds of
the tree, and information regarding its culture, and will be glad
to act in concert with Mr. Browne, if he will take efficient steps
for its introduction into the United States.

Very truly yours, C. R. Buckalew.

It is stated that about double the amount of quinine can be
obtained from the bark in its green state than when dried. —
Louisville Med. News, July, 1859.*

* [Mr. Buckalew is probably mistaken as to the advantageous culture
of cinchona in this climate. It is true the tree grows in so elevated a po-
sition as to have a moderate annual temperature, but it must be recollected
that this temperature in a tropical country is nearly constant. Besides,
even in its native country, cinchona ceases to yield the alkaloids, in ad-
vantageous proportions, below a certain altitude. All the attempts to
transplant cinchona, so far as we know, have been to intra-tropical coun-
tries, except the proposed French experiment in Algeria. — Ed. Am. Jour.
Pharm.]

CHLORINATED LUNAR CAUSTIC.

477

CHLORINATED LUNAR CAUSTIC.
By Henry N. Rittenhouse.

In a previous number of the Druggist, was an article with the
above heading, by Dr. J. Lawrence Smith, of Louisville, (from
the Medical News,) in which he suggests the addition of chloride
of silver, for the purpose of giving it strength and lessening its
solubility. I have tried his formula several times, also that pro-
posed by Dr. Squibb, for the same purpose, but without success
in obtaining the desired strength of the sticks, when using pure
chloride of silver, but with the use of chloride of sodium as first
suggested, I have never failed in obtaining a desirable article.
It is not nitrate of soda that is necessary for success ?

As far as the therapeutical effects are concerned of fused
nitrate of silver, I cannot see any objection to the small quanti-
ty of nitrate of soda present ; and when properly labelled as it
should be, and sold for what it really is, what objection is there
to using chloride of sodium, if it is really an essential ?

Powdered Blue Mass. — I offer for the benefit of your readers,
the following formula for powdered blue mass, which I have
found after repeated trials, to furnish a satisfactory product.
Take of Mercury, 1 oz. Troy.

Pulv. Liquorice Root, J oz. "

Pulv. Rose Leaves, gi.

White Sugar, 1 oz 33.

Water, f-3U«
Mix half an ounce of sugar and two drachms liquorice root in
a mortar, add the mercury, then the water gradually ; triturate
the materials rapidly, until the mercury is extinguished, (which
can be readily done in five minutes), then add the remainder of
the ingredients, and mix thoroughly, spread the damp powder
upon paper for a few hours to dry. Powder and sift it. This
formula has the advantage of producing a preparation identical
with the Pil. Hydrarg. of the U. S. P., in composition and
strength, and is easily prepared. — The Druggist.

478

VARIETIES.

Tooth Paste. — The best plastic tooth paste is made in the following way:
1. 1 part finely powdered glass is mixed with 3 parts finely divided oxide
of zinc entirely free of carbonate. 2. 50 parts of solution of chloride of
zinc, spec. grav. 1-5 to 1-6, is mixed with 1 part of borax dissolved in the
smallest possible quantity of hot water ; all parts are taken by weight.

If it is to be used for filling teeth, the powder No. 1 is mixed with a
sufficient quantity of the solution No. 2 to make an even paste ; during the
operation the mass generates a moderate heat.

The addition of powdered glass is necessary to impart to the mass the
requisite firmness. On adding the solution of borax to the solution of
chloride of zinc, a precipitate of borate of zinc is at first produced, which,
however, easily dissolves in the excess of the zinc solution. Borax actsby
delaying the hardening and subsequently to increase the hardness of the
mass j without addition, the paste hardens so quickly as to leave scarcely
time to mould it into the required shape.

This paste is of a dazzling white, which is never met with in teeth, and
it may be therefore advisable to mix No. 1, previous to adding the liquid,
with a small quantity of ochre. In one day the mass has become so hard
as to require considerable force to break it up ; its ultimate hardness is
that of marble ; it is not affected by water, and may perhaps be found use-
ful for other purposes where a plastic mass is required — Pharmac. Zeitung.
— Schweiz. Zeitschr.f. Pharm. 1859, 16. j. m. m,

Parisian Wash Powder. — The ladies' toilet table has been enriched by the
"Parisian Wash Powder," which is prepared in the following manner:
Kice is softened in pure water, which is daily replaced by fresh water until
the rice can be easily mashed ; all the water is then drawn off, the rice
crushed, the pasty mass mixed with water to a milky liquid, and this
brought on a sieve or a cloth which must not be too thick. After settling,
the fine powder is collected, dried, and a small quantity of soda added. —
Schweiz. Zeitschr.f. Pharm. 1859, 49.

Mr. Fox Talbot's New Discovery, — Photoglyphic Engraving. — The subject
of engraving steel or copper plates by means of photography, is one which
has deservedly attracted the attention of the leading men of science, both
in this country and on the Continent. . ; . . We have been favored with
the inspection of some new photographic — or, to speak more correctly

VARIETIES.

479

photoglyphic engravings, executed by a new process, the result of experi-
ments made by Mr. H. Fox Talbot. By means of his invention, common,
paper photographs can be transferred to plates of steel, copper or zinc,
and impressions printed off afterwards with the usual printer's ink. . . .
The plates engraved by this mode are indeed beautiful in themselves as
photographs, and will bear strong microscopic inspection, the most

minute detail being given with astonishing fidelity We are as yet

not permitted to give publicity to the details of the process, but we can
say that the scientific facts upon which the process is based are among
the most striking in photography, which, as our readers are aware, is an
art fertile in singular novelties. The specimens which Mr. Talbot has
favored us with of this new branch of art are very beautiful. They are
free from many of the imperfections which were so evident in former at-
tempts, and the manner in which the half-tones are given is really won-
derful ; the specimens are of various subjects, showing the perfection
which can be obtained in any branch of pictures. Even in these copies
the detail is so fine that when a powerful microscopic power is brought to
bear on them, we are enabled to trace the names in the shops in the dis-
tance, and easily read the play-bills in the foreground, and this in a picture
only a few inches square, while the minuteness in architectural subjects
is most remarkable. In a view of Paris, there is all that can be desired
in half-tones, and the perspective is almost as good as in a photograph. —
London Chemist, from the Photographic News.

Poisonous Effects of the Leaves of the Yew-Tree. — That the leaves of th®
yew are of pernicious influence was known to the Greeks and Romans,
and confirmed by later authorities. The yew-tree itself may cause vertigo,
lethargy, and even drunkenness, by the narcotic exhalation which it
emits. We now read, in the Journal des Landes, that three horses belong-
ing to the squadron of cavalry stationed at Mount de Maison, died there
suddenly, a few days ago, and that on dissection, it was found that they
had been eating plentifully of the leaves of some yew-trees ; the coats of
of the stomach evinced marks of the deleterious effects produced by this
poison. — lb.

Dangerous Explosion of Muriatic Acid. — The Wheeling (Va.) Times of
the 15th inst., says: Yesterday morning, about two o'clock, a carboy con-
taining sixty-seven pounds of muriatic acid, exploded in the drug store of
Mr. Fundenberg, under Washington Hall. Mr. Allen Fundenberg, who
sleeps in the store, received the first intimation of the accident by finding
a great difficulty in breathing, which increased so fast that he sprang out
of bed and started to the front door. On the way he stepped in the acid
where it had run over the floor, and so powerful was its effect that the skin
on the bottom of his foot was left sticking to the floor. He opened the

480

VARIETIES.

door and dragged the carboy into the street, where it shortly took fire spon-
taneously, and burnt with a bright blaze until every vestige of the can and
acid was consumed. The effect of the vapor arising from the acid is visible
on everything about the store. The col >r of the paint is turned, all the
paper labels are discolored, and a couple of tin oil tanks are covered with
a very pretty representation of frost-work. The floor where the acid ran
has been turned a good cedar color, and the iron work in front of the store
is rusted to perfection. — Cincinnati Eclectic Journal.

Dental Anaesthetic. Tincture of aconite, one ounce ; chloroform, one

ounce ; alcohol, one ounce ; morphine, six grains. Mix. To prevent the
pain of extraction, and destroy sensibility in the gums by local application,
moisten two pledgets of cotton with the liquid, and apply to the gums, for
a minute or two, over the tooth to be extracted. — Dr. Teft — Jour, of Materia
Medica.

Voltaic Narcotism. — Dr. B. W. Richardson, Professor of Phyisology at
the Grosvenor School of Medicine, has, by using electricity combined with
a narcotic, succeeded in inducing local anaesthesia. He applies a narcotic
solution, consisting of equal parts of chloroform and tincture of aconite,
to the part in which he desires to produce anaesthesia- then covers this
part with a plate connected with the positive pole of the voltaic battery,
and applies the negative pole to an adjoining part. Dr. R. in this mode
produced anaesthesia in anaevus on the back of an infant, when Dr. Halford
transfixed and tied a ligature around the naevus without the infant giving
any indication of suffering pain by the operation. — Virginia Med. Jour.

The Ginseng Excitement. — The newspapers having teemed of late with
paragraphs concerning an unusual excitement among the citizens of Min-
nesota, who were turning out " en masse" to dig the roots, it occurred to
us that, having subscribers in the Ginseng district, we might obtain reliable
information from them ; and the result of addressing one of them is em-
bodied in the following letter :

Faribault, Bice Co., Minnesota, July 1st, 1859.

Mr. Frederick Stearns: Dear Sir, — Yours of the 16th of June was duly
received. In that letter you request me to give you some statistics, com-
mercial and otherwise, of Ginseng ; and, in answer, would submit to you
the following :

It is found only in timbered land, selecting such soils as produce the
Sugar Maple, Basswood, Butternut, and Black Walnut, and where the sur-
face of the land is rolling or undulating. Such lands in our State are not
generally very heavily timbered.

That portion of our State where it is most to be found is in what are
termed the Big Woods, lying between the town of Faribault on the east,

VARIETIES.

481

and the South Bend of the St. Peter's River on the west, and from that
line extending down the river in the direction of St. Paul's. The distance
across this timber from Faribault to Mankato is about forty miles ; but as
you pass down the river it grows narrower, and disappears altogether near
the town of Shacopee, some thirty miles above St. Paul's. It is not all over
this piece of timber that the Ginseng grows, but only on such portions as
are above indicated, and these will not comprise but about one-fourth part
where it will grow in sufficient quantity to make it profitable to gather it.

The points at which it has been carried on chiefly, are Faribault, Man-
kato, and St Peter's. Small places in the timber, and on the St. Peter's
River, have done something, but these principally.

The root is dug, and carried as dug, to a particular point, chosen for its
convenience, where it is properly washed and dried. Some have steamed
the root, and then put it on trays in a tight room, where the thermometer
ranges from one hundred to one hundred and twenty; while others lay
them on a scaffold for several days, in the sun, and then finish them in the
dry-house.

The first look the handsomest, and I think command the highest price in
the market, while, to my mind, the latter method leaves the root in its
most natural state. The green root has commanded prices varying from
sis to ten cents, and in a few instances even more — the average being
about eight cents. It has taken from four to four and a half pounds of
the green root to make one of the dry, but I am told that in the fall of the
year it takes only about three.

The amount of the dried root that has been shipped from this place, as
near as I can learn has been between twenty-one and twenty-two thousand
pounds, and that sent from different points along the St. Peter's to St. Paul,
to be shipped, has not exceeded eighteen thousand. The time spoken of
the shipment from St. Paul was about the 20th of last month.

I am informed that it has been found in the vicinity of Crow River,
some distance above St. Paul, but have not learned to what extent. Up to
the time spoken of there had been no shipment made of Ginseng from that
locality, and the presumption is that the amount will be small.

The expectations of large shipments being made to the cities on the sea-
board has had the tendency to depress the market price there, and that in
turn has had the effect to entirely stop the trade throughout the State.
Every town, large or small, in the vicinity of those locations where it grew,
were more or less engaged in it; but since the news of the price having
declined reached us, every operator has declined buying, and no more roots
are brought into the market.

The larger share of the roots prepared for market have been shipped ;
and should the price continue as it is, very little more will be collected and
dried for shipment.

482

VARIETIES.

This is as fair a statement as I can give ; and you may make such use of
it as you may think best.

Most respectfully yours, W. H. Stevens, M. D.

Ginseng is very abundant throughout this State, and there is no reason
why it should not be profitably collected at present ruling rates. It is un-
fortunate for the Minnesotians that they chose the wrong season to collect
it, as it should not be dug until after the blossoming and ripening of the
seed of the plant— say from August to October.

The most sensible method of curing it would be in the open air, but
under shade. — F. S. Peninsular and Indepen. Med. Jour., Aug., 1859.

Poisoning by Cyanide of Potassium. — At a late meeting of the New
York Pathological Society, Dr. Finnell presented a specimen of a stomach
removed from a patient who was poisoned by cyanide of potassium. The
patient was a Daguerrean artist. He swallowed a piece of salt as large
as the end of the finger. Immediately he cried for water, but before he
could get his mouth to the pipe of the hydrant, he died. Death took place
in from three to five minutes after he swallowed the poison.

In answer to a question from Dr. Clark, he stated that the symptoms of
poisoning by this salt were very like those from poisoning by prussic acid.
The death was very rapid. This was the third case he had met with. This
man lived but three minutes, another lived twelve minutes, and a third, he
was not certain how long he survived ; it was a very short time, however.
In each of the cases the stomach was intensely reddened.

Dr. Dalton thought it was important to know that injection of the
stomach took place in so short a time as three minutes, unless most of the
change was post-mortem. — Nashville Monthly Record.

Vivianite. — M. Schiff has proved, by chemical analysis, that the blue
color which pus sometimes presents is owing to phosphate of iron in an
amorphous state. It is this same salt which gives the blue color to animal
remains which have been interred for a long time. The demonstration of
this fact is owing to M. Nickles, who has found in human bones phosphate
of iron crystallized in the form peculiar to the vivianite of mineralogists.
Ibid, from North American Medical and Chirurgical Review.

Adulteration of Valerianate of Iron. — The valerianates are often adul-
terated, the adulteration consisting of the mixture of some salt with a cer-
tain quantity of essential oil of valerian. M. Monnerat has given some
easy methods of detecting these adulterations. He found the false valeri-
anate had a deeper color than the true, and that it was insoluble in alcohol
and ether, and that, when treated with boiling water, it gave, after cooling,
a deposit of subcarbonate of iron, and a considerable quantity of essential
oil of valerian floating upon the surface of the liquid. Besides, the true

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION

483

valerianate of iron is insoluble in water, but on the contrary, is entirely
soluble in alcohol. Another character of the true valerianate is its acid,
disagreeable, persistent smell, which is very different from the penetrating
odor of valerian presented by the false valerianates formed by the addition
of the essential oil of the plant. — The Druggist, June, 1859.

Acetous Tincture of Cimicifuga. — Dr. Koehler, of Pennsylvania, proposes
the employment of dilute acetic acid and alcohol as a solvent for the active
matter of this valuable indigenous drug, as follows :

Take of black cohosh root, bruised, five ounces; dilute acetic acid, U.S. P.,
one fluid ounce ; alcohol, eight fluid ounces ; water, eleven fluid ounces.
Mix, macerate fourteen days ; express and filter. Dose, one to two tea-
spoonfuls.

He says: "After due trial I found this combination to answer better
than any other form, and the neighboring physicians, to whom I gave the
formula, express themselves as highly pleased with the acetated tincture
of cimicifuga. It has been successfully employed in nervous affections,
and as an alterative in various forms of rheumatism and uterine affections.
— Cin. Lancet and Observer.

Prohibition of Empirical Preparations in Russia. — The Russian govern-
ment has issued the most stringent orders to refuse admission at the vari-
ous custom-houses to the following substances : 1. Collodium cantharidale.
2. Hydrargyrum zooticum. 3. Morrison's pills. 4. Oleum harlamense.
5. Hydrargyrum sulphuratum stibiatum. 6. Leroy's medicines. 7. Fer-
rum limatum alcoholisatum, and Revalenta Arabica. 8. Lactate of iron
lozenges. 9. Essential coffese. 10. Extractum filicis maris eethereum.
11. Theriac. 12. Extracta medicinalia. This is a very wise regulation,
excluding, on the one hand, dangerous quack medicines, such as Morrison's
and Leroy's, and on the other, preventing the credulous from investing
their money in such preparations as the Revalenta Arabica. — Med. Zeit.
Russlands, and Virg. Med. Jour., June, 1859.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

The Seventh Annual Meeting of the " American Pharmaceutical Association," will be held
in the city of Boston, Mass , on Tuesday the 13th day of September next at 3 o'clock P. M.

The objects of the Association and the conditions of membership are explained in the following
extracts from the Constitution.

Article T.

This Association shall be called the American Pharmaceutical Association. Its aim shall be to
unite the educated and reputable Pharmaceutists and Druggists of the United States in the fol-
lowing objects :

1st. To improve and regulate the drug market, by preventing the importation of inferior,
adulterated or deteriorated drugs, and by detecting and exposing home adulteration.

2d. To establish the relations between druggists, pharmaceutists, physicians and the people at
large, upon just principles, which shall promote the public welfare and tend to mutual strength
and advantage.

3d. To improve the science and the art of Pharmacy by diffusing scientific knowledge among
apothecaries and druggists, fostering pharmaceutical literature, developing talent, stimulating

484

EDITORIAL.

discovery and invention, and encouraging home production and manufacture in the several de-
partments of the drua; business.

4th. To regulate the system of apprenticeship and employment so as to prevent, as far as
practicable, the evils flowing from deficient training in the responsible duties of preparing, dis-
pensing and selling medicines.

5th. To suppress empyricism, and as much as possible to restrict the dispensing and sale of
medicines to regularly educated druggists and apothecaries.

Article II. — Of the Members.

Section 1. Every pharmaceutist or druggist of good moral and professional standing, whether
in business on his own account, retired from business or employed by another, who, after duly
considering the objects of the Association and the obligations of this Constitution, is willing to
subscribe to them, is eligible to membership.

Section 2. The mode of admission to membership shall be as follows : Any person eligible to
membership may apply to any member of the Executive Committee, who shall report his appli-
cation to the said Committee. If after investigating his claims they shall approve his election,
they shall at the earliest time practicable report his name to the Association, and he may be
elected by two thirds of the members present, on ballot. Should an application occur in the recess,
the members of the Committer may give their approval in writing, which, if unanimous, and
endorsed by the President, shall constitute him a member, and the fact be reported to the Associa-
tion at the next succeeding meeting.

Section 3. No person shall become a member of this Association until he shall have signed the
Constitution, and paid his annual contribution for the current year All persons who become
members shall be considered as permanent members, but may be expelled for improper conduct
by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any annual meeting.

Section 4. Every member shall pay into the hands of the Treasurer the sum of two dollars as
his yearly contribution, and is liable to lose his right of membership by neglecting to pay said
contribution for three successive years. Members shall be entitled, on the payment of three dol-
lars, to receive a certificate of membership signed by the President, Vice-President and Secretary,
covenanting to return the same to the proper officer on relinquishing their connection with the
Association.

Section 5. Every local Pharmaceutical Association shall be entitled to five delegates in theanniml
meetings, who, if present, become members of the Association, on signing the Constitution, with-
out being ballotted for.

JOHN L. K1DWELL, President.

Georgetown, D. C, June 25th, 1859.

€5it odd 13 ep ailment.

Meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association. — It is pre-
sumed that Pharmaceutists generally are by this time aware that the As-
sociation meets at Boston on the 13th of September. From the indications
so far apparent, we believe the meeting will be large and interesting.
The time is a favorable one for travel — the season of fruits — of abundance.
Our Boston friends are wide awake, as the following circular from the
Treasurer will evidence, and their proverbial hospitality and attention to
strangers will not be wanting on this occasion.

Boston, August 13, 1859.

Members are requested to forward the names of their friends whom
they wish to propose for membership, so that they may be elected at the
first session of the next meeting

Members will confer a favor by notifying the Treasurer of the decease
of any member during the last year.

Any specimens for exhibition may be forwarded to the care of Cartek,
Colcord & Preston, Boston.

The next meeting of the Association will be held on the second Tues-
day of September, (13th,) 1859, at 3 o'clock, P. M., at the rooms of the
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Perkins Building, Temple Place,
Boston, Mass.

EDITOKIALu

485

Ample accommodations will be secured at the American House, so
that all who attend can be at one hotel, with table and accommodation
room appropriated solely for their use. Those who attend with their
families, will find retired apartments in the same hotel; or, if desired, in
boarding houses or private families.

All members, and persons intending to become members, are requested
to report themselves at the rooms of the College, and at the hotel.

From the manifestly increasing interest in the Association, a large at-
tendance is expected, and it would be very gratifying to meet every
member, and all Pharmaceutists who are interested in our objects.

S. M. Colcord, Treasurer.

Although not required by the rules of his office to do so, it is highly
commendable in the Treasurer to give this information appended to the bill
for annual subscription. It suggests a rallying point for the mem-
bers, who thus are able to learn who have arrived. Members should en-
courage their pharmaceutical friends who are not members to make the
trip to Boston and join the Association. Those who want information as
to the conditions of membership, will find them in the President's notice
at page 483 of this number.

St. Louis Pharmaceutical Association. — The following note to the editor
announcing the names of Delegates from the St. Louis Association is pub-
lished by request :

St. Louis, Mo., 18th August, 1859.
Dear Sir : — I forward to you the names of the Delegates of the "St. Louis
Pharmaceutical Association " to the annual meeting of the " American
Pharmaceutical Association," to be held in September ; would you be
kind enough to insert their names in the next issue of your valuable jour-
nal ? The delegates are — Messrs. Enno Sander, William H. Dornin,
James O'Gallagher, Samuel D. Hendel, and William B. Parker.
I remain, dear sir, respectfully yours,

James O'Gallagher,
Corresponding Secretary St. Louis Pharm. Association.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. — The School of Pharmacy in this
Institution will open its courses, the approaching session, on Monday,
October 3d, at 7£ o'clock, P. M., at the College Hall, Zane Street above
Seventh, on which occasion, Prof. R. P. Thomas will deliver the general
Introductory. By consulting the advertising columns, our readers will
find a programme of the Lectures and Conditions of Graduation, etc.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. — This Society, in. the
death of its President, Jacob Bell, has met with a loss that will long be
felt by its members. It would be difficult to find in the annals of any
Society a more devoted and untiring friend and officer. Through good

486

EDITORIAL.

report and evil report, under all circumstances that have occurred to retard
or annoy its progress, Jacob Bell has always been at his post, and always
equal to the emergency. He had the satisfaction of living to see the
Society highly prosperous and firmly established, and the internal jealous-
ies, which at one time threatened to rend it in twain, to disappear. It is
pleasant to find that he was appreciated whilst he lived, and from Aber-
deen to Plymoutli the members of the Pharmaceutical Society remember
him with love and respect.

At the meeting of the Council, held July 6th, 1859, after an expression
of grateful remembrance of the services of Jacob Bell, it was

"Resolved, That a Committee be appointed to take the requisite steps
for forming a Capital Fund, out of which one or more Scholarships, bear-
ing the name of Jacob Bell, may be established in connection with the
Society." A committee was appointed to carry it out.

On the same occasion, the Council were advised of the following ex-
tract from the will of the late President :

"I give and bequeath the sum of two thousand pounds [$10,000]
to the Trustees for the time being of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great
Britain, which two thousand pounds are to be paid exclusively and in
priority to other legacies, out of such part of my personal estate as is by
law applicable to such payment, and to be expended in establishing or
otherwise increasing the efficiency of a School of Pharmacy, or in promot-
ing pharmaceutical education, in such manner as the Council of the said
Society may deem expedient, but so that the receipts of the Trustees shall
be good discharges to my executors."

The Council, by resolution, pledged themselves to carry out the ex-
pressed wishes of the testator to the best of their ability.

At the same meeting an election was held to fill the vacant President-
ship ; whereupon it was declared that Mr. T. N. R. Morson was duly
elected to that office. At the meeting held on the 20th of July, Mr. Peter
Squire was elected to fill the Vice-Presidency rendered vacant by the
election of Mr. Morson.

The Adulteration of Cream or Tartar. — Now that cream of tartar has
become an article of the cuisine, the larger part used being as a substitute
for yeast in bread and cake making, the rascals who are constantly seek-
ing out some means of cheating the public, have laid hold of this, disregard-
ing the fact that it had already suffered sufficiently among the druggists.
The following note reveals a specimen of this villainy, which exhibits some
acuteness, as the party addressed himself to a class who either ignorantly
or from habit would be induced to accept the bait : —

Philadelphia, August 22d, 1859.
To the Editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy :

The sample, is part of a specimen of an article which was offered in our

EDITORIAL.

487

market within the past fortnight, under the name of " Cream of Tartar
Adulterator." The parties offering it for sale do business in New York,
as dealers in spices and grocery articles. The article was not offered to the
wholesale druggists, but to spice and drug grinders in this city, at from
5 to 8 cents per lb.

An examination of the article shows it to be sulphate of lime, contain,
ing a little sulphate of soda. Under the glass it has the appearance of
translucent gypsum ground to a similar fineness as cream of tartar. It
presents near the same appearance as cream of tartar of a damp powder,
with points reflecting light, though the color is whiter than is usual with
cream of tartar ; though not calculated deceive an adept, it would, when
mixed'with cream of tartar in proper proportions, pass the observation of most
buyers. Very truly yours,

Charles Bullock.

The Action of Medicines in the System ; or, " On the mode in which Thera-
peutic Agents introduced into the stomach produce their peculiar effects
on the animal economy. " Being the prize essay to which the Medical
Society of London awarded the Fothergillian Gold Medal for 1852. By
Frederick William Headland, M. D.,B. A., F. L. S. &c. Third edition,
revised and enlarged. Philadelphia. Lindsay & Blackiston, 1859. pp.
469, octavo.

This book has been too extensively read, and too well received by the
medical profession of this country, to need a notice in this journal. The
subject is one of the utmost interest to the philosophical physician who
aims at something more than merely curing in an empirical way. He
wants to know the how, and the why, in employing remedies. To such, this
new edition of Dr. Headland, improved as it is by a most careful revision,
in view of the latest investigations in Zoochemistry, will be highly accept-
able ; and to that other large class, who have not yet entered as students
in this department of their profession, it offers an admirable introduction
to the abstruse and difficult, but deeply interesting, subject " of the action
of medicines in the system."

The book is well printed on good smooth paper, and neatly bound, alto-
gether creditable to the publishers.

The Physician's Visiting List, Diary, and book of Engagements for 1860.
Philadelphia. Lindsay & Blackiston.

Our medical friends will be pleased to learn that this useful little com-
panion and advocate of order, has appeared in its new dress, ready for

the approaching year. Those who have had it, will not be without it ; those

who have not yet tried it, should not fail to get it.

488

EDTORIAL.

OBITUARY.

Jacob Bell; President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain,
and Editor of the (London) Pharmaceutical Journal, died on the 12th of
June, at Tunbridge Wells, JZng., of laryngeal phthisis. Jacob Bell was
the son of John Bell, who, from 1798 to the period of his death in 1849,
over fifty years, pursued the business of a chemist and druggist in Oxford
street, London. We have not the data to describe Jacob Bell's early
career, though we believe his pharmaceutical education was conducted in
his father's establishment in Oxford street. Had he not been a pharma-
ceutist it is probable that he would have been an artist. From early life
he had a strong taste for the pencil, especially for sketching animals. "At
one time he placed himself in one of the schools of painting in which some
of our best artists have studied, but on his becoming acquainted with Sir
Edwin Lanseer, the productions of the pencil of the great animal painter
appeared to him to so far excel anything that he could hope to attain, that
he abandoned the attempt in despair. But though he relinquished the
idea of becoming an artist himself, he remained devotedly attached to, and
a liberal patron of art, as well as the friend of artists during his life."
He proved a warm friend of Landseer, and was the means of rescuing him
from the picture dealers, and in 1841, when Landseer's health required
absence from his professional labors, Mr. Bell accompanied him during a
six months tour to Geneva. Some of the best specimens of this distin-
guished artist were possessed by Mr. Bell, and these, together with the
rest of his valuable collection, were bequeathed to the National Gallery
at London.

It was not until 1841 that the subject of this notice was called upon to
give public evidence of the energy and perseverance which has so strongly
marked his subsequent career. In that year Mr. Hawes introduced his
famous Medical Reform Bill into Parliament, which bore so stringently
upon the pharmaceutists that a public meeting of that class was called,
and measures taken with such good effect that the bill was withdrawn.
In this affair Mr. Bell was a prominent actor, and it was during a meeting
of the committee having that in charge, at the house of Mr. Bell, that a
series of resolutions were proposed and adopted which resulted in the
formation of the Pharmaceutical Society. From that time till his death
he devoted himself unremittingly to the interests of that Society, and
through it to his brethren throughout England and Scotland. At his
own expense he commenced the publication of the " Pharmaceutical Jour-
nal and Transactions" in July 1841, and distributed it largely; and among
the many wise and efficient measures then suggested and carried out, none
have proved more widely useful to the pharmaceutical body of England
than this ; for, being the mouth-piece of the Society through its transactions,
and every member of the Society subsequently receiving it as a part of his
privileges and rights, the information of its pages reached into all the cities

EDITORIAL.

489

and towns where its three thousand members resided. Mr. Bell re-
tained the copy -right of the Pharmaceutical Journal till a short period
before his death, when he took measures for its transfer to the Society,
and its 18 volumes will ever stand as a lasting monument to his energy
and ability. He also bequeathed the sum of $10,000 to the Pharmaceuti-
cal Society to promote the efficiency of its School of Pharmacy. It was not
only by his exertions in London and through his " Journal " that Jacob
Bell influenced the progress of pharmacy in Great Britain. He was con-
stantly in attendance at meetings in other cities, encouraging them to carry
out the principles of the Society, and raise their status by educational ex-
ertions. Eminently practical in his views, he was readily understood and
appreciated when he addressed their meetings, and no member of the Society
was listened to with greater respect.

In his last annual address in May, 1859, which, owing to the infirmities
of Mr. Bell, was read for him, he explained the method by which he had
been able to succeed in accomplishing so much in the early up hill labors
that resulted in the firm establishment of the Pharmaceutical Society.
He observed the following rules : First, Never to take offence at any re-
ception, however cool, abrupt, or even rude. Second, Not to be discour-
aged at a cold shoulder. Third, Not to look down on a man because he
lives in a small shop or in a back street. Fourth, Never to lose sight of
the main object from a mistaken notion of dignity or self respect. Fifth,
Never be goaded into a quarrel or loss of temper. These rules were char-
acteristic of Mr. Bell under all circumstances. We have watched his
career from 1841 to the period of his demise, as exhibited in the progress
of Pharmacy in England, especially in what may be called the politics of
the Society, and in cases where jealousies were engendered between the Lon-
don and provincial members regarding important measures, by the unwise
and unprincipled opposition of certain parties. These, to gain their ends in
opposing and destroying the standing of Mr. Bell, would have sacrificed
the Society, and for three years they supported and edited a periodical and
filled its pages with a series of editorials which remain a lasting stigma on
their author. To these biting sarcasms and caustic sneers, Mr. Bell opposed
a steady and unruffled pursuit of the great interests of the Society. In a
letter received from him in January, 1853, speaking of the opposition of
those parties to the Pharmacy Act, he says : " We take no heed of
such attacks, but go forward endeavoring not to deserve them, and attribut-
ing any hostility to the frailty of human nature."

In 1850, with the interests of the Society fully in view Mr. Bell aspired
to a seat in Parliament, and successfully contested the borough of St.
Alban's then vacant • circumstances occurred, however, during the canvass
of a nature highly disgraceful to those that were concerned in them, and
Mr. Bell, a novice in political wirepulling, was victimized, by having to bear
much of the odium belonging to the party who elected him, and was finally
unseated.

Whilst in Parliament he was instrumental in obtaining an "Act" to

490

EDITORIAL.

reorganize the Pharmaceutical Society as an educational Institution, and
granting it powers, which, though not so ample as would have most effectu-
ally served the cause of reform, yet greatly adding to its efficiency and
dignity. "But Mr. Bell's health had long been declining; his naturally
active disposition, and the enthusiasm with which he engaged in many
public pursuits, caused him to overtax his physical powers, and thus was
laid the foundation of a distressing complaint, which deprived him of his
voice, and rendered the act of deglutition a source of extreme suffering.
Throughout life he had manifested a remarkable disregard of his own per-
sonal ease and comfort, especially when business of importance claimed
his attention, and this, which almost amounted to a reckless neglect of the
requirements of nature, continued long after the commencement and no
doubt contributed to the aggravation of his illness." " In disposition he
was most kind and generous. Though he was never married, he had rela-
tives towards whom he acted the part of a father, and the number of those
is not few who have cause, gratefully, to remember his unostentatious
benevolence."

When viewed as a scientific man Mr. Bell does not rank as high as some
of his Pharmaceutical contemporaries. So far as we are aware, he has left
nothing on record that that exhibits a practical familiarity with chemical
science as a pursuit. Nevertheless, in all that is considered requisite in
practical pharmacy — judgment of drugs — medical botany — the details of
the English pharmaceutical laboratory, and especially in that varied know-
required in conducting a large dispensing establishment he was perfectly
familiar. His position as editor of the Pharmaceutical Journal for so long
a period made him acquainted with scientific literature, and brought him
in contact with the best minds in the profession. Added to this he appears
to have given his time and attention to the profession at large in the form
of unremitting endeavors to advance their interests as a body. No amount
of labor was too much for him in that direction, and with his multitudin-
ous engagements in this and other connections he could give but little
time to abstract science. In one of his letters to us, dated March 4, 1856,
he says ; " I believe I must plead guilty to having too many irons in the
fire, as I am on several committees of hospitals, dispensaries and other
institutions, besides parochial boards, and occasionally a dash at politics
(chiefly medical politics, or matters bearing on that class of subjects.)
In the midst of this accumulation of occupations, I occasionally find that
I have neglected something or delayed answering a letter, or only half
done it; the principal reason being that there is only six days in the week
(besides Sunday,) and only 17 hours in each day (besides horae somni.")

Perhaps Mr. Bell's most distinguishing trait of mind was a practical
good sense in dealing with the pleasures, the duties and the difficulties of
life. It never forsook him, and at the last moment, when all that he felt
so deeply interested in, and had so much cause to wish to continue among,
was fading from his view, he calmly selected a spot for his last resting
place, beside the grave of the late Dr. Golding Bird, and quietly passed
away without a murmur.

THE

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

NOVEMBER, 1 8 59.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL
ASSOCIATION — 1859.

The American Pharmaceutical Association commenced its
Eighth Annual Meeting at the Rooms of the Massachusetts
College of Pharmacy, Temple place, Boston, on the 13th of
September (Tuesday), at 3 o'clock, P. M., 1859.

In the absence of the President, the meeting was called fro
order by Robert Battey, of Rome, Georgia, one of the Vice
Presidents.

On motion, Alfred B. Taylor, of Philadelphia, was appointed
temporary Secretary.

The Chair appointed Messrs. Meakim, of New York, Melvin,
of Boston, and Grahame, of Baltimore, as a Committee on
Credentials.

S. S. Garrigues, Chairman of the Executive Committee, pre-
sented the following names of members elected during the
recess :

M. S. McConville, Worcester Mass. R. H. Land, Newberry C, H., S. C.
Raymond Graverend, New York City. I. P. Gross Klaus, Naverre, Ohio.
L. Leroy, " " C. F. Gore Collins, Beloit, Wis.

Henry Steele, " 11 Louis D. Lanszweert. San Francisco,

William Wright, Jr., «• " Cal.

James H. Anderson, c< " Charles Hodge, "

P. Wendover Bedford, " " George S Dickey, "
Alfred J. Shipley, " " George E. Hinckley, «

James T. King, Middletown, N. Y. Albert I. Calder, Providence, R. I.
J. Hartley Burin, Lynchburg, Va.

On motion of Samuel M. Colcord, of Boston, it was voted to
employ a reporter to assist the Recording Secretary, and the
Committee of Arrangements were authorized to secure the ser-
vices of a reporter at once.

29

492

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Mr. Colcord announced that Mr. Kimball, proprietor of the
Boston Museum, had furnished a package of tickets to that
place for the use of the members of the Convention. The invi-
tation was accepted and a vote of thanks returned.

The Committee on Credentials reported the names of gentle-
men duly accredited to this annual meeting, as follows: —

From the Massachussetts College of Pharmacy : — Thomas
Restieaux, William Brown, George W. Parmentier, of Boston ;
Charles H. Price, of Salem ; Eben Blatchford, of Rockport.

New York College of Pharmacy : — H. T. Kiersted, Isaac
Coddington, William liegeman, George W. Berrian, Jr., George
Thurber.

Philadelphia College of Pharmacy : — Dr. W. II. Pile, D. S.
Jones, Charles Ellis, Samuel S. Bunting, Charles Bullock.

Maryland College of Pharmacy : — James Balmar, Joseph
Roberts, N. H. Jennings, A. P. Sharp, I. J. Grahame.

Cincinnati College of Pharmacy : — William S. Merrill, E. S.
Wayne, W. J. M. Gordon, John C. Parr, William B. Horner,
(none present).

Washington Pharmaceutical Association : — Joseph W. Nairn,
James N. Callan, Samuel B. Walter, Joseph B. Moore, John
Schwartz.

St. Louis Pharmaceutical Association : — Enno Sander, Wm.
H. Dornin, James O'Gallagher, S. D. Handel, William B.
Parker, (none present).

A letter was read, stating the reasons why the St. Louis
Association was not represented, when it was moved and voted
that their names shall be included in the published list of
Delegates.

A letter was read, from John L. Kidwell, of Georgetown,
D. C, President of the Association, regretting his inability to
be present.

A letter was read, from Eugene L. Massot, President of the
St. Louis Pharmaceutical Association, tending a cordial invita-
tion to the Association to hold their next meeting in that city.

A letter from William J. M. Gordon, of Cincinnati, the Sec-
retary, gave a sufficient reason for his absence.

William A. Brewer, of Boston, read communications from the
Massachusetts Historical Society; from John P. Bigelow, in

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 493

behalf of the Trustees of the City Library ; and from Dr. N. B.
Shurtleff, for the Trustees of the State Library, inviting the
Members of the Association to visit their respective rooms.
These invitations were accepted, and a vote of thanks unani-
mously returned for the courtesies tendered.

The Executive Committee now reported the following names
of persons suitable for membership, who were recommended for
election, viz. :

Thomas A. Lancaster, Philada. Pa. J. Henry Zeilen, Macon, Georgia.
Adolphus F. Neynaber, " 11 Henry C. Morris, St. Paul. Min.
A, H. Wilson, " « W. S. Potts, " ' "

Lewis T. Sillyman, Columbia, S. C. M. M. DeLevis, Chicago, 111.

John W. Shedden, New York,
W. Neergaard, "
Charles Pefferman, Peru, Ind.
W. J. Luck, Vincennes, 11
W. F. Cleney, Cincinnati, Ohio.
John J. Cooke, Lewiston, Me.
E. T. Miller, York, Pa.
J. T. Barnett, Danville, Ky.
James Stratton, Bordentown, N. J.
Henry Q. Mack, New York City.
William H. Warner, Rome, Ga.
J. B. W. Nolin, M. D., " <:
J. A. Taylor, Atalanta. "
W. A. Lansdell, ' «

Robert J. Massey, M. D., Atalanta,

Georgia.
B. M. Smith, M. D.,

William Baker, Brunswick, Maine.
Edward H. Rollins, Concord, N. H.
Charles E. Field, Chelsea, Mass.
E. A. Morse, Rutland, Vermont.
Francis 0. Bigelow, Medford, Mass.
James L. Burbank, Worcester, 11
Joseph Haven Thatcher, Portsmouth,
N. H.

Leopold Babo, Boston, Mass.
Chas. E. Hinckley, San Francisco, Cal.
William H. Keith, « "
James G. Steele. " '•'
John C. Howe, Boston, Mass.
Edward G. Frothingham, Haverhill.
Mass.

H. M. Whitney, Lawrence, Mass.
Chauncey L. Case, Brandon, Vt.
Daniel F. White, Charlestown, Mass. Nelson R Scott, Worcester, Mass.
Fleming G. Grieve, Milledgeville, N. S. Harlow, Bangor, Me.

Georgia. Levi G. Dodge, Boston, Mass.

C. C. Bixby, North Bridgewater, Franklin K. Phillips, E. Boston, Mass.

Mass. A. G. Weeks, Boston, "

Orlando Tompkins, Boston, Mass. William J. Cutler, " "

E. Waldo Cutler, « "

Warren Tapley, Lynn,
A. H. Ramsey, Cambridge, {<
Isaac T. Campbell, S. Boston, i:
Thomas Doliber, Boston, "
Charles Clark, « ;£

John T. Brown, "
George M. Washburne, 111.

B. F. Brown, «
W. D. Miller, « "
Walter F. Phillips, Portland. Me.
A. R. Bailey, Cambridgeport, Mass.
Theodore S. Harris, Boston, u
George H. Chapman,

Thomas A. Sweetzer, South Dan- B. K. Bliss, Springfield,

vers, Mass.
Julius Cene, Concord, N. H.
John F. Rollins, " "
Frederick Dutcher, St. Albans, Vt.
John B. Arnold, Fitchburg, Mass.
George A. Kimball, Haverhill; "
Michael H. Gleason, Boston, u

Nathan Dickerman, Jr., Waterbury, Ct.
John French, Boston, Mass.
Theodore Wheeler, Boston, Mass.
James Morgan, Concord, N. H.
George Moore, Great Falls, N. H.
L. L. Dutcher, St. Albans; Vt.
Edward Dana, Jr., Portland, Me.

494

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

On motion, a ballot was ordered, and Edward Parrish, H. W.
Lincoln and John Meakim appointed tellers, who reported that
all the votes had been cast in the affirmative, and that the gen-
tlemen named had been duly elected members.

The Executive Committee announced that they had a list of
names of parties proposed for membership, but who were not
eligible under the Constitution, although they were worthy men.
Some of them were manufacturing chemists, others were botanic
druggists or herborists, or dealers in eclectic medicines.

Mr. Brewer, of Boston, moved to refer this list to the Execu-
tive Committee for further action.

Mr. Parrish, of Philadelphia, thought dealers in eclectic
medicines were, or should be eligible, as pharmaceutists.

The Chairman remarked that this was a matter of much im-
portance, and demanded careful attention before deciding it.

Mr. Parrish was opposed to admitting quacks, but chemists
and many other useful men of practical knowledge were kept
out by the Constitution.

Mr. Cummings, of Portland, Maine, was in favor of admit-
ting all persons properly advanced in Pharmacy, but the selec-
tion from chemists, etc., should be exercised with great care.

Charles Ellis, of Philadelphia, thought the rules should be
altered before admitting a new class of men to the Association.

Mr. Hollis, of Boston, thought the Society would be
strengthened by scientific men.

Mr. Procter, of Philadelphia, thought that the Association
should relieve the Executive Committee from the unpleasant re-
sponsibility by deciding the question, who were and who were
not eligible.

The question being called, the motion of Mr. Brewer referring
the names for reconsideration to the Committee, was adopted.

Mr. Colcord wished to know whether the Association had a
right to inquire into the professional status of delegates from
subordinate societies as to their being apothecaries, chemists,
etc.

Mr. Parrish was of the opinion that no such right should be
admitted ; the credentials of the delegates, if genuine, should
be sufficient guarantee of their character.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 495

The calling of the roll being now in order, fifty-three gentle-
men answered to their names.

Reports of Standing and Special Committees being in order,
the Report of the Executive Committee, and that on the
Progress of Pharmacy, were laid on the table.

The Report of the Committee " to co-operate with the Agri-
cultural Department of the Patent Office in introducing foreign
medicinal plants, &c," being called, Mr. Wm. A. Brewer stated
that he had received from the Chairman, Mr. Kidwell, a packet
of papers and a package of living plants from the Agricultural
Bureau. Among the papers was one from the Utah agency, in
reference to certain plants used by the Indians medicinally.
The papers were laid on the table for the present.

The Committee on Weights and Measures signified their
readiness to report, and the Committee on the Revision of the
Pharmacopoeia expected to be ready when their report was called
up for reading.

The Committee on Home Adulterations was prepared to re-
port.

The Committee " on the amendment of the U. S. Law, regu-
lating the importation of drugs and medicines," being called,
Mr. Sharp, of Baltimore, stated that he had not received any
information from Dr. Guthrie, Chairman of the Committee, and
that he had no report.

The Corresponding Secretary, Ambrose Smith, read a letter
received from E. Ringk, Vice President of the Swiss Apothe-
caries Association, acknowledging the reception of the "Pro-
ceedings " of last year, and sending their Journal of Pharmacy
in exchange. The letter also invited an exchange of botanical
specimens. In a subsequent sitting it was directed that the
letter be answered, and so much of its request as relates to
plants, be referred to the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.

S. S. Garrigues, Chairman of the Executive Committee, then
read the Annual Report, which was accepted.

The Report states that the Journal of Proceedings of last year
contained 488 pages, and cost about $900 for an edition of 1000
copies. Many copies had been sold, each member had received
a copy post-paid, and many remain on hand. The application

496

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

to Congress for a charter had failed, owing to the pressure of
business at the short session.

The appointment of the Committee to nominate officers being
in order, H. W. Lincoln, of Boston, Wm. Hegeman, of New
York, Charles Bullock, of Philadelphia, Israel J. Grahame, of
Baltimore, and J. M. Callan, of Washington, were nominated
from the respective delegations, and C. A. Tufts, of New Hamp-
shire, Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia, and A. P. Sharp, of
Baltimore, appointed by the Chair from the members at large.

The meeting then adjourned to 9 o'clock to morrow morning.

Second day — Morning Session- — Sept. 14^, 1859.

The meeting was called to order at 9 o'clock by Dr. Battel
Vice President.

E. 0. Gale, of Chicago, appeared as a delegate from the
Chicago College of Pharmacy, just organized in that city.

A communication was received from the Boston Library, ac-
knowledging the receipt of a copy of the Proceedings of the
Association for 1858.

The Executive Committee having nominated the following
gentlemen, they were duly elected members of the Association:
Messrs. Haviland, Buck and Bullock acting as tellers.

J. Lindley Pyle, Brooklyn, N. Y. Joel S. Orne, Cambridge, Mass.

Cyrus Pyle, " " Francis D. Hardy, Jr. " «

Uriah B. Wilson, Ann Arbor, Mich. Wm. T. S. Cardy, Chelsea, "

Samuel P. Duffield, Detroit, " William Atwood, Portland, Maine.

Ferd. F. Mayer, New York City, Luther Atwood, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Joseph T. Brown, Boston, Mass. Corydon E. Tyler, New York City.

Benjamin Proctor, Lynn, Mass. Samuel Noyes, New Haven, Conn.

Samuel A. Smith, Newbury port, James M. B. McNary, Hartford,

Mass. Conn.

M. D. Colby, Boston, Mass. H. H. Barrington, Providence, R. I.

George Woodbridge, " " R. I. Taylor, Newport, "

Dr. Henry T. Cummings, of Portland, Maine, offered the fol-
lowing "Voted, that the name of the American Pharmaceutical
Association shall not be employed by any of the members there-
of, upon signs or labels, or in advertisements, in a manner to
compromise the Association in respect to its approbation or en-
dorsement of any species of no:trums, or proprietary prepara-
tions. This was withdrawn to give place to other business.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 497

The Committee on Nominations reported the following list of
Officers for the ensuing years, viz :

For President — Samuel M. Colcord, of Boston.

1st Vice President — William Procter, Jr., of Philadelphia.

2d " " Joseph Roberts, of Baltimore.

3d " " Edwin 0. Gale, of Chicago.

Recording Secretary — Charles Bullock, of Philadelphia.

Corresponding Secretary — William Hegeman, of New York.

Treasurer — Ashael Boyden, of Boston.

Executive Committee — Charles T. Carney, of Boston ; Charles
A. Tufts, of Dover, N. H. ; S. S. Garrigues, of Philadelphia ;
George W. Berrian, Jr., New York, and Charles Bullock, of
Philadelphia.

Committee on Progress of Pharmacy — Edward Parrish, of
Philadelphia ; Alphseus P. Sharp, of Baltimore ; Eugene L.
Massot, of St. Louis ; James N. Callan, of Washington, D. C,
and William Hegeman, of New York city.

The Report was accepted and a ballot ordered, Messrs. Havi-
land and Buck acting as tellers, and Samuel M. Colcord was
declared to be elected unanimously.

On motion of Edward Parrish, the remaining officers were
elected, viva voce.

On motion, a Committee of three having been appointed to
conduct the President elect to the Chair, the retiring Chair-
man, Dr. Battey, of Rome, Georgia, addressed the Association
briefly and ably on several topics of interest. He could not
speak authoritatively of the progress of the Association, but the
large number of members who answered to their names, yester-
day, and the addition of new members, showed an increasing
interest in its success.

He spoke of the necessity of securing a charter, and of hav-
ing the Association represented in the next revision of the
Pharmacopoeia. The difficulty of deciding who shall and who
shall not be admitted as members was alluded to, and the care-
ful consideration of the subject recommended. He suggested
that the Constitution might be altered so as to allow of the
election of associate members from among chemists and similar
professions.

The Committee, of whom the retiring Chairman was a mem-

t

498 PROCEEDINGS OF THE

ber, now conducted the President elect to the Chair. On taking
his seat Mr. Colcord made the following remarks:

Gentlemen Associates : — The honor you have conferred
by electing me to preside over your deliberations, I accept with
reluctance, on the score of my own personal disqualifications,
though as a compliment in giving the office to Boston, and as
the highest compliment from the Association to me, I value it
highly, as reposing confidence in one of your oldest members,
who has always been ready to offer his views for what they are
worth, at a period in your history when there was no precedent
to follow, and no landmarks to guide — at a period when a mis-
take in our organization might have proved fatal to the realiza-
tion of our hopes.

Happily, those questions of a perplexing character that must
necessarily arise and be settled in the first efforts of our organi-
zation, in the general plan of our operations, have been met and
settled ; and it must be gratifying to you, as to me, that it has
been done without jar or discord, that all have been united in
one common object — to promote the advancement of pharmaceu-
tic skill and science throughout the land. To attain this end
we have thrown our doors wide open to welcome all well-wishers
to our profession to unite with us to receive whatever of good
we may have to impart, and to do what we may for the benefit
of our common cause. How different are the circumstances
under which we meet to-day, our eighth anniversary, to what
was our first meeting with but nine members, strangers. A.n
imperative necessity existed for associated effort to regulate and
improve our profession. We then met without confidence in
ourselves, and under a still greater embarrassment of having no
leaders in our labors ; strangers, by reputation even, to our dis-
tant brethren, how could we look with confidence to their sup-
port, in the general apathy which all knew hung like an incubus
over all ranks in our line of business.

I have said that an imperative necessity existed for such an
organization, and that I can give as the only reason why we
exist. All other trades and professions have their organizations
for associated efforts, and as it is the general average of varied
talent and ideas that make the unit nearest perfection, so we
shall find it ; every one has a mission to perform, as well to his

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 499

fellow as to himself. There is no one so humble in our ranks,
but can add something of value to our common stock ; then let
us each lay aside excess of modesty as well as ostentation, and
join head and heart in the work before us.

It is with these views and these feelings that I accept the
office with which you have honored me — not because I feel that
you have made the wisest selection, and grave doubts that you
have made a judicious one — but as no one can tell his capabili-
ties until he has made the trial, and relying upon your
generous support and kind forbearance, I can only promise my
best efforts for facilitating business as well as for your general
comfort and happiness while you remain in Boston.

And I feel sure that while I express myself personally at
your disposal, I do but express the sentiments of Massachusetts
College of Pharmacy, as well as the drug trade of Boston.
And I can but hope that you will consider us individually and
collectively as a committee of the whole raised for your special
convenience during your sojourn with us, and make use of us
accordingly."

The Association now took a brief recess, and on coming to
order the several officers took their assigned places. On motion
of Mr. Meakim, of New York, the thanks of the Association
were tendered to Dr. Robert Battey for his address, and to Mr.
Taylor the Secretary pro tern, for his services.

It was decided to make the report of the Committee on Home
Adulterations the first business of the afternoon session.

A Committee was appointed to take into consideration the
order of business, acceptance of invitations, etc., viz :

Thomas Hollis of Boston, James Stratton of New Jersey,
Samuel S. Bunting of Philadelphia.

The Report of the Committee on the Progress of Pharmacy
being called up, the Chairman, William Procter, Jr., of Philadel-
phia, remarked that the great body of the Report consisted of
a concise record of what had been discovered and written upon
in Materia Medica, Chemistry inorganic and organic, Practical
Pharmacy and Toxicology, with references to original papers.
He then read those portions of the Report relating to the Phar-
maceutical Associations, the Drug Market, Pharmaceutical Lit-
erature, and lastly a notice of the decease of eminent Pharma-

i

500

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

ceutists and Chemists. From the Report we learn that the
schools of Pharmacy at Philadelphia, New York and Baltimore,
continue in operation. That efforts at Boston to initiate a
course of pharmaceutical instruction failed, owing to want of
earnestness and interest on the part of students. That Cinci-
nati College appears to be doing little to advance the profession,
and that the Richmond Association has become wholly in opera-
tive. We are also informed of the inauguration of a new College
of Pharmacy at Chicago, Illinois.

In reference to the Drug Market, it is stated that about 24,000
gallons of cod-liver oil are obtained annually on the coast be-
tween Boston and Eastport, Maine. That the production of
New England Isinglass has lessened with the demand ; that
20,000 gallons of Castor Oil, from the East Indies, were entered
at the port of Boston since the 1st of January, and during the
same period 50,000 bushels of Castor Beans, from the same
source, imported for manufacture into oil, so as to avoid the loss
by duty and leakage.

Allusion was made to the business of manufacturing chemicals,
as being largely carried on at Philadelphia, and gradually spread-
ing to other cities, as New York, Boston, Baltimore, Louisville,
&c. The Committee referred to the late action of the Secretary
of the Treasury in preventing the publication of the drugs im-
ported into New York, in the Druggists' Circular, as a decided
backward step, as the information thus afforded was very useful.

The Report was adopted and referred for publication.

Mr. Parrish, of Philadelphia, remarked that it was undoubtedly
useful to have the reports of importations published, and it was
suggested by Mr. J. D. Dix, of New York, that upon a proper
representation to the Secretary of the Treasury, they could ob-
tain authority to get the necessary information.

After some further remarks by Messrs. Parrish, Jones, Proc-
ter, Colcord and Stearns, on motion of Mr. Procter it was
voted to refer this subject to a special Committee to report to-
morrow. The Chair nominated Messrs. Dix, Brewer and Proc-
ter.

Mr. Parrish moved that a special Committee be appointed to
act upon the subject of obtaining an Act of Incorporation from

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION 501

Congress, and relieve the Executive Committee from that ser-
vice.

The Chairman believed that it was proper to have an act of
incorporation; so that the Association can sue and be sued ; so
that the Committee on Adulterations can publish names without
being personally responsible.

Mr. Stratton, of Bordentown, N. J., thought if they had an
act of incorporation, they would be more likely to receive dona-
tions from individuals or from Congress, in furthering the objects
in view. The motion of Mr. Parrish prevailed, and the Chair
stated that the Committees will be appointed at the afternoon
session.

Mr. Procter, of Philadelphia, stated that various interesting
specimens were on exhibition in the adjoining room, and submit-
ted a motion for the appointment of a Committee to report on
them, which was carried.

It was voted to hold a session at half past seven o'clock this
evening for the reading of scientific reports, and at one o'clock
the Association adjourned till three o'clock this afternoon.

Second Bay — Afternoon Session.

The meeting was called to order at half past three o'clock,
by the President, Mr. Colcord.

Mr. Colcord, who was Treasurer during the past year, sub-
mitted a report, showing that the cash on hand at this time is
$231. The Association will have about $700 towards publish-
ing the Proceedings of the present meeting. Messrs. Ellis, of
Philadelphia, and Meakim and Haviland, of New York, were
appointed by the meeting to audit the account of the Treasurer.

The Chair now appointed the following committees, viz:

Messrs. Ambrose Smith of Philadelphia, Thurber of New
York, Procter of Philadelphia, and Sharp of Baltimore, to
examine and report on the specimens on exhibition.

To petition Congress for an act of incorporation, James M.
Callan, of Washington, E. H. Rollins, of Concord, N. H.,
William A. Brewer, of Boston, R. H. Stabler, of Alexandria,
and John L. Kidwell, of Georgetown, D. C.

The following named gentlemen, reported by the Executive
Committee, were duly elected members, viz :

502

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Charles Pollard, of Maysville, Cal. George C. Hunt, Jr., of Fredericton,
Samuel Kidder, Jr., Lowell, Mass. New Brunswick.

The President remarked, that the last named was the first
member from out of the limits of the United States.

A communication was received from D. J. Brown, Esq., of
the U. S. Patent Office, suggesting that a committee be appointed
to memorialize Congress for an appropriation to defray the ex-
penses of attempting to raise medicinal plants not natives of
this country. The communication was laid upon the table.

The Committee on the President's Address reported an amend-
ment to the Constitution, so. as to allow chemists to become
members of the Association. The amendment lies over under
the rules.

Charles T. Carney, Chairman of the Committee on Home
Adulterations, then submitted a Report, which he illustrated by
specimens and the results of experiments.

This Report received the warm approval of the members, and
was referred for publication, as follows:

The subject placed in their hands has received, as it deserves, careful
consideration.

The co-operation of our Pharmaceutical brethren from all parts of our
country has been solicited, and your Committee take pleasure in stating that
the interest shown by our members in this subject proves that it is a matter
worthy of all the time and care bestowed upon it, from year to year, by the
Association.

The matter of Adulteration is one that appeals to every person strongly.
Viewed in the best light we can place it, that of a mere matter of dollars
and cents, it even then meets with the condemnation of those who are only
conscious of the wickedness of the practice by being touched in their most
sensitive region — the pocket.

For although some do say that mixing rice flour with cream of tartar,
and chicory with coffee, is a u harmless" sophistication, still, when they are
obliged to pay the price of u Best Old Mocha," for chicory, and forty cents a
pound for rice flour, then the enormity of the offence is at once apparent.

Before presenting to the Association such specimens of adulterations and
sophistications as your Committee have to offer, it will be well, perhaps, to
give an explanation as to what constitutes an adulteration. For the best defi-
nition of an adulteration, we are indebted to Dr. Hassell, of London. He
says : The sale of one article in place of another is not an adulteration, but
a substitution. The presence of substances in articles, in consequence of im-
purities contained in the materials out of which they were prepared, as, for
example, arsenic in the hydrochloric acid used in the preparation of unfer-
mented bread, does not constitute adulteration, they are simply impurities.
Lastly, the accidental presence of substances in any commodity does not con-
stitute an adulteration. Excluding, then, fmm the class of adulterations a,ll
cases of substitution, impurities and accidental contaminations, adulteration
maybe thus defined : It consists in the intentional addition to an article, for
the purpose of gain, or deception, of any substance or substances, the pre-

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 503

sence of which is not acknowledged in the name under which the article is
sold.

Your Committee feel that perhaps they may bring forward some facts, not
in all cases agreeable, and that they may be met with the oft-repeated state-
ment that u the public wish the adulterated articles/' that t: pure mustard
and cream of tartar will not sell," coffee with burnt peas and apples in it is
" richer," and more " nutritious," but we feel constrained to say this pre-
tended regard for the wishes and tastes of the " public1' is most generally
based upon a slight interest for the pecuniary welfare of the manufacturer
or trader.

The public do not wish adulterated articles ; were they once aware of the
real difference between pure and impure articles they wo ild not hesitate a
moment in their choice: could they but see the peas and beans roasted for
best " old Mocha," the sulphate of soda for u cream tartar," the turmeric
for " mustard," the alum for bread, and the sulphuric acid for " vinegar,"
your committee feel that very soon the lucrative portion of the adultera-
tor's business would pass away, leaving him with a reputation far from
enviable.

It is not only in articles of food, but in medicines, also, that this practice
prevails, and your committee have felt that upon this part of the subject
they should bestow a large portion of their investigations.

Science is never so noble as when engaged in advancing those arts which
promote health or mitigate the sufferings of humanity, but when it is prosti-
tuted to ignoble purposes, and, in direct opposition to the relieving of suffer-
ing, is engaged in sophisticating with a cunning and well concealed hand
those very articles which the physician relies upon for promoting and re-
storing health, then indeed it is deserving of condemnation.

Very many of the adulterations of the present day exhibit a knowledge
of science worthy a better cause; many of them are decidedly pernicious,
and serious results have followed their use ; of such we may instance the
employment of poisonous pigments for the colored confections, lead in snuff
and in Cayenne pepper, copper in pickles, and cocculus indicus and nux vo-
mica in beer and ale.

Your Committee would refer to any of the works published in France or
England, devoted to the exposure of the frauds in food and medicine, for
evidence, were it needed, of the great interest felt in this subject hy scientific
men; and they cannot better illustrate the necessity of these investigations
than by giving a short list of those articles of food which have been proved
to be adulterated, and the substances used for the purpose. Many of these
have been met with by your Committee, and some of them are described by
Doctor Hassall in his work, on "The Adulterations of Food and Medicine."

The articles we specially refer to are as follows :

Colored Confectionery — Adulterated with emerald or Scheele's green, ar-
senite of copper.
Beer — with cocculus indicus and nux vomica.
Pickles and Bottled Fruits— writh verdigris and sulphate of copper.
Custard Powders — with chromate of lead.
Tea and snuff — with the same.

Cayenne and Curry Powder — with red oxide of lead.

Sugar Confectionery — with gamboge, orpiment, or sulphuret of arsenic,
and chloride of copper.

Flour and Bread — with hydrated sulphate of lime, plaster of Paris and
alum.

Vinegar — with sulphuric acid.

Sugar — with sand and plaster of Paris.

Milk — with chalk, sheeps' brains, ground turmeric.

504

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Arrow root — with ground rice.

Chocolate — with rice flour, potato starch, gum tragacanth, cinnabar, bals.
Peru, red ox. mercury, red lead, carb. of lime, and the red ochres to bring
up the color.

Mustard — with ground turmeric, to give it a brilliant color.
Butter — with potato starch, mutton tallow, carbonate of lead and sugar of
lead.

That it would be right to make public the persons who are directly'engaged
in the practice of adulteration, we feel that few would deny; but your com-
mittee refrain from pursuing this course, at present, suggesting, however, to
the Association the propriety of taking some measures for exposing those
who make it a regular matter of business.

It is, perhaps, our duty to be more explicit in this matter as to what par-
ties are guilty of the adulterations, but your committee know that all classes
of trade, manufacturer, jobber, and retailer, are sometimes implicated in
these frauds.

Certain kinds of adulterations and sophistications are practised upon so
large a scale as to be beyond the small dealer; they involve the use of ex-
tensive machinery which the ordinary tradesman does not possess.

It was once the practice for druggists to systematically and to all drugs
certain amounts of saw-dust, oat meal, and other substances, of less value
than the article in its purity, to make good the loss by drying and powder-
ing. The average loss was considered to be about four per cent., and asthis
amount was added to compensate, it was known as the " four per cent, sys-
tem." The practice, under this name, was principally confined to England,
but from specimens with which your committee have, from time to time,
met, it is apparent that a practice somewhat similar exists, occasionally, on
this side the water.

Your committee feel also that the tradesman is sometimes a parly to the
fraud, although he may not be the actual mixer. He often purchases of the
wholesale dealer an article which he knows cannot be pure, from the price
asked; he is willing, however, to stretch his elastic conscience round the
apparent discrepancy, and as one of the members of your committee has
been told by a retail apothecary, if the jobber told him an article was pure,
although he knew it was not, he should consider the jobber as having
taken the responsibility, and should buy and sell the article with a clear
conscience.

Your committee do not appreciate this kind of a conscience, and trust our
profession is not graced with many such. It is our duty as pharmaceutists
to do all in our power to put an end to this pernicious system of adultera-
tion, using our influence against a practice which, in the language of ano-
ther, £<is undermining the very foundation of trade, namely, faith in com-
mercial integrity.'''

In England the matter of pecuniary loss to the government has been taken
into consideration, and from careful estimates the revenue suffers by adulte-
ration to the extent of two millions annually ! The author of " Food of Lon-
don1' states that half the national revenue is derived from articles of con-
sumption. t; If the government loses so much, the public suffers a much
greater loss."

This subject of home adulteration, then, is one worthy of attention by
state and public officers, even as a question of pecuniary moment only.

As a matter relating to public health, this subject is worthy careful atten-
tion ; very many of the adulterations practised upon food and medicine are
said to be " harmless in themselves j" but we have seen that in a pecuniary
point of view at least they are not so. Very many instances are on record,
however, where not only serious but fatal results to health have followed the
use of adulterated articles.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 505

During the past year your committee have met with very many instances
of fraud and deception in drugs ; some of these are very curious, and are
worthy of a place in a report of this kind.

During the past year, in a wood-turner's shop in Boston, was seen more
than a barrel of East India rhubarb, which was being turned down into
C{ true Turkey."

This rhubarb was sold for genuine and real Turkey rhubarb.

A druggist was applied to by a man for a situation as porter in his store :

"What can you do? What have you been doing at your last place," were
the questions asked.

{COh," replied the man, u I have done every thing about the store that
was needed, until the past year. I have worked up stairs in the room mak-
ing Turkey Rhubarb."

u Making Turkey Rhubarb; what do you mean by that?"

u Why," replied the man, u we used to take the East India and file it
and bore it into true Turkey."

The man was not engaged.

Both of these, it may be remarked, are merely instances grateful to those
who urge that "most of the adulterations are harmless," but they must ap-
peal with considerable force to those who are sensitive as to the mere value
of an article in dollars and cents, for East India Rhubarb at 90c. per lb.,
transformed into " true Turkey" ar $4 50 per lb., is certainly a touching in-
stance of the mutability of earthly things, especially drugs.

There is one more aspect in which this snbject of adulterations is to be
considered, and that is the moral bearings of the practice, ft is not possible
for an adulterator to be a strictly honest man. The practice not only makes
those guilty of it dishonest, but it also causes distrust on the part of those
who buy; confidence in the integrity of the seller is lost by those who pur-
chase, and not only do the guilty, but the honest traders suffer : in fact the
standard of morality and business integrity is lowered, and the innocent
suffer with the guilty.

The truly upright man who cannot conscientiously adopt the practice of
his competitors, how fares it with him %

He struggles alone, selling pure articles at a smaller profit than those who
are less scrupulous he, is discouraged, and well he maybe oftentimes;
and were it not for the proud consciousness of right doing, he would be-
come disheartened, less honest, and finally adopt the practices he formerly
condemned.

The practice of adulteration, then, is one deserving condemnation, be-
cause prejudicial to public health, honesty and morality, and in a pecunia-
ry view, as occasioning a loss to the public and the government.

If. we admit the truth of the statement of Dr. Normandy, and very few
will question it, we can see to how great an extent the practice has ad-
vanced. He says : " Adulteration is a wide-spread evil, which has invaded
every branch of commerce. Everything which can be mixed or adulterated,
or debased in any way, is debased."

Your committee submit herewith a brief list of drugs found to be adul-
terated, and the articles used for the purpose.

Many of the substances referred to in this list are taken from 11 Cheva-
lier's Dictionary of Alterations and Falsifications."

Acetate of Morphia, is adulterated with acetate and phosphate of lime.

Benzoic acid, with asbestos, carbonate and sulphate of lime, hippuric
acid and sugar.

Citric acid, with oxalic and tartaric acids, and sulphate of lime. It often
contains sulphuric acid and salts of lead or copper. In 1850 M. Penne^
discovered the presence of lead in this acid, obtained of three highly res-

506

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

pectable dealers. The acid was very white, and was intended to prepare
the purgative lemonade.

Tartaric acid, with cream of tartar, acid sulphate of potassa and with
lime.

Aloes, with colophony, ochre, extract of licorice, gum arabic,and calcined
bones.

Starch, with carbonate and sulphate of lime or alabaster; the more com-
mon fraud is, however, to saturate it with moisture.
Arrow root, with potato starch, and rice flour.

Assafcetida, with gum resins of poorer quality, with sand, and other hard
substances.

Balsam Copaiva, with the resinous extract by decoction of the bark and
branches of copaiba trees, turpentine, colophony, and fat oils.

Balsam Peru, with colophony, turpentine, benzoin resin, alcohol, and fixed
oils.

Balsam Tolu, with turpentine, colophony, and other resins.

Chloroform, with chlorhydric ether, hypochlorous acid, hydro- carbonated
oils, compounds of methyle and aldehyde, and fixed substances.

Beeswax, with resin, burgundy pitch, earthy matter, flowers of sulphur,
starch and amylaceous substances, tallow, stearic acid, yellow ochre, cal-
cined bones and sawdust.

Tart. Emetic, with cream tartar, oxide of antimony, tartrate of iron, chlor:
calcium and potassium, and sometimes is contaminated with salts of copper
and tin.

Essential oils, with alcohol and fixed oils.

Iodide Potassium with chloride potassium and sodium, and calcium, car-
bonate of potassa and bromide of potassium. The latter salt being some-
times in so large a proportion, owing to its lesser price, as to replace, almost
entirely, the iodide.

Manna, with glucose, or starch sugar and starch. The large flake manna
is sometimes made from a mixture, consisting of a little manna, flour, honey
and a purgative powder; these are boiled together to a syrupy consistence,
and then moulded in form of " flakes ; " common " sorts manna'' has been
converted into ;' flake" by being boiled in water, clarified with charcoal, and
moulded into proper form.

It is possible to extend this list, but your committee feel that enough has
been already brought forward to establish the fact, were proof necessary,
that very many articles depended upon as medicines to restore health, may
be, because adulterated, highly pernicious and even fatal in their effects.

Your committee propose to offer, in concluding this report, already per-
haps extended beyond its limits, a few specimens of adulterations and sub-
stitutions which have come to their knowledge the past year, and to give
the simpler tests by which they may be detected.

First we ask your attention to the

SUBSTITUTIONS.

Specimen No. 1 is Western Alcohol. A barrel of this was sold for "At-
vvood's Alcohol." A very simple examination proves it to be loaded with
grain oils, and thus exposes the fraud at once. The simplest way to detect
the grain oils is to treat the suspected sample with an equal volume of con-
centrated sulphuric acid ; if grain oils are present, the mixture becomes
darker colored, owing to their carbonization. Also they may be detected by
solution of nitrate of silver ; expose the alcohol, to which this solution has
been added, to the action of sunlight, or diffuse daylight — if grain oils are
present, a black precipitate subsides after some little time. This change
does not occur if the alcohol is pure.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 507

Specimen No. 2, is an Oil, principally Linseed, which was sold for true
" English oil of sweet almonds." The physical characteristics and the tem-
perature required for congelation, serve to detect this fraud. Linseed oil
remains fluid at zero, while true oil, almonds congeals above that tempe-
rature.

t Specimen No. 3 is false Oil of Bitter Almonds. This was purchased with
the label of a well known English house upon it, and was sold as " true es-
sential Oil of Bitter Almonds." It is the article known as ''Essence de Mir-
ban," or Nitro-Benzole, and may be detected very easily.

When a mixture of 1 volume true essential oil almonds, 2 volumes of al-
cohol, and 1 volume of very weak solution of potassa, mixed well together,
is allowed to stand, it is converted into benzoic acid in from 24 to 48
hours.

The fictitious oil (nitro benzole) is not capable of undergoing this change.

Specimen No. 4, is fictitious Tapioca. This article purports to be the fecu-
la of Jatropha manihot, or cassava. It is not, however, what it appears, and
is proved to be, by microscopical examination, entirely a fictitious article,
made from potato starch, and does not contain one particle of real Tapioca.
This article is made in Liverpool England, and imported into New York.

Your committee cannot refrain from recommending the use of the micro-
scope as being a very valuable aid to the Pharmaceutist. By this instru-
ment is he enabled to detect at once, frauds which perhaps might be pre-
viously unsuspected, particularly in articles of food, as in the instance just
brought to your notice.

Specimen No. 5 is Melambo or Matias Bark. — This bark is largelyused
for grinding with all kinds of spices. For a further description, we refer to
Prof. Procter's Journal of Pharmacy, vol. 29th, pp. 103 and 215. where the
nature^ and characteristics of this bark are very fully set forth by Messrs.
Edward Parrish and Frank B. Dancy. Your committee are not aware of
other uses, to any extent, to which this bark is put, except for adulterating
spices.

The next articles to be considered are

ADULTERATIONS.

Specimen No. 1. — This is an adulterated article of cubebs with the false
berry used for the purpose. These cubebs were purchased as a select and
superior article; the fraud existing in them was not discovered for some
time. The false berry is readily distinguished, however, as it is bi-lobed,
while the cubeb is a single lobed berry. There exists in the lot of cubebs
from which these were taken 15 per cent, of false berries by weight; they
are heavier than the cubebs, and are, on that account, easily added in suffi-
cient amount to vitiate the quality of the drug without attracting notice. —
Your committee have endeavored without success to ascertain the name of
this false berry; it appears to be inert and worthless, not possessed of any
deleterious property other than that of reducing the strength of the pow-
dered cubebs, which, in the amount present in sample under consideration,
it does quite perceptibly.

Specimen No. 2 is French Lycopodium, which is adulterated with the
starch of some species of lentil, apparently. The microscope reveals this
adulteration at once, which otherwise might not be suspected. If treated
with water and solution of iodine, the presence of starch may also be de-
tected. This drug is often adulterated with starch, pulv. gypsum, and even
box-wood powder. By separating with water the heavier adulterations, they
oan be examined and recognized, the wood powder can be separated by
means of a sieve.

The specimen under examination is part of a lot purchased in one pound

30

508

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

bottles, with a French stamp and label upon it. A portion of it having acci-
dentally been wet, the starch became " musty/' revealing its presence, oth-
erwise unsuspected. Subsequent examination, as above, furnished further
proofs of its existence.

Specimen No. 3 is Para Balsam Copaiva. —This contains from 6 to 8 per
cent, of heav)- or fat oil.

Balsam copaiva is very largely adulterated. It often contains the resin-
ous extract by decoction of the branches and bark of the Copaifera, tur-
pentine, colophony and fat oils, particularly castor oil. The balsam
adulterated with turpentine is not of so heavy consistence as the true balsam ;
it is more viscid and sticks upon the sides of the bottles holding it. It may-
be easily proved whether turpentine is present or not, by simply heating a
drop of the suspected balsam upon a sheet of glazed paper over a spirit
lamp; the oil of copaiva is first volatilized, and the odor of the turpentine is
at once apparent.

Castor oil is the most dangerous adulterative, owing to the great similarity
between that and true balsam. This may be detected by mixing three
parts of the suspected balsam with one part sulphuric acid, and shaking
with 15 or 20 parts of alcohol of 36 deg. If the mixture separates, it in-
dicates that the balsam is adulterated with castor : when pure there is no
separation. This test will detect not less than 1 -9th part of adulteration.

The presence of castor oil may also be detected by adding 2 parts ammo-
nia 22 deg. Beaume, to 5 parts suspected balsam, and shaking them to-
gether in a stopped bottle. The mixture becomes viscid and "ropy," but
very soon clears itself and becomes transparent, if pure.

It is whitened by agitation on the contrary, if it contains Castor oil. The
only precaution to be taken, however, is that the temperature of the mixture
should be from 50 to 60 deg. Fah. ; above or below this point the result is
inaccurate, as, from 68 to 76 deg. Fah. the mixture is transparent whether
pure or adulterated, and at 32 to 40 deg. Fah. the pure Balsam remains
clouded.

The Fixed Oils may be discovered by heating a drop or two of the bal-
sam upon paper. If the balsam is pure, the volatile oil is driven off, leav-
ing the resin homogeneous, transparent, and brittle; if it contains heavy or
fixed oil, the resin is surrounded by a greasy aureole and is less brittle.

Finally, Balsam Copaiva is "made up,? of the fat oils, as poppy and
rape seed, with turpentine. These mixtures, however, would deceive only
the inexperienced : in all cases ethereal alcohol (4 parts alcohol, 1 part ether)
serves to recognise this fraud, this liquid dissolving only the true balsam,
leaving the foreign matters.

Specimen No. 4 is Powdered Opium. This is a very poor specimen of
powdered opium. It was sold at a high price to a person not perfectly fami-
liar with drugs, but to him it appeared so different from his idea of the arti-
cle, that he requested an examination of it. It is found to contain less than
3 per cent of impure morphia, which is but one-third or one-fourth the amount
considered to be the standard yield by the United States Dispensary. It is evi-
dent that this powder of opium could scarcely fail to disappoint tne expecta-
tions of the physician. What article is used for adulterating this, your
Committee have not decided. It is possible that the opium was exhausted
in part, before drying and powdering.

Specimen No. 5 is Balsam of Tolu containing 16 per cent, common resin.
Balsam of tolu is often adulterated with turpentine and various resins. It is
easy to detect this fraud by the peculiar resinous odor which the adulterated
article gives off when burnt. It may also be distinguished by testing with
sulphuric acid. The concentrated acid added to the pure balsam gives a
cherry red liquor without disengagement of sulphurous acid ; the same acid

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

509

added to balsam adulterated with resin, gives a blackish brown liquor with
abundant disengagement of sulphurous acid.

Specimen No. 6 is Powdered Tartar Emetic. — This is largely contamina
ted with foreign bodies, containing as much as 21 per cent, of impurity.-
The impurity in it is doubtless owing to careless manufacturing, and as this
article in powder is often made without proper and sufficient care being
used in its manufacture, it is best for the pharmaceutist to buy none but the
crystals, and being assured of their purity, powder them himself.

The impurities most generally present in tartar emetic, are uncombined
cream of tartar, chloride of calcium, or potassium, and sulphate of potassa.
It also sometimes contains, as accidental contaminations, iron and tin. The
uncombined cream of tartar may be detected by an acid solution of acetate
of lead; the solution is made of 32 parts distilled water, 8 parts cryst. acetate
of lead, and 15 parts acetic acid of 9 deg. The presence of cream of tartar is
shown by the white precipitate produced in a solution of tart, emetic on ad-
ding a small portion of the lead reagent.

Chlorides of potassium or sodium, or chlorhydricacid may be detected by
their affording a white " curdy" precipitate upon adding to a solution of tart,
emetic a jew drops solution nitrate of silver. This white precipitate, if chlo-
ride of silver, should be entirely soluble in ammonia.

This specimen under examination contains 8 per cent, of chlorides. Sul-
phate of potassa may be delected by the white precipitate, insoluble in ni-
tric acid, which is afforded by solution of chloride of barium or nitrate of
baryta.

The specimen under examination contains 13 per cent, of sulphates.

Specimen No. 7 is Cream of Tartar. — This article is one used largely
both as a medicine and in the preparation of food ; it is worthy of careful con-
sideration, and your Committee have given considerable attention to it.

Cream of Tartar is very largely adulterated. Some of the articles used
for the purpose are in one sense harmless; that is, not injurious to health,
but many of them are decidedly pernieious, and all of them are to be con-
demn ed because sold to deceive the community and enrich the adulterator.

Cream of tartar is adulterated with tartrate of lime, chalk, finely powder-
ed white marble, sulphate of lime, sand, nitrate of potassa, alum, sulphate
of soda and potassa, chloride of potassium. It has been found to contain, as
impurities, iron, copper, lead and arsenic.

The addition of starch, arrow root and other amylaceous substances is well
known, and the specimen under examination is only remarkable from the
fact that it contains 63.33 per cent, of farinaceous substances as adulteration.

This was sold -as pure cream of tartar. The easiest way to detect the adul-
teration with starch of farinaceous substances, is by testing a cold solution
of the cream of tartar with solution of iodine. The characteristic blue
"iodine of starch" will at once be apparent.

If we treat the cream of tartar with boiling water we dissolve all soluble
substances, leaving behind the tartrate of lime, quartz, clay, sand, sulphate
of lime, and other insoluble impurities.

Chalk or white marble may be discovered by the effervescence produced
by the addition of a weak acid, as chlorhydric, or nitric.

Alum and sulphates of potassa or soda are shown to be present by the
white precipitate, insoluble in nitric acid, produced by solution'of chloride of
barium ; if a precipitate is produced in the same solution by oxalate of ammo-
nia, we know that lime is also present. Chloride of potassium is shown,
by the white u curdy" precipitate, entirely soluble in ammonia, formed by
adding solution of nitrate of silver to the cream of tartar solutiou.

The iron, lead, and copper come from the vessels of these metals, in which
he cream of tartar is purified.

510

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

The solution of cream of tartar, tested with tincture of galls, takes a

black color if iron is present; with ammonia, a blue color if copper be present ;
with iodide potassium, a yellow, if lead is present.

The presence of arsenic in cream of tartar, according to Dr. Bley, comes
from the arsenical sulphur used in the " mutage," or process for arresting
fermentation in the 11 must " of grapes, which consists of burning sulphur in
the casks, thereby liberating sulphurous acid. The arsenic may be detected
by Marsh's apparatus.

Specimen No. 8 is Acid Sulphate of Soda. — This is the residue from nitric
acid manufacturing. The nitrate of soda or Chili saltpetre is decomposed
by sulphuric acid, and this article remains. It is largely used to adulterate
cream of tartar and this

Specimen No. 9, is one which contains this adulteration. This acid
sulphate may be considered one of the injurious adulterations.

There is one drawback to its use, however, as a substitute for cream of
tartar, and that is its deliquescence, or property of taking moisture from the
atmosphere. It was once attempted to substitute it for cream of tartar in a
u Yeast Powder," but after having been put up, the article was obliged to be
withdrawn from the market because it destroyed the cans. Query? — Will
the human stomach bear it better than a tin can?

Specimen No. 10 is the "great adulterator." This article, known by
the above name, is selenite or sulphate of lime. It is imported into New
York, and there powdered for use.

Specimen No. 11 is the " great adulterator" in its natural state, before
being powdered.

Specimen No. 12 is cream of tartar, which is adulterated with the "great
adulterator; " as this substance is almost insoluble, any one can judge of
the benefit to health that might arise from a long continued use of the
article in the daily food.

The specimen of cream of tartar under examination contains 25 per cent,
of the "great adulterator."

Specimen No. 13 is a fatty residue from oil of lemon. This was obtained
from a sample of oil of lemon of suspected purity, the last winter, and
amounted to 22 per cent, of the whole weight of oil. In cold weather it has
a butyraceous consistence, but as it now appears is more fluid.

It is somewhat unusual to find an article of oil lemon adulterated in this
way; and your Committee would call the attention of pharmaceutists to
this fact as being evidence of a new practice in the way of fraud in this
article.

Specimen No. 14 is capsicum with adulteration of common salt. This
can be detected by exhausting the pepper with water, evaporating to dryness
and testing the residue by nitrate of silver for chlorine ; the soda imparts its
characteristic color of yellow to flame of burning alcohol.

Corrosive sublimate sent from Kentucky was proved to be adulterated
with chloride of sodium (common salt) by the usual tests. The sample was
too small to estimate the amount of impurity present, and we cannot show
a specimen of it because it was all consumed in examination.

Specimen No. 15. Lunar Caustic. This was sent from Kentucky also,
having been purchased in New York at a cost of Si 20 per oz as a pure
article. A great imposition was practised either by the seller or the man-
ufacturer. Upon a careful examination it yielded only 14 per cent, of
chloride of silver, equivalent to about 10 per cent, of metallic silver. Had
it been pure nitrate, il should have yielded 64 per cent, of metallic silver.

Specimen No. 16 Piperine. Adulterated with ye!lowT prussiate of
potassa. This fraud can be easily detected by testing a solution of the

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

511

suspected Piperine with a per-salt of iron. The blue reaction is instantly
produced, caused by formation of ferro-cyanide of iron.

This reaction taking place while combining a recipe in which the Piperine
and a salt of iron was ordered, led to the detection of the fraud, otherwise
unsuspected.

Flowers or Oxide of Zinc. All specimens examined, except some German
proved to be merely the carbonate.

Specimen No. 17. Oil of Bergamot. A lot of oil of bergamot, purchased,
at the market rates, and to all appearance a very fine article, proved to con-
tain 30 per cent, of alcohol, by the usual test of the graduated tube and
treatment wilh water.

Specimen No. 18. Oil of Wormwood. As regards smell and taste, this
oil is unexceptionable. Its specific gravity is so low as to excite suspicion,
and it proves to be adulterated with ether upon a careful examination.

This fraud can be easily detected by the low boiling point and specific
gravity.

One of the members of your Committee, who is acquainted with a gentle-
man formerly in the drug grinding business in New York, has been kindly
furnished by him with some formulas by which u pure and genuine drugs "
were prepared when he was employed at the mill referred to :

Powdered Cape Aloes — Cape aloes dried, 100 lbs. ; ship biscuit, 100 lbs. ;
curcuma q. s. to color.

Common Ginger — African ginger, 200 lbs. ; capsicum hulls, 25 lbs.;
biscuit, 100 lbs. ; curcuma q. s. to color.

Ipecac, powdered — Ipecac, 100 lbs. ; ship biscuit, 25 to 40 lbs.

Opium powdered — Turkey' opium, 50 lbs.; Egyptian opium, 25 lbs.;
biscuit. 40 lbs.

Gamboge powdered — Gamboge, 100 lbs.; tartrate of lime, 25 lbs.

Socotrine Aloes are pure bonaire, without adulteration.

Cream of Tartar is adulterated with from 10 to 65 per cent, of lerra alba,
or tartrate of lime, with about. 3 per cent, tartaric acid.

Tartaric Acid powdered — Tartaric acid, 1000 lbs. ; alum, from 10 to 35 per
cent.

Scammony Aleppo, powdered — Virgin Scammony, 30 lbs. ; cocoa beans,
80 lbs. ; biscuit, 30 lbs. ; lampblack, q. s. (sufficient quantity) to color.

Bird Pepper, powdered— Chilies, 1000 lbs.; rice, 800 to 1200 lbs.;
curcuma and Venetian red to color.

Powdered Fenugreek — Fenugreek seeds, 1000 lbs.; biscuit, 1000 lbs.;
curcuma q. s. to color.

East India Rhubarb, Powdered — East India rhubarb, 100 lbs.; English
do., 60 lbs.

English Rhubarb, Powdered — English rhubarb, 100 lbs. ; biscuit, 30 lbs. ;
curcuma to color.

Turkey Rhubarb, powdered— East India rhubarb, Turkey rhubarb, equal
parts.

The tartrate of lime referred to is more properly sulphate of lime with a
small portion of tartrate. The ship biscuit is the hard and often worm-eaten
cakes brought in by ships after a long voyage.

Your Committee have noticed, in making a number of examinations of
articles furnished by manufacturers, as acetic, nitric, muriatic acids, aqua
ammonia, oxide of zinc, sub-carbonate of iron, and others, that but little
attention is paid to the requirements of the Pharmacopoeia, as every phar-
maceutist can ascertain with but little trouble.

We think it important, and would suggest to this Association the propriety
of calling special attention to this point; that while we have a standard, our

512

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

manufactures should furnish articles that can be depended upon for purity
and for officinal strength.

In conclusion, your Committee express the hope that the effort made by
them to awaken more of an interest in the subject of adulterations may meet
with favorable support from this Association.

We feel that we have barely touched upon the subject ; very many
instances of fraud and deception are not alluded to; but what we have said
and done we trust may be for the benefit of the public and of our profession
at large. We cannot take leave of the subject, however, without expressing
the satisfaction we feel as we refer to very many members of our profession
who strive to raise the standard of their business by discountenancing in
every way in their power all fraud and deception.

The stigma of adulteration does not belong to the drug trade alone; in
fact, very many articles of food are systematically and almost always
adulterated, so that to obtain them in their absolute purity is almost the
exception. Of such are the ground spices, coffees, &c.

We are aware this is a strong assertion, but proof can be produced were it
necessary.

One article referred to, that of ground coffee, we can give the formula by
which it is made.

This coffee put up in 1 lb. papers, and labelled "fine old Java," is made
as follows : for every 100 pounds there are 60 pounds of peas, 20 pounds of
chicory and 20 pounds of coffee.

This compound sells for 12^ cents per pound, and any person can judge
of the value of it as coffee, containing as it does but 20 per cent, of that
substance.

There are many upright and honorable men, however, who discountenance
any such imposition upon the public, in all branches of trade, and we feel a
proud satisfaction in referring to them, whether members of our profession
or not ; in our own ranks we know there are many on whom the public can
rely, and in closing we can only urge upon this Association, once more5 the
importance of this subject, earnestly soliciting the hearty co-operation of
every member to raise the standard of our profession, and as far as possible
to discourage and expose fraud and deception.

Charles T. Carney, A. P. Sharp,
Edward R. Squibb, A. B.Taylor,

On behalf of the Committee*

On motion of Mr. Parrish, Dr. Charles T. Jackson, who was
present, was invited to take a seat in the Convention and partici-
pate in its discussions.

Dr. Jackson thanked the Association for the courtesy. He complimented
the Report on Adulterations and corroborated many of its statements from
his own experience, giving several anecdotes bearing on the subject at
some length. He disparaged the Drug Law as not accomplishing the object
intended, as it substituted the imperfect examinations of the Custom House
for the regular analysis of the practical laboratory.

The subject was continued by Messrs. Dix, Brewer and
Hollis, after which, on motion of Mr. Procter, the thanks of the
Association were tendered to Dr. Jackson, for the remarks with
which he had favored the meeting.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 513

An invitation to hold the next meeting of the Association in
New York, and another to hold it at Columbia, S. C, were
received.

Charles Ellis, of Philadelphia, laid before the Association a
specimen of the new resin of Scainmony, made by McAndrew &
Sons from the root of Convolvulus scammonia, by means of
alcohol, and some explanatory information in relation to its histo-
ry was given by Messrs. Dix, Squibb, Procter, Parrish and Fish.

Mr. Dix subsequently presented to the Association a quantity
of this new resin of scammony, and requested members who
had facilities to do so, to have it tried and compared with the
best scammony, and report the results.

An invitation was received from Mr. Cutting, of the Aquarial
Garden, to visit that Exhibition, and the thanks of the Associa-
tion were tendered therefor.

At six o'clock the meeting adjourned till half past seven, P. M.

Evening Session.

This Session being devoted to the reading of scientific reports
and papers, the specimens of living plants sent from the Depart-
ment of the Interior, at Washington, were placed on the table.
Among them were the camphor tree, the cork oak (Quercus
suber), green and black tea plant, the Rhus succedanea, from
Japan, which affords the Japanese wax, the soap plant (Corchoris
olitorius), and the wild chamomile (Pyrethrum Caucasium) from
Russia.

On coming to order, at half past seven o'clock, the President
appointed the following committee to prepare a list of subjects
to be reported on next year: — William Procter, Jr., Frederick
Stearns, Charles T. Carney and Israel J. Grahame.

Edwin 0. Gale, of Chicago, read the first paper on the
thirty-ninth question, " What are the characters of the resinous
exudation of the Rosin weed (Silphium laciniatum) of the West-
ern prairies ? can it be substituted for mastic, and to what extent
may it be collected as an article of commerce?" Mr. Gale
thinks it can be substituted for mastic in chewing ; he finds it
to make a good varnish ; that it is a cure for the heaves in
horses, and allays irritation of the lungs. Although the prairies

514

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

abound with it, it is tedious to collect, and at present must be an
expensive article of commerce.

Joseph Roberts, of Baltimore, read a paper, in answer to
question No. 2 of last year, on Wine of Ipecacuanha, as regards
its tendency to deposit sediment, and considered that this sedi-
ment does not effect the medicinal power of that preparation.

Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia, read a paper " on the dete-
rioration of Pharmaceutical preparations by keeping, the causes
of injury and the means of preventing it," in answer to question
No. 40 of last year.

No answers were received to the following :

No. 3. Relative to coating pills, accepted by John Canavan,
of New York.

No. 5. Relative to Prickly Ash Bark, accepted by William S.
Merrill, of Cincinnati.

No. 6. On the relative solvent power of water, alcohol and
ether, accepted by Dr. Henry Thayer, of Cambridge, Mass.

No. 7. On the iridescence of Oil of Bitter Almonds, accepted
by Abraham S. Wiley, of Cambridge, Mass.

No. 8. On the best tests of adulterations in Wines and
Liquors, accepted by Geo. W. Weyman, of Pittsburg.

Charles A. Heinitsh, of Lancaster, gave an explanation why
the subject referred to him, No. 9 on Chrome Ores, had not
been answered, which was satisfactory.

No. 10. Relative to Denarcotizing Opium, referred to Eugene
L. Massot, of St. Louis, was not answered.

James O'Gallagher," of St. Louis, sent a paper, in answer to
the 11th subject, "A synopsis of the History of Pharmacy,"
which was read by Samuel S. Garrigues.

No answers were received to the following:

No. 12. Production of Castor Oil in Porto Rico, accepted by
Edward L. Milhau, of New York.

No. 13. The Cacao-nut (Theobroma cacao) its history, culture
and products, accepted by Edward Donnelly, M. D., of Phila-
delphia.

No. 14. The best form of Press and Pressing Box, for the
Pharmaceutical Laboratory.

No. 15. The best form for a still of 2 to 4 gallons capacity,
for the Pharmaceutical Laboratory.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 515

The two last questions were accepted by Dr. E. R. Squibb.
Owing to the destruction of his laboratory, and the attendant
circumstances with which the members are familiar, Dr. Squibb
could not prepare answers to these questions ; but as a substi-
tute for them, he read a paper on the "Mechanical Preparations
of Mercury with a mercurial machine," which he illustrated,
with a diagram. This paper excited considerable interest, from
the perfection of the results it affords.

At 9| o'clock the Association adjourned to 9 o'clock on
Thursday morning.

Third day — Morning Session — Sept. 15th, 1859*

The President called the meeting to order about 9 o'clock,
and the Minutes of yesterday were read by the Secretary and
corrected.

Mr. Tufts, of Dover, N. H., announced the death of Mr. S. P.
Peck, late of Bennington, Vermont, formerly a Vice-President
of the Association, and introduced resolutions appropriate to
the occasion.

The Executive Committee reported that Bradford Ritter, of
Philadelphia, had sent in his resignation, and had paid his dues
and returned his certificate of membership.

On motion of Samuel S. Garrigues, the resignation of Mr.
Ritter was accepted.

The subject of " Resignation" coming up, a resolution was
adopted authorizing the Treasurer to accept the resignation of
any member upon payment of dues and return of certificate,
after the matter had been discussed by Mr. Colcord, Dr. Squibb,
and others.

The Report of the Committee on Weights and Measures
being now in order, Alfred B. Taylor, Chairman, read the Re-
port. This document is very comprehensive in its scope, and
is written with much ability. It discusses the relative merit of
the different metrical systems that have been proposed, and
especially the Decimal System, which is not favorably received.
The advantages of the decimal system of notation for calcu-
lation is admitted, but the difficulty attending binary divi-
sion in this system renders it very inconvenient in practice.
Mr. Taylor, whilst acknowledging the impracticable character

516

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

of reforms involving the habits of larger masses of people, in
different countries, is of the opinion, that the Octaval System of
enumeration, in which 64 takes the place of 100 in the decimal
system, and which he elucidates fully in his paper, possesses ele-
ments that fit it better for all purposes than any other, were it
once adopted in practice. The paper was referred to the Exe-
cutive Committee to print in full, and they were authorized to
print some extra copies in pamphlet form.

On motion, it was resolved, that when the meeting adjourned,
it would adjourn at 2 o'clock, P. M., to meet at 3j o'clock,
P. M.

The Report on the Pharmacopoeia being called up, the Chair-
man, Edward Parrish, read such parts of the document as were
interesting to the Association. The Committee deprecate the
introduction of changes not absolutely necessary, and think that
no drug should have a place in the list till it has gained a gen-
eral reputation. The paper was referred to the Executive Com-
mittee, with instructions to publish at their discretion.

Some discussion now arose upon the question, whether a re-
port would be received by the Pharmacopoeia Convention of
1860, from the American Pharmaceutical Association, in view
of the fact that it was not incorporated.

Mr. Parrish had doubts of the expediency of publishing the
Report, as one copy laid on the table of the Revisory Committee
would be sufficient for all practical purposes. Dr. Squibb, Mr.
Carney and others, took the opposite view, and the discussion
was continued at some length ; the reference, as above noted, was
finally acquiesced in.

The Association then proceeded to consider the question of
the locality of the next Annual Meeting.

Dr. Battey, without urging strongly the propriety of meeting
at the South next year, was of the opinion that, in case it was
determined to meet there, Atalanta, Georgia, was geographically
the best location, in view of accessibility from all points of the
Southern States. Although a new town, without a pharmaceuti-
cal organization, he felt authorized in pledging the support of
the pharmaceutists of Georgia to the enterprise.

Dr. Squibb advocated New York, Mr. Callan presented the
claims of St. Louis, and Mr. Ellis those of Columbia, S. C.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION,

517

Pending the question, the meeting adjourned to 3 o'clock,
P. M.

The Association again met at 4 o'clock, P. M.

Afternoon Session.

The following named gentlemen being duly recommended by
the Executive Committee, were elected to membership, viz. :
James Emerton, Salem, Mass. Rufus W. Stevens, Great Falls, N. H.
William H. Ware, Gloucester, " A. H. Dana, Providence, R. f.
James A. Gleason, Boston, " B. F. Johnson, Philadelphia, Pa.
Samuel H. Woods, u 11 Lewis Dohme, Baltimore, Md.

Henry Warren, " "

William A. Brewer, of Boston, in behalf of Mr. Kidwell,
Chairman of the Committee appointed to co-operate with the
agricultural department of the Patent Office in the introduction
of foreign medicinal plants, presented a report covering a
voluminous correspondence with various public officers and gov-
ernment agents, accompanied by the specimens of living plants
before referred to, which was read and referred to the Execu-
tive Committee.

The following named gentlemen were appointed by the Presi-
dent as a Committee on Home Adulterations for the coming
year : — Charles T. Carney, of Boston, Chairman ; I. J. Grahame,
of Baltimore ; Charles Bullock, of Philadelphia ; A. P. Sharp,
of Baltimore ; Dr. E. R. Squibb, of New York, and Edward S.
Wayne of Cincinnati.

The reading of answers to queries proposed last year being
again resumed,

Frederick Hale, of New York, read an interesting essay in
reply to No. 16, « On fitting up Drug Stores in reference to con-
venience and good taste."

Ambrose Smith, of Philadelphia, read a paper in answer to
No. 17 of last year, on oxide of silver in its relation to extem-
poraneous pharmacy.

William Procter, Jr., presented a reply to query No. 18,
" What is the most eligible process for preparing polygalic acid
from senega, in what proportion does it exist, and what are the
forms of prescribing it as a substitute for the preparations of
seneka.

Israel J. Grahame read an answer to question No. 1 of last

518

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

year, relative to the preservation of narcotic and other extracts.

No answers were received to the following questions :

No. 19, on the bark of Larix americana, referred to Dr. H.
T. Cummings of Portland, Me.

No. 20, the History and Statistics of New England Carrageen
Moss, accepted by Augustus P. Melzar of Boston.

No. 22, on the influence of alkalies on the alkaloids of Bella-
donna and Hyoscyamus, accepted by R. H. Stabler of Alexan-
dria.

No. 23, Statistics and manufacture of fine chemicals in Eng-
land for the American market, accepted by Henry Haviland of
New York.

No. 24, the Drug Trade of the United States — its past, present
and future, accepted by C. B. Guthrie, M. D., of New York.

Mr. Garrigues replied to No. 21, relative to the culture of
Crocus sativus in the United States, that Frederick L. John, to
whom it was referred, had made the inquiries necessary to elicit
the information required, but was informed by the parties in
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, who had formerly cultivated
it, that it did not pay them to do it for less than its weight in
silver — one dollar per ounce — and that they had ceased to cul-
tivate it.

No. 25, in reference to the natural condition of cantharidin,
referred to John M. Maisch, of Philadelphia, had not been re-
plied to, but Mr. Garrigues, on behalf of Mr. Maisch, read a
paper in answer to No. 28, on Cornus Florida, which had been
referred to him last year.

No. 27, relative to the purgative power of the marc of Castor
Beans, accepted by Dr. Stabler of Alexandria, was not replied
to.

Edward Parrish, in reply to No. 29, the relative therapeutic value
of imported and indigenous medicinal plants, accepted by Henry
A. Tilden of New Lebanon, N. Y., read a paper, on behalf of Mr.
Tilden, on the result of a partial investigation of the subject.

Mr. John D. Dix, of New York, from the committee appointed
for that purpose, reported the draft of a communication to the
Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, asking for a
revision of his action in regard to the publication of a monthly
list of imported drugs. It is believed that such publications can-

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 519

not be injurious to the interests of importers, but that on the
contrary they are of great benefit to statisticians and others
engaged in the diffusion of useful knowledge. The petitioners
therefore pray that the publication may be resumed under such
restrictions in reference to the names of importers as may be
deemed proper. The memorial was adopted, and the Presi-
dent was instructed to sign the same and forward it to the de-
partment.

On motion of Mr. Brewer, of Boston, the plants received from
the Department of the Interior were placed in charge of Prof.
Asa Gray, of Cambridge Botanical Garden, for the benefit of
the public, he having signified his willingness to take charge of
them.

In reply to No* 30, on the practicability of raising arnica
plants in the United States for medicinal purposes, referred to
Mr. Tilden, it was replied that that gentleman had not been
able to obtain the seeds. Mr. Dix remarked that arnica flowers
could be imported cheaper from Germany than they could be
picked here, if the ground was covered with them. He could
procure the seeds for any person who was desirous of trying the
experiment.

Alexander Cushman, in reply to No. 31, relative to Pepsin,
read a detailed paper upon the subject, in the several relations of
manufacture, sources, and modes of administration.

The several papers which had been read in reply to queries
were then referred to the Executive Committee for publication
— when at about 7 o'clock the meeting adjourned till 9 o'clock
to-morrow morning.

Fourth day—Sept. 16th, 1859.

In the absence of the President, Mr. Colcord, the meeting was
called to order by Wm. Procter, Jr., of Philadelphia, one of the
Vice Presidents, at half past 9 o'clock.

Henry F. Fish of Waterbury, Connecticut, offered a resolu-
tion that a committee be appointed to consider the propriety of
holding alternate sessions in the cities of New York, Philadel-
phia, Boston, Baltimore and Washington, and also the appoint-
ment of a permanent Secretary at Washington.

The consideration of the resolution was deferred.

520

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

The reading of scientific reports and papers being now in
order, Dr. Battey took the chair whilst William Procter, Jr., read
the answer to No. 32, " On Improved Formulae for the Fluid
Extracts, in view of their more general adoption in the next
Pharmacopoeia." This paper was illustrated by thirty three
specimens of Fluid Extracts made by the formulae recommended.

The following resolution offered by Edward Parrish was
adopted.

Resolved, That the subject of offering prizes for scientific and
other essays of merit to be read at the next annual meeting, be
referred to the Executive Committee, with power to offer such
prizes through the Pharmaceutical Journals as they may deter-
mine upon.

Dr. Robert Battey, of Georgia, now read an interesting paper
in answer to No. 33, on the culture, and production of sugar
from the Sorghum saccharatum, within the United States, etc.
Dr. Battey enters minutely into the subject, especially in regard
to the percentage of sugar in the juice, and its applicability to
the manufacture of alcohol. He believes that under favorable
circumstances the proportion of sugar may reach as high as
18 per cent.

On motion of Charles Ellis, of Philadelphia, it was resolved
that a copy of Pereira's Materia Medica be presented to William
Procter, Jr., for his essay on the fluid extracts.

No. 34, on Volatile Oils, was declined by L. T. Lazell, to whom
it was referred.

No. 35, " The culture of the Grape in Missouri," referred to
to A. Leitch, of St. Louis, was not replied to.

No. 36, on Liquor Ferri Iodidi, accepted by W. J. M. Gar-
don. An answer to this question had been received by the
chairman, but was temporarily mislaid.

No. 37, (This question was referred to Mr. Peck, since de-
ceased.)

No. 38, On the best vehicles for disguising the taste of quinia
and its salts, &c, accepted by R. A. Payne, was not answered.

Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia, read an answer to No. 4, on
Mustard. " What is the best formula for a permanent liquid
preparation of white or black mustard seed, which may be used
as a substitute for mustard plasters."

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

521

Samuel S. Garrigues now read a reply to No. 26, on Vanilla ;
« What is the source of the odor of vanilla, and has it any analogy
to coumarin, the odorous principle of the Tonqua bean?"

Frederick Stearns, of Detroit, read on behalf of Mr. John
Zimmerman of Cincinnati two volunteer papers upon the use of
Catawba brandy and wine in Pharmacy. They were referred to
the Executive Committee.

The subject of a place for holding the next session came up,
and Dr. Battey, of Georgia, said that it was apparent that the
majority were in favor of New York. He was willing to go to St.
Louis the succeeding year if the brethren from that place would
meet him at New York in 1860. The question being called
for on the original motion of Dr. Squibb, it was resolved to
meet in New York next year.

Alfred B. Taylor, of Philadelphia, offered a resolution depre-
cating the acceptance of hospitalities of their brethren at places
where future conventions may be held.

Mr. Parrish seconded the resolve, and after speaking of the
generous hospitality extended to them in Boston, said he wanted
the thing to stop here, so that they could go to small places with-
out incumbering them, when they were better able to entertain
of themselves.

Wm. Cushman, of New York, was opposed to the resolve, and
thought these entertainments were very useful in making mem-
bers acquainted with each other. Mr. Garrigues expressed
similar views.

The resolve was supported by Messrs. Meakim and Squibb,
of New York, Battey of Georgia, and Procter, of Philadelphia.

The resolution having been amended, was laid over to be called
up at the next meeting.

John M. Maisch, of Philadelphia, presented a continuation of
his paper of last year, on testing the essential oils, which was
read by Mr. Garrigues, and referred to the Executive Commit-
tee.

The Executive Committee presented the following names for
election to membership, which were duly ballotted for and
elected, viz.: John J. Toner of Wilmington, Delaware, and E.
A. Pond of Rutland, Vermont.

Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia, read a short paper from

522

PROCEEDINGS OP THE

Henry A. Tilden of New Lebanon, N. Y., describing a new
powdering apparatus, accompanied by two photographic views
illustrating the apparatus. On motion the Executive Commit-
tee were directed to procure wood cuts of the apparatus to be
printed with the description in the Proceedings.

Mr. Cushman of New York presented an arrangement for ap-
plying medicated vapors to the throat and lungs, which from its
form is called a "Medicated Cigar," accompanied by an ex-
planation of the manner of using it.

It was voted not to publish the paper, as the " Medicated Ci-
gar " is patented.

Mr. Coddington, of New York, read a volunteer paper » On
the probable influence of isomerism on the therapeutic power of
substances."

Dr. W. H, Pile, of Philadelphia, read a paper accompanying
a table of the specific gravity of water at various temperatures —
which had been prepared with great care, and would be found
of considerable practical utility in making investigations.

Mr. Colcord having arrived, he resumed his functions as Presi-
dent.

William Procter, Jr., on behalf of Ferdinand F. Mayer, of
New York, read a paper on Liquor Ferri Iodidi and the tests
for Iodine. The peculiarity of the solution recommended is the
fact of its preservation by hyposulphite of soda.

Prof. George Thurber, of New York, presented specimens of
Zamia integrifolia, the source of true Florida Arrow Root, with
verbal remarks on its characteristics, which he was requested to
put on paper for publication.

F. Chapman Hill, of Philadelphia, presented living specimens
of Cantharis atrata, collected that morning near Waltham, Mass.
And on the invitation of members agreed to prepare a paper on
the subject of our native Cantharis for next year.

Alexander Cushman, of New York, read a paper on the com-
parative analyses of Price's and American glycerin, which was
referred to the Executive Committee.

The committee on a list of subjects for the ensuing year of-
fered the following, which was adopted, viz.:

The Committee to whom was referred the preparation of a

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 523

list of subjects for investigation the ensuing year, report the
following, viz. :

1. Have we an indigenous vesicating agent or agents which may be ad-
vantageously substituted for the imported cantharides ?

Accepted by William H. Warner, Rome, Georgia.

2. It is alleged that commercial citric acid contains a variable amount
of water of crystallization, according to the temperature at which it is
crystallized, and that it is adulterated with tartaric acid. Query, — Is this
true ? If so, does the variation materially affect the value of the acid? and
what is the best practical test to demonstrate the presence of tartaric acid
for commercial use ?

Accepted by Charles T. Carney, of Boston.
3. What proportion of aconitia does the commercial aconite root yield by
the process of Headland, (noted in the U. S. Disp.) and what impurities
remain in it not separated by the process ?

Accepted by Israel J. Grdhame, of Baltimore.

4. The subject of the production of alcohol in the United States, viewed
in reference to its manufacture from various sources, its commerce, its
impurities, adulterations, tests of purity, and the statistics of its commer-
cial relations. Accepted by Frederick Stearns, of Detroit, Michigan.

5. Several varieties of garlic are in use in Philadelphia and other parts
of the country. Query, — Are these modifications of the same plant, or
are they distinct species.

Referred to Prof Robert P. Thomas, of Philadelphia.

6. Aloin as discovered by T. and H. Smith, of Edinburgh, has been in-
troduced into therapeutics. Question, — "What is the best and most practi-
cable process for its manufacture on a considerable scale, and what are the
best tests of its purity as a commercial substance.

Accepted by Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia.

7. Sulphate of ammonia derived from gas liquor is now used by some
manufacturers for preparing liquor ammonias and other preparations of
free ammonia. Question, — What are the advantages and disadvantages of
using this salt instead of sal ammoniac ?

Accepted by Charles Bullock, of Philadelphia,

8. Chamomile flowers of commerce are occasionally attacked by an in-
sect, and greatly injurod in value • and it is alleged that the flowers of a
chrysanthemum and of another genus are sometimes found admixed as an
adulteration in France. Question, — What are the best means of destroying
the insect without injury to the flowers, and what are the adulterations of
this drug as found in American commerce ?

Accepted by Frederick L. John, of Philadelphia.
31

524

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

9. "What is the active principle of arnica flowers ? and what the best
process for isolating it ?

Accepted by Dr. Henry T. Cummings, of Portland, Maine.

10. What is the best process for preparing assafoetida plaster so as to
preserve the activity of the drug unimpaired ?

Accepted by William Procter, Jr., of Philadelphia.

11. Atropa belladonna is largely cultivated at New Lebanon, N. Y., for
the preparation of the officinal extract. Question, — Can the root of that
plant, as grown there, be employed advantageously as a source of Atropia ?

Accepted by William Procter, Jr., of Philadelphia.

12. Japanese vegetable wax, derived from the Rhus succedanea, has been
introduced into commerce. Question, — What are the qualities of this sub-
stance as compared with bees wax ? And how far may it be used as a
substitute for that substance in pharmacy ?

Accepted by James S. Melvin, of Boston.

13. Paraffin has been suggested by Mr. Wayne, of Cincinnati, as a sub-
stitute for wax in cerates. Question, — Are there any therapeutic object-
tions to this substitution ? And if not, in what proportion should it be
used as a substitute for wax in cerates ?

Accepted by Charles T. Carney, of Boston.

14. To what extent is Carrageen collected on the coast of New Eng-
land for the supply of commerce ?

Accepted by A. P. Melzer, of Boston.

15. Conium maculatum has become naturalized in New England and
New York. Question, — Can the seeds be collected in sufficient quantity
for the preparation of Conia as an article of commerce ?

Accepted by Henry F. Fish, of Waterbury, Conn.

16. What are the adulterations of saffron as found, in the commerce of
the United States, and by what tests may they be distinguished ?

Accepted by John D. Dix, of New York city.

17. Cubebs are occasionally adulterated with a capsular berry different
from cubebs in appearance, and which, it is said, is done at Singapore.
Question, — What plant yields this berry, and what are the properties of
the berry as compared with cubebs ?

Accepted by Prof. George Thurber, of New York city,

18. What proportion of digitalin can be obtained from American grown
digitalis ?

Accepted by Samuel S. Garrigues, of Philadelphia.

19. Can elaterium be profitably produced in the United States ? What
soil and situations are most favorable to the development of the plant?

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 525

And how does the elaterium produced compare with the best European
drug?

Accepted by Henry A. Tilden, of New Lebanon, N. Y.

20. Is there an ergotized substance developed in Indian corn (Zea
mays ?) And if so, has it properties analogous to those of rye and wheat
ergot ?

Accepted by Prof. George Thurber, of New York city.

21. What it the best test of the therapeutical value of extract of Indian
hemp, that may be applied by the apothecary, without resorting to its in-
ternal exhibition ?

Accepted by Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia.

22. What is the active principle of Gillenia trifoliata ? And is it an
alkaloid or a neutral principle ?

Offered for general acceptance.

23. The commercial history, production and statistics of extract of
liquorice, including its several sources.

Accepted by John D. Dix, of New York city.

24. What are the claims of guaiac (Resina Guaiaci) to be considered a
balsam ?

Accepted by William Procter, Jr., of Philadelphia.

25. What are the changes which occur in the officinal ethereal oil
(U. S. P.,) by keeping, and can these changes be retarded ?

Accepted by Dr. Edward E. Squibb, of New York.

26. Are the salts of morphia of present commerce different in medicinal
power from those formerly manufactured ? And if so, to what cause is it
to be attributed ?

Accepted by Dr. Edward R. Squibb, of New York.

27. Has the average morphia strength of opium from Smyrna depre-
ciated from its earlier value ? And if so, to what extent ?

Accepted by P. Wendover Bedford, of New York city.

28. Several species of Krameria (K. lanceolata and K. canescens, &c.,)
are abundant in Texas and other parts of the South-west. Question, — Can
these roots be substituted for the officinal Krameria triandra?

Accepted by Prof. George Thurber, of New York city.

29. It has been asserted that hops that have been used in obtaining the
Lupulin of commerce are afterwards sold as hops. Question, — Is the as-
sertion true ? And if so, to what extent is it carried on ? Where ? And
what are the best means of detecting the fraud ?

Accepted by Charles A. Tufts, of Dover, N. H.

30. Patents in their relation to pharmacy and medicine.

Accepted by Edward Parrish, of Philadelphia,

526

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

31. An inquiry as to the comparative value of the Georgia, St. Vincent,
Bermuda, and other arrow roots of commerce, derived from Maranta
arundinacea j whether there is any distinctive characteristics arising from
climate, soil, mode of preparation, or other causes that would give a
preference to either?

Accepted by Evan T. Ellis, of Philadelphia.

32. The seed of the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is a domestic remedy
for coughs. It is also used for the heaves in horses. Question, — Do the
seeds possess the virtues ascribed to them ? If so, to what principle exist-
ing in them is their medicinal power to be attributed? And does the
principle exist in other portions of the plant ?

Accepted by Alexander Cushman, of Neiv York city.

33. European Pharmacy — what are the chief differences and points of
of resemblance between it and our own?

Accepted by Robert Battey, M. D., of Rome, Georgia.

34. What is the most eligible method of keeping camphor in the form
of powder?

Accepted by Henry F. Fish, of Waterbury, Conn.

35. An essay on the guarana of Brazil.

Accepted by Henry F. Fish, of Waterbury, Conn.

36. An essay on the products resulting from the distillation of bitumi-
nous coal and allied substances.

Referred to and accepted by William H. Whitmore, of Boston.

37. What are the principal sources of oil of sassafras, its mode of manu-
facture, and the quantity produced annually ?

Accepted by Alphazus P. Sharp, of Baltimore.

38. What are the principal sources of pink root and seneka snake root?
The probable amount collected annually, and the general character of the
roots as brought into the market from the various sources ?

Accepted by Lewis F. Dohme, of Baltimore.

39. The American species of Cantharis, as regards their usefulness in
medicine, as vesicants, their existing quantity in view of the supply of
commerce, and other information regarding them.

Accepted by F. Chapman Hill, of Philadelphia.

40. We have an indigenous plant called Pyrularia oleifera, the fruit of
which yields a large amount of fixed oil. Query, — Can the oil be applied
to pharmaceutical purposes ? And can the plant be propagated to advan-
tage for the production of the oil ?

Accepted by S. S. Garrigues, of Philadelphia.

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION.

527

41. What are the relative properties of the new resin of scammony, of
Mc Andrews and Sons, prepared from the dried roots, and the best varie-
ties of commercial virgin scammony ?

Accepted by Israel J. Grahame, of Baltimore.

Respectfully submitted by

William Procter, jr.,
Frederick Stearns,
Charles T. Carney,
Israel J. Grahame.
Sept. 16tfi, 1859. Committee.

Mr. Ellis, from the Auditing Committee, reported that they
had examined the books of the Treasurer and found them correct.

A vote of thanks was then given to Mr. Colcord for his valua-
ble services as Treasurer during several years past.

The subject of dropping members, who are three years in
arrears with their dues, caused some discussion, but it was de-
cided to let the matter pass as it is — the suspension list to be
published in the annual list of the Treasurer.

The Committee appointed to examine specimens, &c, made
the following report, which was referred to the Executive Com-
mittee :

The Committee appointed to examine and report upon the articles sent
for exhibition before the American Pharmaceutical Association, report
that they find a large and interesting collection of chemicals, pharmaceu-
tical preparations, and apparatus, intended for the use and convenience
of pharmaceutists, which have attracted much notice and commendation
from the members in attendance, is eminently creditable to the exhibitors
generally, and affords a gratifying evidence of the progress of pharmacy,
and its collateral arts and sciences. To discriminate and determine in-
telligently the relative merits of many of the similar articles deposited by
different manufacturers, would be a diffi cult task under any circumstances,
and with the limited time and opportunity afforded the Committee, simply
impossible for them. They therefore confine themselves to making up a
list of the articles, with the names of the exhibitors and manufacturers,
which they have endeavored to render as complete as possible in order
that it may be placed upon record.

Powers Sf Weightman, of Philadelphia. Sulphate of morphia, sulphate
of quinia, chloroform, lactate of zinc, valerianate of ammonia, valerianate
of quinia, cyanide of zinc, bromide and iodide of cadmium, hypophosphite
of ammonia, tartar emetic, Rochelle salt, caffein and sixteen other pre-
parations.

Dr. Henry T. Cummings, of Portland, Me. Spirit of nitre and Hoff-
man's anodyne.

B. J. Crew Co., of Philadelphia. Hypophosphites of soda, lime and
ammonia, Liebig's cyanide of potassium, citrate of potassa, gallic acid,
cyanide of bismuth, citrate of iron and ammonia and chloroform.

528

PROCEEDINGS OF THE

Tilden Co., of New Lebanon, N. Y. Podophyllin, sanguinarin, cory-
dalin and other eclectic resinoid preparations, numbering 40 kinds, 125
different fluid extracts and 12 kinds of sugar-coated pills and granules.

H. Thayer Co., of Cambridge, Mass., deposited large specimens
of fluid extracts of Oalisaya bark, Turkey rhubarb, cotton root, squills,
ipecac, hydrastis and buchu, besides 12 smaller samples of other fluid
extracts.

Charles T. Carney, of Boston. Solution of citrate of magnesia, sul-
phate and other preparations of iron, compound syrup of the hypophos-
phites, tinctura cinchonoe ferrata, &c. Mr. Carney also deposited paraf-
fin, kerosine illuminating oil, and oil for removing grease ; also, samples of
wines and brandy from native grapes of New England, made by E. Paige
& Co., Mass., also American wines and cider made by S. H. Allen, Esq.,
of Shrewsbury, Mass.

Charles H. Atiuwod, Importer, of Boston. Specimens of fine chemicals,
as iodine, acetate of potassa, iodide and bromide of potassium, valerianate
of quinia, dextrine, &c, besides bottles for shop furniture labelled.

Dr. Robert Battey, of Rome, Georgia. " Sorgho brandy " from sugar
of Sorghum saccharatum. This is a new and interesting spirit, more
analogous to rum than to brandy, and can be offered at a low price.

J. W. Norcross Co., of Boston. Various Pharmaceutical articles, as
plasters, Quevenne's iron, adhesive plaster, patent lint, sponge, gloves, &c.

Dr. E. R. Squibb, of New York. Compound extract of colocynth, pil
hydrargyri, ether, spirit ammonise aromat., per nitrate of iron, chloro-
form, Hoffman's anodyne, spirits of nitre, per sulphate of iron, pure sub-
nitrate of bismuth, Hydrargyri c. Creta, Dover's powder, &c; also, a case
containing solution of per sulphate of iron and liquor ammonia in separate
bottles, in the proper proportions, for extemporaneously preparing hy-
drated oxide of iron for antidotal purposes.

E. Blatchford, of RocJcport, Mass. Specimens of pure hake, haddock
and cod liver oils, and crude isinglass, (the dry swimming bladder from
which the New England isinglass is made.)

Apparatus.

From Charles T. Carney, of Boston. An arrangement of apparatus
for u hydrotimetrie," or the quantitative determination of the proportions
of matters held in solution in the waters of springs and rivers.

From Wm. F. Shaw of Boston. Patent gas stoves and heaters of
various styles, with flexible connectiug tubes for attaching to gas burners.

From H. D. Lockwood, of Charlestown, Mass. Davidson's electric
syringe.

From Lewis Richardson, of Boston. Various styles of Lewis's elas-
tic and pump syringes,

Dr, Wilson H. Pile, of Philadelphia. Specific gravity bottles, ther-
mometers for chemical purposes, urinometers, hydrometers, &c.

From the Boston Glass Company. Labelled glass ware for shop
furniture.

From E. Kendall, of New Lebanon, N. Y. An aneroid barometer.

From Codman Shurtleff, of Boston. English catheters, nursing
bottles, ear trumpets, specimens of galvanic batteries, &c.

From the New England Glass Company. A large glass show mortar,
silvered inside.

From Fairlamb Co., of Boston. Prescription and counter scales
for druggists.

From Wilson, Fairbanks % Co. An old bell metal mortar cast in

AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION. 529

1641, of good style and shape, and in very good preservation, interesting
from its antiquity.

Kespectfully submitted,

Ambrose Smith,
George Thurber,
A. P. Sharp,
Wm. Procter, Jr.,
Boston, Sept., 15th, 1859. Committee.

The subject of altering the Constitution, so as to allow chem-
ists to become members of the Association, was postponed till
next year.

William Procter, Jr., offered the following resolution, which
was adopted :

« Resolved, That in future meetings of the Association it will
greatly keep up the interest of the sessions if it be determined
to make the reading of scientific papers proceed parallel with
the other business," after the second session, so as not to delay
till the last, when many members have left, many valuable and
interesting communications.

Mr. Carney, Chairman of the Executive Committee, asked
for instructions in reference to publishing reports of Proceed-
ings and papers. He was in favor of publishing very full reports.

Dr. Squibb, Mr. Parrish, Mr. Procter, Mr. Hegeman and
others were also in favor of full reports.

The President suggested that the funds of the Association
were not sufficient to publish the Proceedings in full, and the
Executive Committee would find themselves on difficulty on seek-
ing a publisher.

A motion of Dr. Squibb, to assess the members for funds to
publish the Proceedings, was voted down ; and a resolution of
Mr. Hegeman, to ask for contributions for that purpose, was
adopted.

Dr. Battey, of Rome, Georgia, offered a resolution thanking
the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy for the hospitalities re-
ceived at their hands.

Edward Parrish moved that a vote of thanks be offered to the
proprietors of the newspapers who had published reports of the
Proceedings for their courtesy, and to the reporters for their
careful reports, which was unanimously adopted.

Mr. Kiersted, of New York, offered resolutions of thanks to
the President and Recording Secretary, which were adopted.

530

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

On motion, it was voted to request of Dr. Robert Battey a
copy of his remarks to the Convention, whilst acting as Chair-
man pro tern., for publication in the Proceedings.

On motion of Edward Parrish, it was directed that any papers
which had not come to hand in time for this meeting, be referred
to the Executive Committee.

The Chairman was authorized to remodel certain Committees
during the recess.

The President expressed his thanks for the courtesy received
at the hands of the Convention, whereupon the minutes were
approved, and at three o'clock the Association adjourned, to
meet in New York, on the second Tuesday in September next,
at three o'clock, P. M.

Charles Bullock,

Recording Secretary,

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS IN REFERENCE TO
THEIR MORE GENERAL ADOPTION IN THE
NEXT PHARMACOPEIA.

By William Procter, Jr.

(From the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Boston, 1859.)

Having accepted at the annual meeting of the Association
for 1858 the subject of Improved Formulae for the Fluid Ex-
tracts, I have occupied no inconsiderable portion of time in
carrying on the investigations required in giving a rational so-
lution to the questions involved.

After some reflection it was determined to consider in groups
the several drugs appropriate for fluid extracts, the generic
character of which was to be derived from an analogy of com-
position or of behaviour with solvents, by which the same pro-
cess could be employed for each member of a group ; leaving
all those drugs which possessed some peculiarity of constitution,
rendering it necessary, to be treated by special processes.

In the formulae adopted, it has not been designed to retain in
solution all the matter dissolved by the menstruum from each
drug, as suggested by some ; nor to reject all not usefully medi-
cinal as sought by others ; but to extract as far as possible all
the valuable ingredients, and to condense them into the required

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

531

bulk, of an ounce to the fluid ounce, except in the oleoresins, in
the way least calculated to injure their medicinal virtues and
sensible qualities, leaving the resulting menstruum appropriate
for retaining the active matter in solution.

As regards the means for their preservation from decomposi-
tion, alcohol and sugar have been employed, as the cases de-
manded, and in a few instances acetic acid is added for special
reasons. The process of percolation has been almost invariably
used, as best adapted to effect the desired objects, and the
formulae, both in manipulation and quantities, are based on the
supposition that they are to be carried out in the shop or labora-
tory of the apothecary, and not on the large scale by the manu-
facturer.

Where alcohol has been used as the agent for preservation, it
has been employed in the form of the first dense solution ob-
tained in the percolation, regulating the quantity reserved for
this purpose by the quantity of alcohol to be retained in the fluid
extract, and evaporating the weaker liquors till reduced to a bulk
sufficient to make up the required measure by an indirect heat
of about 150° F. in an open vessel.

When sugar has been employed as the preservative agent, it
is added to the percolate before the completion of the evapora-
tion, so as to take advantage of the well ascertained solvent
power of sugar in regard to resinous and apothemic matter.

A new class of oleoresinous fluid extracts has been suggested,
in which the stronger aromatics have been introduced, such as
cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, &c, and which possess, for certain
uses, very desirable advantages from their concentration.

The number of oleoresins has been considerably increased on
the ground that they represent their respective sources more
completely, and in smaller bulks than any other form of fluid or
semifluid extracts. For this reason also it is insisted that they
should occupy a distinct position under the name of 4 'Oleore-
sins," and thus avoid the necessity of making a discrepancy
in the proportional strength of all those preparations which go
by the name of fluid extracts.

In bringing forward so large a number of fluid extracts, it is
not intended to recommend that all of them should be introduced
into the Pharmacopoeia, but to afford sufficient scope in the

532

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

choice to be made by the framers of that codex, assuming the
processes to yield satisfactory products.

Class First,

EXTRACTUM ACONITI FOLIORUM FLUIDUM.

Take of Aconite leaves in powder (No. 60*) 16 ounces Troy,
Alcohol,

Water, of each a sufficient quantity.
Mix two pints of alcohol with one of water, moisten the
powder evenly with four fluid ounces of the mixture, pack it
firmly in a percolator, and having covered the surface with a
disc of clothf gradually pour on the same menstruum until
three pints have passed ; reserve the first twelve fluid ounces,
evaporate the remainder at 150° F. on a water bath to four
fluid ounces, mix it with the reserved tincture, and after stand-
ing twenty four hours filter through paper.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM BELLADONNA FLUIDUM.
From Belladonna leaves, in powder.

EXTRACTUM BUCHU FLUIDUM.

From Buchu, in powder. No, 40.

EXTRACTUM DIGITALIS FLUIDUM.

From Digitalis, in powder.

EXTRACTUM HYOSCYAMI FLUIDUM.

From Henbane leaves, in powder.

EXTRACTUM MATICO FLUIDUM.

From Matico, in powder.

EXTRACTUM STRAMONII FLUIDUM.

From Thorn Apple leaves in Powder.

EXTRACTUM VALERIANA FLUIDUM.

From Valerian in powder.

* " No. 60'' indicates that the sieve through which the powder is passed,
has 60 meshes to the linear inch — and so of other numbers.

-|-By this is intended a circular piece of muslin, linen or lint, or any in-
soluble porous tissue to prevent the disturbance of the powder. Filtering
paper perforated with holes will do, but the disc of cotton cloth is cheap
and to be preferred. The pieces need not be thrown away, but may again
be used after washing.

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

533

Remarks. — In this class are placed the narcotic leaves, and
certain oleoresinous substances. Aconite and Valerian will repre-
sent them. When these substances, reduced to a powder that
will pass a sieve of 60 meshes to the linear inch, are uniformly
moistened, by rubbing, with a fourth of their weight of the al-
coholic mixture, they are yet pulverulent, but exhibit a damp
appearance, and readily pack in the percolator. Glass funnels
answer a good purpose, but cylindrical percolators may be em-
ployed. In either case, if the powder has been properly com-
pacted, the menstruum when added passes very deliberately, by
drops, and it will be found that the proportion of the percolate
which is directed to be reserved will contain nearly all of the
most valuable parts of the drug. In this way the action of heat
and air is entirely prevented on the most important part of the
extracted matter, and where volatile oils are concerned this fact
is particularly important. It is surprising what concentrated
liquors are thus obtained when the trouble is taken to pass the
powder through a sieve of the fineness indicated. It will be ob-
served that the process adopted for this class, is nearly that of
Prof. Graham, for fluid extract of Valerian. It will require
strict attention to the details of the process to get the results
intended, because success depends on the slowness of the
percolation without any regulation at the outlet of the funnel.

The alcoholic condition of the resulting preparations is nearly
50 per cent. In this fluid the chlorophylle is but partly soluble,
and much of this principle is left in the exhausted residue.

Class Second.

EXTRACTUM ACONITI RADICIS FLUIDUM.

Take of Aconite root, in powder, (No. 60) 16 ounces, Troy,
Alcohol, (sp., gr. -835) a sufficient quantity.
Moisten the powder with six fluid ounces of alcohol, pack
it firmly in a cylindrical percolator, cover the surface with a
disc of cloth, and gradually pour on alcohol until three pints of
tincture have passed, reserving the first half pint. The re-
mainder of the tincture is then distilled till reduced to half a
pint and while hot mixed with the reserved tincture. After
standing twenty-four hours filter through paper.

534

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM CIMICIFUG^) FLUIDUM.

From Black Snakeroot in fine powder.

EXTRACTUM HELLEBORI FLUIDUM.

From Black Hellebore in fine powder.

EXTRACTUM IPECACUANHA FLUIDUM.

From Ipecacuanha in fine powder.

EXTRACTUM JALAPJG FLUIDUM.
From Jalap in fine powder.

EXTRACTUM PODOPHYLLI FLUIDUM.

From Mayapple root in fine powder.

EXTRACTUM SANGUINARY FLUIDUM.
From Bloodroot in powder.

EXTRACTUM VERATRI VIRIDIS FLUIDUM.
From American Hellebore root, in powder.

Remarks. — The powders for this class of extracts should be,
at least, so fine as to pass through a sieve 60 meshes to the linear
inch, and even dusted Jalap and Ipecacuanha may be employed
with advantage. To test the extracts, all that was contained in
the original tinctures, including the sediment caused by the
evaporation, was retained in the vials without filtration as di-
rected in the recipe, so as to observe the effects of keeping. In
the case of Jalap a very slight deposit of resinous matter adhered
to the bottom. In the Cimicifuga and Podophyllum a little
more of a pulverulent and flocculent consistence separated, but
in quantity too small to materially affect the activity of the pre-
parations, even if resinous in its nature. The Fluid Extract of
Ipecac will be the proper means of making the Syrup, and pro-
perly diluted it affords a very energetic emetic. The alcoholic
strength of these fluid extracts is about 50 per cent.

Glass Third.

EXTRACTUM COLCHICI RADICIS FLUIDUM.
Take of Colchicum Root in powder, (No. 50,) 16 ounces,
Diluted alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Mix the Colchicum powder with four fluid ounces of the
diluted alcohol, pack it closely in a percolator, cover the surface
with a disc of cloth, and gradually add more of the diluted

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

535

alcohol until three pints of tincture have passed, reserving the
first twelve fluid ounces. Evaporate the remainder of the tinc-
ture at 150° Fahr. to four fluid ounces, mix it with the reserved
tincture, and after standing twenty-four hours, filter through
paper.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRA.CTUM COLOMBO FLUIDUM.

From Columbo, in powder, No. 40.

EXTRACTUM CHlRAYTiE FLUIDUM.

From Chiretta, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM EUPATORII FLUIDUM.

From Boneset, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM GENTIANS FLUIDUM.

From Gentian, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM SCILL^ FLUIDUM.

From Squill, in powder, No. 30.

EXTRACTUM SENEGA FLUIDUM.

From Seneka, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM SERPENTARLE FLUIDUM.

From Virginia Snakeroot, in powder, No. 60.

Remarks — In making Fluid Extract of Colchicum, by this
formula, a whitish colored sediment is deposited from the reserv-
ed tincture by standing, and also by the evaporation of the last
liquors, and after the mixture of the two the quantity seemed to
slightly increase. The nature of this matter has not been
determined, but it is believed to be identical with that deposited
from the wine, and in no wise connected with the activity of the
preparation. It is well, therefore, in this instance, to postpone
the filtration of the fluid extract when not wanted for immediate
use. It is highly probable that this substance may be avoided
by employing concentrated alcohol to extract the root, and
subsequently distilling off sufficient of it to reduce the alcoholic
strength of the fluid extract to that above exhibited, which is
about 25 per cent.

In regard to the permanency of Fluid Extract of Seneka, there
is some doubt, theoretically, owing to the tendency of an alco-

536

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

holic solution of Seneka to deposit polygalic acid in cool wea-
ther. It remains to be observed whether this will prove an
objection to the formula. Made with sugar, it has been known
to gelatinize and lose its fluidity, possibly owing to the action of
the pectin, or pectic acid which is known to be an ingredient of
the root.

From the gummy nature of Squill, it is necessary to use a
coarser powder than would be proper for most other substances.

Columbo in its behaviour with diluted alcohol is analogous to
Rhubarb. If very fine, the percolation is too tardy — hence a
coarser powder is directed.

Fluid Extract of Serpentaria, fully represents that drug when
made by this formula. It is possible the weak alcoholic men-
struum may not be so highly approved as a saccharine one, but
it may be sweetened before using.

Class Fourth — Saccharine Fluid Extracts,

EXTRACTUM CINCHONA FLUIDUM.

Take of Yellow Peruvian bark, in powder,

(No. 50,) 16 ounces Troy.

Sugar, 10 ounces.

Diluted alcohol, a sufficient quantity.
Moisten the Peruvian Bark with half a pint of diluted alcohol,
let it stand half an hour, pack it in a percolator firmly, cover it
with a disc of cloth, and gradually add diluted alcohol till three
pints of tincture have passed. Evaporate the tincture at a
moderate heat on a water bath to one pint, add the sugar, and
continue the evaporation till reduced to one pint, and strain
while hot.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM CHIMAPHIL^E FLUIDUM.

From Pipsissewa, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM DULCAMARA FLUIDUM.
From Bittersweet, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM QcXLLM FLUIDUM.
From Galls, in powder, No. 40.

EXTRACTUM GERANII FLUIDUM.
From Cranesbill, in powder, No. 50.

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

537

EXTRAOTUM GRANATI RADIOIS FLUIDUM.

From Pomgranate root bark, in powder, No. 60.

EXTRACTUM RUBI FLUIDUM.

From Blackberry root, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM S ARS AP ARILL^E FLUIDUM.

From Sarsaparilla, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM SPIGELLE.

From Pink root, in powder, No. 50.

EXTRACTUM UVA URSI FLUIDUM.

From Uva Ursi, in powder, No. 50.

Remarks The astringent and apothemic drugs are less lia-
ble to decompose with a saccharine menstruum than with an al-
coholic liquid. A decided advantage is gained by adding the
sugar before the completion of the evaporation, and in some cases
it might be better to add the sugar at first, and evaporate the
alcohol afterwards.

When carefully prepared, as described in the formulae, these
fluid extracts are dense, clear, dark-colored solutions, with the
exception of the Cinchona. This is, as in the preparation of
Mr. Taylor, (which is of half the strength,) a reddish-brown,
opaque, syrupy liquid, highly charged with the properties of
Calisaya bark. It has not been sought to render this a clear
solution by excluding the precipitate of cinchotannates of the al-
kaloids, which occurs by cooling, nor to modify and render it
soluble by the use of acids. If it should be determined to make
the preparation clear, in case it is adopted into the Pharmaco-
poeia, it may be better to evaporate the tincture to one-fourth, let
it stand till cool, strain out the precipitate, add the cloudy liquid
to the sugar, and when dissolved evaporate till reduced to a pint
by a water bath beat. The small portion of undissolved matter
that occasions the cloudiness of the liquid will be dissolved by
the sugar during the heating process. The fluid extract of
Blackberry root, is an admirable astringent addition to diarrhoea
mixtures, as those of Nutgalls and Cranesbill are to gargles.

The fluid extracts of Chimaphila, Dulcamara, Pomgranate,
Spigelia, and Sarsaparilla, fully represent the several drugs, and
by dilution with three times their bulk of simple syrup afford
syrups of the ordinary strength.

538 FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

Class Fifth. Acetic Fluid Extracts.

EXTRACTUM ERGOTS FLUIDUM.

Take of Ergot, in fine powder, (No. 60, ) 16 ounces

Acetic acid, half a fluid ounce,

Diluted alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Mix the acid with three pints of the diluted alcohol, moisten
the ergot uniformly with half a pint of the mixture, pack it in
a conical percolator, cover it with a disc of cloth, and add grad-
ually the remainder of the acidulated alcohol, reserving the first
twelve fluid ounces of tincture, and continuing the process until
three pints more have passed, using diluted alcohol at the last.
Evaporate this last portion to four fluid ounces, at a temperature
not exceeding 150° F., mix it with the reserved tincture, and
filter through paper.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM CONII FLUIDUM.

From Hemlock leaves in powder, No. 60.

EXTRACTUM LOBELIA FLUIDUM.

From Lobelia leaves in powder, No. 60.

Remarks. — In each of the drugs yielding these fluid extracts,
there exists an alkaloid united with an organic acid, as a salt,
which is so unstable in its nature, as in each case to be partially
decomposed by the ebullition of its solution. This is more par-
ticularly the case with Conium and Ergot. The acetic acid con-
trols this tendency almost completely, below 150° Fahr. It
will be observed that this formula differs from that proposed two
years ago in a report to the Association, in which Ether was em-
ployed to remove the fixed oil. Ergot percolates more readily
and effectually after the removal of the oil by Ether, than before,
but when it is reduced to a powder by a seive of 60 meshes per
inch, it is readily exhausted by slow percolation with the pre-
cautions indicated. Further, the fluid extract prepared in this
manner has been carefully tested, during twelve months, by
several practitioners who are satisfied of its efficiency.

The fluid extracts of Conium and Lobelia made in this way,
from the carefully dried plants, are quite unexceptionable.

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

539

Class Sixth. Oleoresinous Fluid Extracts.

EXTRACTUM OAPSICI FLUIDUM.

Take of Capsicum in powder, No. 50, sixteen ounces
Alcohol (deodorized) a sufficient quantity.
Moisten the Capsicum with four fluid ounces of the alcohol,
pack tightly in a percolator, cover the surface with a disc of cloth,
and pour on alcohol gradually until two pints have slowly passed.
Reserve the first twelve fluid ounces, and evaporate the re-
mainder to four fluid ounces by a gentle heat not exceeding 150
Fahr., mix it with the reserved tincture, and filter through
paper.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM CANELLJ2 FLUIDUM.

From Canella in powder. No. 60.

EXTRACTUM CARDAMOMI FLUIDUM.

From Cardamom in powder. No. 50.

EXTRACTUM CARYOPHYLLI FLUIDUM.

From Cloves, in powder. No. 50.

EXTRACTUM CINNAMOMI FLUIDUM.

From Ceylon Cinnamon in Powder. No. 60.

EXTRACTUM CUBEB^E FLUIDUM.

From Cubebs in powder. No. 50.

EXTRACTUM WVLM FLUIDUM.

From Elecampane in powder. No. 60.

EXTRACTUM IRIDIS FLORENTINE FLUIDUM.

From Orris root, in powder. No. 60.

EXTRACTUM LUPULIN^E FLUIDUM.

From Lupulin.

EXTRACTUM MYRRILE FLUIDUM.

From Myrrh recently powdered. No. 30.

EXTRACTUM PYRETHRI FLUIDUM.

From Pellatory root, in powder. No. 50.

EXTRACTUM PIMENTO FLUIDUM.
Take of Allspice, in powder. No. 50.

EXTRACTUM XANTHOXYLI FLUIDUM.

From Prickly Ash bark in powder. No. 50.

32

540

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

EXTRACTUM ZINGIBERIS FLUIDUM.

From Jamaica Ginger, in powder. No. 60.

Remarks.— This is a new class of Fluid Extracts embracing
the more important aromatics, and stimulants owing their virtues
to oleoresins. By the employment of Atwood's deodorized alcohol
of 95 per cent., the menstruum does not depreciate the odors, and
when the concentrated portion is added, but little if any pre-
cipitation occurs. Several of the extracts are more appropriate
for dental purposes than medicine, instance the Pellatory, Ele-
campane, Xanthoxylum, Orris, and Myrrh, although most of
them may be used in medicine. The Fluid Extract of Cubebs
as thus made has some advantages over the oleoresin in mix-
tures that are not emulsive. The preparations of cloves, carda-
mom and ginger are admirable carminatives for pills or mixtures,
and the capsicum affords a stimulant for external application
well fitted as an addition to liniments, where a decided impression
is needed.

By combining the fluid extracts of ginger, cloves and cin-
namon in the proportion of a fluid cunce of the former, to half
a fluid ounce each of the two latter, a liquid is obtained, which,
when applied by means of two or three layers of lint or Canton
flannel, saturated, affords an excellent extemporaneous spice
plaster. Or a compound fluid extract may be made by the fol-
lowing formula.

EXTRACTUM AROMATICJE FLUIDUM.

Take of Ginger in powder, eight ounces.

Cloves " four ounces.

Cinnamon " four ounces.

Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Mix the powders, moisten them with four fluid ounces of alco-
hol, pack them in a percolator, cover the surface with a disc of
cloth, and pour on alcohol until two pints have slowly passed.
Reserve the first twelve fluid ounces, evaporate the remainder
to four fluid ounces, and mix it with the reserved tincture and
filter.

When it is desirable to increase the stimulation of this appli-
cation, add a small quantity of capsicum.

In the preparation of these fluid extracts, the powders should
be as fine as possible, provided the substances are not injured

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

541

thereby. In the case of* myrrh, the tears alone should be used,
reduced to powder simply, by trituration without sifting.

EXTRACTUM RHEI FLUIDUM.

Take of Rhubarb in powder, (No. 40, ) sixteen ounces, Troy.

Sugar, eight ounces.

Alcohol, a pint.

Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Moisten the Rhubarb with four fluid ounces of the alcohol,
pack it moderately in a conical percolator, cover it with a disc
of cloth and pour on the remainder of the alcohol ; when it has
disappeared from the surface, continue the percolation with di-
luted alcohol until three pints have passed, observing to sepa-
rate the first pint and set it aside in a warm place till reduced to
six fluid ounces. Add the sugar to the other two pints, evapo-
rate it to ten fluid ounces, and whilst hot mix it with the con-
centrated reserved tincture and strain if necessary.

Remarks.— This formula differs but little from the officinal.
The use of strong alcohol at first enables the operator to ex-
tract the more valuable ingredients and get them in a concen-
trated form without injury from heat. The 6 fluid ounces of
result from the evaporation of the first tincture is a thick mo-
lasses-like liquid containing nearly all the resinous and odorous
matter of the root. During the evaporation of the last tincture
after adding the sugar, the alcohol is more rapidly dissipated if
it is frequently stirred with a spatula. It is important to free
the preparation as much as possible from alcohol, in evapor-
ating the saccharine portion, to prevent the crystallization
of the sugar, as enough of alcohol is retained in the first
liquid to supersede the necessity of adding the tincture of gin-
ger. It will be noted that the aromatics have been omitted
from this formula. This has been done for the following rea-
sons. 1st. Fluid Extract of Rhubarb is generally prescribed
with other medicines in which case it is easy to add the aromatica
according to the preference of the prescriber. 2d. Their pre-
sence covers up to a considerable extent the peculiar distinctive
odor and taste of the drug, and thus prevents a correct judg-
ment of the perfection of the preparation. 3d. When free from
the aromatics, the fluid extract affords a means of making the
simple syrup of Rhubarb extemporaneously that is very con-
venient in warm weather.

542

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

EXTRACTUM SENN^E FLUIDUM.

Take of Senna in powder, No. 60, sixteen ounces, Troy.
Sugar, eight ounces, Troy.

Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Moisten the senna with four fluid ounces of dilute alcohol, and
pack it in a conical percolator, cover it with a disc of cloth, and
pour on diluted alcohol until three pints have slowly passed.
Reserve the first pint, and in a warm place let it evaporate to
half a pint. To the remaining two pints of tincture add the
sugar, and in a water bath concentrate the solution to half a pint,
and mix it with the concentrated tincture, and strain if neces-
sary. When it is desirable to aromatise this fluid extract, add
16 minims of oil of cloves dissolved in half a fluid ounce of tinc-
ture of ginger to the quantity of the formula.

Remarks In this formula, it will be observed, the aromatics

and Hoffman's Anodyne are omitted. If the senna is passed
through a sieve 50 or 60 meshes to the inch, and a funnel-shaped
percolator used, the first pint of tincture will contain most of
the valuable portion of the senna, and by the precautions sug-
gested in its evaporation, it is not injured by the process. The
reasons for omitting the aromatics are the following. 1st. The
quality of the preparation, when finished, can be better deter-
mined by its odor and taste. 2d. The fluid extract can be em-
ployed to make the fluid extracts of Senna and Spigelia and
Senna and Rhubarb extemporaneously when desired. 3d. The
aromatics can be added when required, or varied to suit the taste
of the physician or patient. 4th. The proportion of alcohol
retained in the preparation is sufficient to keep it from spoiling
without Hoffman's Anodyne.

EXTRACTUM SPIGELLE ET SENN^J FLUIDUM.

Take of Pinkroot in powder, No. 60, ten ounces, Troy.

Senna in powder, No. 50, six ounces, "

Sugar, ten ounces. "

Carbonate of Potassa, four drachms.

Oil of Caraway and Anise, each 10 minims.

Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Mix the Pink root and Senna intimately together, moisten
them with half a pint of diluted alcohol, pack the mixture in a

FORMULA FOE THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

543

conical percolator, cover the surface with a disc of cloth, and
pour on diluted alcohol until three pints have passed, reserving
the first pint. Evaporate the reserved tincture at a gentle heat
till reduced to six fluid ounces, mix the sugar with the remain-
der, and evaporate it to ten fluid ounces, mix this with the con-
centrated tincture, and having triturated the oils with the car-
bonate of potassa, dissolve them in the fluid extract, and strain.

Fluid Extract of Semna and Pinkroot may also be prepared in
the following manner :

Take of Fluid Extract of Pinkroot, ten fluid ounces.

Fluid Extract of Senna, six fluid ounces.

Carbonate of Potassa, half an ounce.

Oil of Caraway and Oil of Anise, each 20 minims.

Mix the fluid extracts and dissolve in them the carbonate and
oils previously triturated together.

Remarks.— Fluid Extract of Spigelia and Senna made by the
above recipes varies slightly, theoretically, from the officinal;
the proportion of the two main ingredients is slightly varied so
as to make them, taken together, an ounce to the fluid ounce.
The manipulation is calculated to afford a better preparation
than the officinal recipe. The second formula will be found a
great convenience in making the preparation extemporaneously,
in the quantity it may be needed.

EXTRACTUM RHEI ET SENILE FLUIDUM.

Take of Fluid Extract of Rhubarb, four fluid ounces.

Fluid Extract of Senna, twelve fluid ounces.

Bicarbonate of Potassa, in powder half an ounce.

Tincture of Ginger, a fluid ounce.

Oil of Cloves, eight minims.

Oil of Anise, sixteen minims.

Dissolve the Bicarbonate of Potassa in the fluid extracts, and add
to them the oils previously dissolved in the tincture of ginger,
and mix them.

Remarks. — This preparation is an extemporaneous imitation
of a recipe published in the 25th volume of the American Jour-
nal of Pharmacy, page 23. It is believed to possess sufficient
merit to have a place in a general collection of the fluid extracts.

544

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

EXTRACTUM SARSAPARILLJS FLUIDUM COMPOSITUM.
Take of Sarsparilla, in powder, No. 30, twelve ounces Troy.
Dulcamara in powder, No. 30,
Guaiacum wood, rasped,

Pipsissewain powder, No. 30, each, four ounces. "
Liquorice Eoot in powder,

Sassafras Bark in powder of each, two ounces. "
Sugar, ten ounces. "

Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Mix the Sarsaparilla, Dulcamara, Guaiacum, Pipsissewa and
Liquorice Root intimately together, moisten them with two pints
of diluted alcohol, allow them to macerate twenty-four hours in
a covered vessel, pack them tightly in a cylindrical percolator,
and pour on diluted alcohol until five pints have slowly passed.
Moisten the Sassafras with a fluid ounce of the tincture, pack it
in a percolator and pour on more of the tincture till two fluid
ounces have passed. Evaporate the remainder of the tincture
on a water bath to a pint, add the sugar, continue the evapora-
tion till reduced to 14 fluid ounces, add the tincture to sassafras,
mix them and strain, so as to get a pint of fluid extract.

Remarks. — The writer is aware of the difficulty that will pre-
sent in following rigidly the directions of this formula, owing to
the trouble of obtaining the ingredients in powder. This is,
however, not insuperable, either with the mortar on a small scale
or through the drug grinder in quantity. Yet in view of the
probability of the ingredients being used in very coarse powder,
it has been directed to mix them intimately and macerate in
sufficient menstruum to saturate them, then to pack them tightly
in the percolator. On a small scale it will, under these circum-
stances, be found advantageous to beat the ingredients in a mor-
tar before packing. On a large scale, digestion for a time in hot
dilute alcohol at 150° in a close vessel, will aid greatly in the
subsequent extraction by percolation.

It will be observed that very material changes are suggested
in this formula. As it now stands in the Pharmacopoeia, this
preparation is little different from the simple fluid extract, for
which a formula has been given in the fourth class. The intro-
duction of Dulcamara, Pipsissewa and Guaiacum is the result of
an experience of twenty years in the preparation of such an ex-
tract, and competent medical testimony in favor of its efficiency.

FORMULAS FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

545

The manner of treating the Sassafras involves but little trouble,
and while it effectually communicates the properties of that
aromatic, it also introduces a little alcohol, which insures the
stability of the preparation.

EXTRACTUM TARAXACI FLUIDUM.

Take of Taraxacum in powder, (No. 50,) 16 ounces Troy.

Diluted Alcohol, a sufficient quantity.

Moisten the Taraxacum with four fluid ounces of diluted al-
cohol, pack it in a conical percolator, cover it with a disc of
cloth, and pour on diluted alcohol until three pints have gradu-
ally passed. Reserve the first half pint, and evaporate the re-
mainder at 120° Fahr., till reduced to half a pint, mix it with
the reserved tincture and filter.

Fluid extract of Taraxacum may also be made from the fresh
root by the following process, viz :

Take of recent Dandelion Root, (gathered in Autumn,) 24 ounces.
Alcohol, half a pint.

Bruise the root to a pulp, mix it intimately with the alcohol,
and after maceration for a week express strongly and filter to
get two pints of fluid extract.

Remarks. — The first formula is the "Liquor Taraxaci " of
the English pharmaceutical chemists, and it is a good prepara-
tion when made in the manner described. The second formula
is the " Preserved juice of Taraxacum," now in use in Philadel-
phia, and which merits a place in the Pharmacopoeia. The ob-
ject of maceration for a week is, that the cellular tissue of the
root may be softened, so as to yield more freely to pressure.

EXTRACTUM GLYOYRRHIZ^ FLUIDUM.

Take of Extract of Liquorice (Calabria) eight ounces, (Troy.)
Sugar in -powder, ten ounces, "

Water, a sufficient quantity.

Bruise the extract till reduced to pieces about the size of a
pea, enclose it in a gauze cloth, suspend it in a pint vessel, cover
it with water, let it stand 12 hours, pour off the dense liquor,
renew the water, and again macerate for 12 hours. Drain the
liquor from the undissolved portion of extract, mix it with the first
liquid, evaporate to 12 fluid ounces, strain if necessary, dissolve
in it the sugar, and evaporate till the fluid extract measures a
pint.

546

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

Remarks — This preparation is intended to facilitate the dis-
pensing of extract of liquorice in cough mixtures. As usually
prescribed by physicians, the insoluble sediment is contained in
the mixtures, and always gives them an unsightly appearance.
Each fluid ounce represents half an ounce of the extract, and
more than an ounce of the root. This preparation keeps pretty
well, except in hot weather, but it is better not to make it in
large quantity. If too long kept, carbonic acid is eliminated.

EXTRACTUM PRUNI VIRGINIANS FLUIDUM.

Take of Wild Cherry Bark, in powder, No. 60, 16 ounces, Troy.
Sweet Almonds, 2 «

Sugar, in powder, 12 «

Alcohol, .835,

Water of each, a sufficient quantity.

Moisten the bark with four fluid ounces of alcohol, pack it
in a percolator, cover it with a disc of cloth, and pour on alco-
hol until three pints have slowly passed. By means of a dis-
tillatory apparatus, regain two pints and a half of the alcohol.
Mix the residue with half a pint of water, and evaporate it to
half a pint, or until the alcohol is dissipated. Beat the almonds,
without blanching, to a smooth paste with four fluid ounces of
water, mix this with the extractive solution in a well stoppered
bottle, and agitate occasionally for 24 hours. The contents of
the bottle are then thrown on a cloth filter, strongly and quick-
ly expressed, and if the expressed liquid does not measure 12
fluid ounces, add water to the residue and again express till suffi-
cient is obtained. Having placed the sugar in a bottle marked
for a pint, filter the expressed liquid from a close funnel into
the bottle, which should be occasionally agitated, until, when
the liquid has passed, and the sugar is all dissolved, the fluid
extract shall measure a pint.

Remarks. — The propriety of doubling the strength of this
fluid extract, in obedience to the rule adopted of making all
fluid extracts an ounce to the fluid ounce, may well be doubted,
as it reduces the dose to half a teaspoonful, and requires very
careful manipulation to retain all the virtues of the bark in so
small a space. Nevertheless the product obtained, like that of
the original formula, (Amer. Jour. Pharm. 1856,) well repre-
sents the drug, and deserves a place among the fluid extracts
worthy of adoption.

FORMULA FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

547

EXTRACTUM KRAMERLE FLUIDUM.

Take of Rhatany root, in powder (60 to the inch) 16 ounces.

Sugar, 12 ounces.

Water, a sufficient quantity.

Moisten the Rhatany with half a pint of water, let it stand an
hour, pack it closely in a conical percolator, cover it with a disc
of cloth, and pour on water until four pints have slowly passed.
Evaporate the liquor on a water bath to twelve fluid ounces,
add the sugar, and continue the evaporation until the whole
measures a pint, and strain.

Thus prepared, fluid extract of Rhatany is about two and a
half times the strength of the officinal syrup, and affords a very
elegant astringent preparation for mixtures. At first it was
determined to prepare this extract by the formula for the Fluid
Extract of Cinchona, and when so made it is evidently charged
with the astringency of the drug, but the result is an opaque
syrupy liquid, which by dilution with water gives a precipitate
of apotheme. It is absolutely necessary to have the Rhatany
in a uniform powder to succeed by the above recipe, so that the
percolation in an unobstructed funnel shall be quite slow.

EXTRACTUM JUGLANDIS FLUIDUM.

Take of Butternut bark, finely bruised, 16 ounces,
Sugar, 12 "

Alcohol,

Water, of each, a sufficient quantity.

Mix one part of alcohol with three parts of water, put the
bark in a suitable, close vessel, pour oyer it two pints of the
diluted alcohol, and digest at a temperature not exceeding 120°
for twenty-four hours, and express strongly. Return the marc
to the vessel and again digest in two pints of the mixture for
twelve hours, and express. Unite the liquids, evaporate them
over a water bath to ten fluid ounces, filter the liquor, and
dissolve in it the sugar, and strain so as to make a pint of fluid
extract.

In the same manner prepare

EXTRACTUM QUASSLE FLUIDUM,

From Quassia, finely rasped.
Remarks. — It would have been preferable to place Fluid

548

FORMULAE FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

Extract of Butternut in the fourth class, and Quassia in the
third class, but for the difficulty presented by their texture.
Under the circumstances the above will afford a means open to
all operators. With proper care the results are excellent
preparations.

Oleoresince.

OLEORESINA CAPSICI.

Take of Capsicum, in powder, No. 50, 16 ounces,

Ether, a sufficient quantity.

Pack the Capsicum tightly in a percolator for volatile liquids,
cover it with a disc of cloth, pour on the ether until two pints
of fluid have passed. Put this in a retort, and by aid of a water
bath distil a pint and a half of ether into a refrigerated receiver.
Expose the residue in the retort, in an open capsule, till the
remains of the ether have passed off, and preserve the oleoresin.

In the same manner prepare

OLEORESINA CARDAMOMI.
From Cardamom seeds, in powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA CARYOPHYLLI.

From Cloves, in fine powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA CUBEBiE.

From Cubebs, in fine powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA FILICIS MARL

From male fern, in powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA LUPULIN^.

From Lupulin.

OLEORESINA PIPERIS NIGRI.

From Black Pepper, in powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA PYRETHRI.

From Pellatory root, in powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA SABINE.
From Savin, in powder. No. 50.

OLEORESINA XANTHOXYLI.

From Prickly Ash bark, in powder. No. 50.

FORMULAS FOR THE FLUID EXTRACTS.

549

OLEORESINA. ZINGIBERIS.

From Jamaica ginger, in powder. No. 60.

Remarks. — Of these Oleoresins, those of capsicum, cubebs,
pepper, cloves, lupulin, savin and ginger, possess decided merit.
That of cardamom is a liquid, consisting of one-third volatile oil
and two-thirds fixed oil, with but little resinous matter. The male
fern is used in Europe and occasionally here. The Xanthoxylum
as used by the Eclectics is prepared by another formula. The list
might be much extended but even that submitted is longer than
will be accepted. The oleoresin of savin incorporates easily
with resin cerate, and affords the most elegant form of savin
cerate yet suggested.

In conclusion it may be again remarked, that the formulae are
all such as the Pharmaceutist may practice in the shop ; they do
not involve much expenditure of apparatus, and when attention
is given to the division of the powders and the manipulation of
the percolation as directed, the result will, it is believed, gen-
erally give satisfaction. It is quite possible that some of them
by keeping a length of time will deposit sediment, the result of
a disturbance in the balance of the solubilities. This may be
expected, but, except in very few instances, it has no influence
on the medicinal power of the extract.

It is proper before leaving the subject to extend a caution in
reference to such of the above formulae as are suggested as sub-
stitutes for the present officinal fluid extracts that differ in
strength or composition from them — that they should not be
used until sanctioned by authority, yet the improved manipula-
tion may be applied where it does not alter the character of the
preparations.

Philadelphia, September 4th, 1859.

ON A NEW MODE OF PREPARING SOME SYRUPS.

By Jno. M. Maisch.

The directions of the Pharmacopoeia for a number of syrups,
require an exhaustion of the crude material by diluted alcohol ;
the tincture is then evaporated to drive off the alcohol, the
residue diluted by water, sugar is added, and heat applied to

550

ON A NEW MODE OF PREPARING SOME SYRUPS.

dissolve it. To follow this process, a continued application of
heat is necessary, and a prolonged contact with air unavoidable ;
this would make it desirable to modify the process in such a
way as to dispense with evaporation as much as possible. In
the following I offer such processes for the officinal syrups of
rhubarb and the unofficinal syrup of blackberry root.

The Prussian and other Pharmacopoeias of Europe, prepare
syrup of rhubarb by macerating the root, cut into thin slices,
with water containing a little carbonate of potassa in solution,
then expressing the mass and dissolving the sugar in the clear
liquid. Rhubarb root contains much pectin, and to the alkaline
solution yields pectic acid, which is undesirable in pharmaceuti-
cal preparations, and is one of the causes of the decomposition
of the similarly prepared aqueous tincture of rhubarb. But the
syrup thus prepared keeps well without precipitating, and the
principal fault of the process, besides the employment of an al-
kali, which does not add to the medicinal properties, but only
imparts to the preparation a nice red color, seems to me to lie in
the fact, that a single maceration in water does not extract all
the virtues of the root, which retains a considerable quantity of
the liquor.

The root may be completely exhausted by water, if treated
in a funnel-shaped percolator in accordance with Professor I. J.
Grahame's suggestions. If rhubarb root is powdered so as to
pass through a sieve of fifty meshes to the linear inch, mois-
tened sufficiently with water and packed in a funnel with slight
pressure, the root will swell up in a short time to such an ex-
tent as to almost wholly prevent the passage of the liquid ; if
the powder has been packed very loosely, the liquid passes some-
what better, but the portion in the centre is not readily ex-
tracted. To accomplish the complete exhaustion of the root, it
is necessary to mix the powdered rhubarb with about an equal
bulk of fine sand, and pack it, previously moistened, with moder-
rate pressure into the displacer. On the addition of water, per-
colation commences immediately, and the first liquid is of a deep
color and highly charged with the virtues of the root. Though
the rhubarb soon swells considerably, the process is never im-
peded, but the liquid continues to pass drop by drop, each por-
tion becoming lighter of color and less bitter in taste. If the

ON A NEW MODE OF PREPARING SOME SYRUPS.

551

process has thus been conducted with care, the whole of the
virtues of two ounces of rhubarb may be readily obtained in
thirteen fluid ounces of an aqueous liquid, which by the addition
of 24 ounces of sugar is converted into syrup of rhubarb.

Aromatic syrup of rhubarb contains several spicy ingredients,
the virtues of which are not completely taken up by water alone ;
the difficulty in this instance is to choose a solvent for the aro-
matics, in order to avoid evaporation. I have adopted the fol-
lowing way : the rhubarb and spices in the quantity ordered in
the Pharmacopoeia, are reduced to powder which will pass
through a sieve of fifty meshes to the inch ; this is moistened
with three fluid ounces of alcohol ; an equal bulk of sand is now
worked in, and the whole packed into a funnel. Displacement
is induced by the addition of water ; the liquor passing first,
contains nearly the whole of the odorous matters, and the aque-
ous liquid which passes subsequently, produces a precipitate in
it, thus rendering the whole cloudy. The percolation is con-
tinued until 3f pints of fluid have been obtained, in which 8 lbs.
(Troy) of sugar are dissolved by means of heat. The yield is
about seven pints of a strongly flavored and perfectly transpa-
rent syrup.

This process may be varied, but with no advantage that I
could perceive, by keeping the first three fluid ounces of the per-
colated liquid separate, incorporating them with the sugar, and
evaporating the alcohol spontaneously before the watery tincture
is added to it. If the alcohol is not removed in this way, it can
not be presumed to evaporate entirely by merely raising the
whole to the boiling point ; the boiling would have to be con-
tinued for some time, whereby a loss of the volatile oils may be
incurred. But suppose the whole of the alcohol to remain in
the syrup, one fluid ounce of it would contain scarcely over
twelve minims, a quantity so insignificant as to be of no ac-
count.

Without the aid of alcohol, aromatic syrup of rhubarb may
be obtained, if care is taken to have the spices deprived of their
virtues by a saccharine liquid. For thi3 purpose, the rhubarb,
mixed with fine sand and moistened with water, is packed in the
displacer, and upon it the aromatics previously beaten with
eight ounces of sugar to powder ; upon a piece of muslin placed

552

ON ADULTERATED OIL OP PEPPERMINT.

over the surface, water is poured until the liquid which has passed
shall amount to four pints, in which 88 ounces of sugar are now
dissolved by applying the requisite heat.

An aromatic syrup of blackberry root is habitually employed
in various parts of the country. No formula, I think, has been
published for the same, and in my own experience I have found
them to vary considerably in different localities. While some
boil the aromatics and the root in water, by which process all
the essential oils are driven off, others make the decoction of
the root into a syrup, to which they add a strong tincture made
from spices with brandy; others again follow strictly the direc-
tions of the Pharmacopoeia for spiced syrup of rhubarb, adding
the evaporated tincture to simple syrup. A very good syrup,
satisfactory in every regard, may be obtained by the following
process :

Take of Blackberry Root, gii.
Cinnamon,

Cloves, each 3iss.

Mace, 3i.

White Sugar, §xxx.

Water, a sufficient quantity.

Reduce the root and spices to a powder which will pass
through a sieve of fifty meshes to the inch, moisten this with
two fluid ounces of alcohol in the manner directed by Professor
Grahame, and, by pouring water on the surface, continue the
displacement until seventeen fluid ounces of liquor have passed;
in this dissolve the sugar by the aid of heat.

Syrup of blackberry root, thus prepared, is a strong and
gratefully aromatic astringent, perfectly transparent and of a
pleasant taste. The dose for adults is a tablespoonful, equiva-
lent to fifteen grains of the root.

ON ADULTERATED OIL OF PEPPERMINT.

To the Editor of the American Journal of Pharmacy :

An article of oil of peppermint has been sold in the Philadel-
phia market within the past fortnight, by a person claiming to
be the distiller, from mint grown in the State of New York.

The oil is of a light yellow color, but considerably darker

NOTE ON COMMERCIAL CHLORIC ETHER. 553

than is usual with freshly distilled oil of mint, and presents the
following characteristics : When evaporated from off a piece of
white unsized paper it leaves a yellow mark. Dropped into
alcohol of 95 per cent, it does not disseminate itself through
the alcohol, but falls to the bottom of the glass in broken glo-
bules, and collects in a distinct stratum.

Agitation produces dissolution, but 'the solution is turbid,
with an amount of oil which should dissolve freely. It presents
no reaction with chromic acid, but when dropped on a crystal of
iodine, the iodine intumesces and fumes. No such reaction is
produced by a pure oil of peppermint. The density of the oil
is 0-870. A recent sample of Borton's oil gave a density of 0«90.
These characteristics would point to turpentine as the probable
adulteration. It has been suggested by a practised distiller of
oil of peppermint that the adulteration was the essential oil of
fireweed (Erechthites hieracifolius.) This supposition was
based on the peculiar strong smell left after most of the oil was
volatilized from paper.

Recent oil of peppermint should volatilize completely from
paper without leaving a mark, when dropped into alcohol of 85
per cent, it should dissolve completely without agitation.

Charles Bullock.

Pkilada. Oct. 12th, 1859.

NOTE ON COMMERCIAL CHLORIC ETHER.
By William Procter, Jr.

It is a source of some inconvenience to apothecaries to
know what is intended by the physician when " Chloric Ether "
is prescribed. On turning to the United States Dispensatory,
it informs us that a mixture of one part of Chloroform and two
parts of nearly absolute alcohol is called " Strong Chloric Ether,"
by Dr. Warren of Boston, and used for inhalation, and that in
London, and elsewhere, a weak tincture of Chloroform is sold
under the name of Chloric Ether, varying in strength from 5 or
6 to 16 or 18 per cent. Dr. Thompson originally gave the name
of « Chloric Ether " to the Dutch liquid ( C4 H4 CI2 ). In the
commerce of this country, there is a preparation that goes by

554

NOTE ON COMMERCIAL CHLORIC ETHER.

the name of Chloric Ether, consisting wholly or chiefly of
chloroform and alcohol, which, when mixed with water, does not
separate. On inquiring of Mr. William Weightman ( of Powers
& Weightman ) what the article prepared by them under this
name was, he stated that their firm had prepared it as they sold
it for more than twenty-five years, since soon after Mr. Guthrie's
discovery of chloroform, which he called Chloric Ether. The
preparation sold by them is obtained by distilling together
chloride of lime, alcohol and water, in the proportion of 8 lbs.
av. of chloride of lime, to a gallon of alcohol, and a suitable
quantity of water, and distilling a gallon of the " Chloric Ether."
As chloride of lime, on the average, yields from 6 to 8 per-cent
of chloroform, it is fair to infer that this preparation does not
contain more than 8 per-cent of that substance. It has the fol-
lowing properties : It is colorless, has an agreeable weak odor
of chloroform, a sweet spicy taste of chloroform with a cooling
after impression somewhat like that of peppermint. Its specific
gravity is •892. When mixed with water in the proportion of 1
to 20 it is at first cloudy, and almost instantly becomes clear,
with but little if any separation of chloroform. It is this latter
property that has caused it to be preferred by some practitioners.
That the proportion of chloroform in this preparation varies
is quite certain, as Mr. Weightman states that it is not always
of such composition as to mix with water without precipitation.
It is quite inflammable, and burns with a yellowish flame, tinged
with bluish green. When two fluid drachms of chloroform and
fifteen fluid drachms of alcohol, (95 per cent.) are mixed, the
mixture has a specific gravity approximating closely to that of
the above " Chloric Ether." Such a mixture contains about 16
per cent, of chloroform, and when added to water is instantly
precipitated. Whether the specific gravity of the commercial
article is due partly to water, or whether the chloroform is so
intimately combined with the alcohol in the process of making,
as to render the mixture stable in the presence of water, has not
been determined, but there is a marked difference in the be-
haviour of the liquids with an excess of water.

ON SYRUP OF TAR. 555

ON SYRUP OF TAR.
By Thomas A. Lancaster.

A reliable process for preparing syrup of tar has long been a
desideratum.

The preparation now in use, " Tar Beer," is an excellent one
when freshly prepared, but by keeping is more or less subject to
decompose and become unpleasant and disagreeable to the taste,
acquiring a rank odor and partially losing its medicinal pro-
perties.

This consideration led me to compile a formula as follows : —
Tincturae Picis Liquidae, gij.
Magnesia Garbonatis, ^j. or q. s.

Sacchari Albi, ibj. av.

Aquae Fontanae, a sufficient quantity.

Rub the tincture first thoroughly with the magnesia, and then
add half a pint of the water gradually, transfer to a filter, and
when the liquid ceases to pass add more water till it measures
half a pint ; then to the filtered liquid add the sugar, and by
means of a gentle heat convert it into a syrup.

By the above means the pitch contained in the tincture is re-
tained in the filter along with the magnesia, whilst the filtrate
affords a syrup, by the addition of sugar, of a beautiful rich straw
color, being agreeable and palatable in its taste and advantage-
ously adapted to the most severe cases of chronic, catarrhal and
bronchial affections.

In offering this formula to pharmaceutists it is with a hope
that it may induce those having a demand for a reliable article
to prepare it for themselves, and to attempt further improve-
ments in the mode of preparation, as it will be seen to possess
the merit of cheapness, and may be accomplished without un-
necessary trouble.

The essence or tincture of tar as found in the shops was of
no definite strength, but according to various samples was found
of the following average : two ounces of tar to one pint of rec-
tified alcohol.

Philadelphia, Oct 12th, 1859.

33

556 COUMARIN FROM LIATRIS ODORATISSIMA.

COUMARIN FROM LIATRIS ODORATISSIMA.
By "William Procter, Jr.

Early in September last I received a letter from William H.
Lippitt, Pharmaceutist, of Wilmington, North Carolina, enclos-
ing a small quantity of crystalline matter, which he had obtained
from the surface of the leaves of Liatris odoratissima, collected
for the purpose of preventing moths from attacking woollen
clothing. Supposing it to be the active principle of the plant,
he queried whether it was of value medicinally, and if so, stated
that it could be procured in large quantities if required. He
offered to forward a specimen, which he kindly did, by express.
The plant on its arrival was not entirely dry — and portions of
the surface of the leaves had turned brown, apparently from
being enclosed while green. The surface of the leaves, particu-
larly of the brown portion, was dotted over with minute, brilliant,
colorless crystals, which glistened as the plant was turned about.
The odor of the plant in this state was almost precisely that of
Tonka bean, which at once led to the inference that the crys-
tals were coumarin, the well known odorous principle of that
seed.

Liatris odoratissima is a syngenesious plant, of the natural
order Asteracese Lind., which grows in the Southern States.
Those of the species L. squarrosa or blazing star, L. scariosa,
or gay feather, L. spicata, or Button Snaheroot, are used in
medicine. The first is sometimes called " Rattlesnake's mas-
ter," from its alleged antidotal power in snake bite. The root
of Liatris odoratissima is perennial. That of the specimen sent
is a conical bulb or corm, about an inch long and half an inch in
diameter, with numerous fibres attached laterally. From the
top of the root issues ten radical wedge lanceolate leaves, from
six to ten inches long, and from their midst issues a reddish
brown stem four feet in height, with alternate short leaf bracts
and terminates in a panicle or corymb of purple flowers, which
have, when chewed, a very bitter and somewhat pungent taste,
but without any of the tonka bean odor or taste. Careful
examination of the leaves which had dried without losing their
green color, showed the crystalline exudation equally with the
brown surface. The leaves, when chewed, are biting and

MANNITE FROM THE LEPTANDRA VIRGINICA. 557

peppery at first, followed by a bitter taste. A portion of the
crystals were placed under the microscope, and proved to consist
chiefly of fragments of quadrilateral prisms, some nearly perfect.
Their odor, as has been observed, was like the tonka bean, taste
biting and pungent. They are but slightly soluble in cold
water, more so in hot water, very soluble in alcohol, ether, and
chloroform. Sulphuric acid is discolored by contact with them.
Heated on foil they first melt and then sublime, apparently
uncharged, and the vapors are very irritating. These are char-
acters which, at least, ally it to coumarin, but to decide with
more of certainty, it was subjected to the well determined test
for coumarin, based on the action of caustic potassa. Coumarin
has the formula C18 H14 O4. When this is boiled in potassa lye,
hydrogen is discharged and coumerate of potassa is formed,
KO, C18 H14 05-fHO. But when the coumarin is added to fused
hydrate of potassa, abundant effervescence occurs, hydrogen and
carbonic acid are eliminated, and salicylic acid is formed, which
remains united with the potash. If now the result be dissolved
in water, and the excess of potassa be carefully saturated with
muriatic acid, the addition of sesquichloride of iron gives the Well
defined purple coloration of the alkaline salicylates. Tried by
this test the crystals from liatris reacted satisfactorily as cou-
marin— and this plant may be added to the several already
known as yielding this principle.

Mr. Lippitt suggests that this plant is used for preserving
woollens. If it possesses this property, like camphor, its very
agreeable odor will render it an object to employ it for that
use.

MANNITE FROM THE ROOT OF THE LEPTANDRA VIRGINICA.
By E. S. Wayne.

Some time since, Messrs. W. S. Merrill & Co., of this city,
gave me a specimen of a crystallizing substance of a dirty white
color, which they informed me they had obtained as an acci-
dental product in operating upon the residuary solution left after
the precipitation of the resin of the Leptandra, from the alco-
holic tincture of the root. The substance had a sweet taste, and
was perfectly soluble in water. Cold alcohol exerted no solvent

558

MANNITE FROM THE LEPTANDRA VIRGINICA.

action, save the extraction of a portion of coloring matter from it.
Boiling alcohol dissolved it completely, from which it separated
upon cooling, in a crystalline spongy mass of a yellow color.

The whole quantity I had (some two ounces) was then dis-
solved in boiling alcohol along with animal charcoal. The so-
lution passed through the filter perfectly free from color, and
the whole bulk of the filtrate upon cooling set in a mass of
crystals, which were left to dry in the dish so as not to disturb
or break the soft delicate crystals. In crystalline form they
were identical with those of mannite, and like it, soluble in boil-
ing alcohol, from which it separated upon cooling ; had a pecu-
liar sweet taste, and the watery solution, with the addition of
yeast, after standing in a warm place for some days, exhibited
no signs of fermentation. That this substance is mannite I
think does not admit of a doubt, as it has its crystalline form,
sweet taste, soluble in water and in boiling alcohol, from which
it is deposited again upon cooling, and does not undergo fer-
mentation when its solution, mixed with yeast, is exposed to its
fermenting action.

The occurrence of mannite in vegetable infusions, or the ex-
pressed juices of roots, etc., has been before observed, particu-
larly in that of the dandelion, by Messrs. Smith, of Edinburgh,
and demonstrated by them not to exist in the original solution,
but to be the result of a fermentive action upon the starchy
portion of the juice, (a true lactic fermentation,) as the occur-
rence of mannite was always accompanied with that of lactic
acid. But in the present instance, the occurrence of mannite
from an alcoholic tincture of the root must be traced to a differ-
ent source, as alcohol has no solvent action upon starch, or gum,
consequently neither could be present in the watery solution,
left after evaporating away the alcohol and the addition of water
to precipitate the resin.

The only plausible supposition of the formation of mannite in
this solution seems to me to be, that the root of the Leptandra
must contain sugar, which was taken up by the alcohol along
with extractive matter, which two substances, after the evapora-
tion of the alcohol and precipitation of the resin, have been left
standing exposed for some time, and have undergone a fermen-
tation resulting in the production of mannite and lactic acid. —
( (Jin cin n ati) Druggist.

SYRUP OF IODIDE OP IRON.

559

SYRUP OF IODIDE OF IRON.
By W. C. Chapman.

Although the above subject has been worn almost threadbare
by the many articles which have appeared in the different jour-
nals from time to time, yet it may not be uninteresting to pre-
sent to the druggist a brief statement of facts in regard to the
process of forming this favorite syrup of the physician.

Having tried most of the recipes which have been given by
the different authors, we have finally adopted that of Dr. Squibb,
found in the Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Asso-
ciation for 1858, in which article he differs from the Pharmaco-
poeia in using much less iron than is there directed; also, in
boiling the sugar before the iodide is added. His reasons for
this he explains in the following paragraph : — « In filtering the
solution of the iodide into the sugar, and then shaking them till
the sugar is dissolved, a bright, clear solution is rarely obtained.
This arises from the circumstance that almost all sugar contains
particles of dust and insoluble matters, and from the practical
fact that it is almost impossible to make a bright syrup without
a boiling temperature, or a most tedious filtration. Almost all
sugar, within ordinary reach, contains something that renders
cold made syrups more or less cloudy, and very difficult to
filter."

He again differs from the officinal process in placing the point
of the funnel beneath the surface of the syrup, and adding the
iodide solution in small quantities, maintaining a level till all
has been poured in. His reason for thus doing may be that the
solution, in filtering and dropping through the air, is more liable
to become chemically changed before it mingles with the syrup ;
which difficulty is obviated by allowing it to mix immediately
with the sugar.

It has been recommended by some writers that a coil of iron
wire be placed in the syrup, but this precaution is found objec-
tionable, as the iron, after a time, becomes oxidized, thus render-
ing it more or less turbid, and so entirely destroying its purity
and beauty.

On the 9th of last May, we prepared a quantity of the syrup
after the recipe of Dr. Squibb, and put it up in vials contain-

560

PREPARATION OP PHOSPHIDE OF CALCIUM,

ing two ounces each. Having seen the article by Dr. Battey,
in the Journal of Pharmacy for that month, in regard to keep-
ing it by means of the additional iron, we determined to give it
a trial. Therefore, having coiled some pieces of iron wire as
directed, we suspended them from the corks of several of the vials.
Upon an examination a week or two afterwards, we found the
wire coated with a film of the oxide of iron, which was being
gradually disengaged, and rendering the syrup a dirty brown ap-
pearance, whilst those which were not subjected to this process,
remained of their natural pale green color.

From the preceding experiments, we shall be content to pre-
pare the syrup after Dr. Squibb's process, until a better one is
produced ; but would add this precaution — put the syrup into
small bottles, let them be well filled, and corked tightly. — Drug-
gist.

ON THE PREPARATION OF PHOSPHIDE OF CALCIUM.

By Geo. W. Andrews.

An easy and convenient method of preparing phosphide of
calcium is to put into a quart crucible a sufficient quantity of
well burnt lime, in pieces about the size of a nutmeg, to the
depth of about two inches ; then place in an upright position,
resting on the lime, an iron tube about 18 inches in length and
f of an inch in diameter ; holding the tube in its position, fill
the crucible nearly to the top with lime, diminishing the size
of the lumps and cover the whole with powdered lime to exclude
the air.

Place the crucible in an open furnace, and bring the whole to
a bright red heat, then cover the furnace with a piece of sheet-
iron with a hole in the centre for the passage of the iron tube.
Place in the end of the tube a piece of tinned iron bent in the
form of a funnel, and drop pieces of phosphorus about two inches
in length through it into the tube, by means of a pair of cruci-
ble tongs, first wiping every piece. Care should be taken to cool
the tongs after each operation, by dipping them into water. If
the lime is sufficiently hot, it will instantly combine with the
phosphorus with only a slight flash; if not, it will be volatilized
and burn at the upper end of the tube.

NOTE ON JAPAN WAX.

561

If the combination is found to take place upon the addition of
the first piece of phosphorus, continue the addition as quickly
as possible until a sufficient quantity has been added, which is
indicated by the burning of the phosphorus at the mouth of the
tube.

After the operation is completed, remove all the fuel from
around the crucible, and let it stand until quite cold before re-
moving the contents.

Several pounds can be made in the manner above described at
one operation, by having a series of crucibles arranged in the
same furnace. Four ounces of phosphorus is about the proper
quantity for a pound of lime, and I have obtained from two
pounds of phosphorus about nine pounds of good phosphide of
calcium. Well burnt alum lime is the best; the compact variety
does not answer so well. — Jour, and Trans, of the Maryland
Col of Phar.

NOTE ON JAPAN WAX;

For some years past occasional importations of a kind of wax
have taken place indirectly from Japan, by way of China and
Singapore. This wax was alluded to by Mr. Daniel Hanbury
in a note to a paper published by him in the Pharmaceutical
Journal, "On the Insect White Wax of China." Mr. Hanbury
describes it as follows : —

"My specimens consist of a white wax, of somewhat rancid
odor, in circular cakes of from four to four and a half inches in
diameter, nearly one inch thick, flat on one side, and rounded
off on the other, as if cast in a small saucer. They are sparingly
covered with a white powder, and in a sample presented to me
by Messrs. T. Merry and Son, present here and there traces of
a sparkling crystalline efflorescence."

The fusing points of two samples which Mr. Hanbury ex-
amined were found to be respectively 125.6°, and 131° Fahr.
Since the ports of Japan have been open directly to British
traders, the importation of this wax has largely increased, and
we now receive it no longer principally in cakes, as described
above, but in large square blocks or cases, each of which aver-
ages in weight about 133 lbs. Some of it is reported to have

562

NOTES ON JAPAN WAX.

been sold at 70s. per cwt. ; but the present price is too high to
allow of the greater portion being disposed of.

This wax is said to be obtained from the fruits of the Rhus
succedaneum of Linn., as a substance answering in general char-
acters to it is stated by Kaempfer and Thunberg to be obtained
from that plant. Thunberg says : — « Oleum hujus seminum con-
tusorum et post coctionem adhuc calentium prelo submissorum
expressum, candelis conficiendis inservit et sebi concistentiam ac-
quirit." Kaempfer makes a similar statement, and has a figure
of the plant. Good specimens of the fruit of the plant said to
yield Japan Wax have been imported with the wax itself. Upon
examination this fruit appears exactly to resemble that of Rhus
succedaneum, L., as given above, by Kaempfer. Nevertheless,
we are informed by Mr. Sowerby that upon sowing some of these
fruits at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Regents Park, the seed-
ling plants which were obtained had serrated leaflets, whereas
the Rhus succedaneum, as described and figured by Kaempfer as
above, are said to be entire. Roxburgh also says they are en-
tire. Japan wax has also been described by Martiny as follows :

« Cera Japonica, Japanese Wax, Tree- Wax, incorrectly Cera

Americana, American Wax Under these names there has of

late times appeared in commerce a species of wax, the origin of
which is at present unknown. It has been supposed by Landerer
not to be of vegetable, but of animal origin, and, possibly identi-
cal with stearine (Fettwachs) or adipocire (Leichenseife.)

" To determine this, H. Miiller instituted some experiments,
the result of which was that the wax in question was found to be
identical neither with stearine nor with beeswax ; it is softer at
the same temperature, and fuses at 4- 45° C. (=113° F.) ;
moreover, it solidifies upon slow cooling, under similar circum-
stances, perceptibly more slowly ; it has not the odor and taste-
lessness of common wax, but, on the contrary, always smells and
tastes like rancid tallow ; it is far more soluble in alcohol than
beeswax ; it is saponified by caustic alkalies, and a taper made
with it burns with as bright a light as a similar one of beeswax.

" It is supposed that Japanese Wax is derived from Rhus
succedanea, L., a tree belonging to the Natural Order Anaear-
diacece, a native of Japan. Candles are made in Japan from
the oil of the seeds of this tree. According to Nees von Esen-

NOTES ON JAPAN WAX.

563

beck, the wax of Rhus succedanea completely resembles the
Japanese Wax found in trade, and when treated with sulphuric
acid its surface becomes of a reddish brown, as does that of bees-
wax, the acid remaining uncolored. The seeds of another
Japanese tree, Rhus vernicifera, D. C, also contain a tallow-
like oil, which is used in the making of candles.

" Japanese Wax very much resembles white wTax, but it is less
white, more yellowish, and in substance is more tender and
crumbling, besides which, it possesses the properties we have
already enumerated. It probably contains more oxygen than
beeswax."

In the Journal de Pharmacie, for December, 1842, there will
be found a paper by B. Sthamer, entitled, " Sur la composition
de la Cire du Japan," containing much valuable information
upon a kind of wax from Japan, which, from the description
given by the author, would appear to be identical with that now
imported. The author states that he undertook to investigate
the subject at the desire of Liebig.

From the above evidence it is quite clear that a kind of wax
is obtained in Japan from the Rhus succedaneum of Linn., but it
is, at the same time, very probable that other plants may also
yield a portion, at least, of the present wax of commerce ; more-
over, this wax, in some of its characteristics, so strongly resem-
bles beeswax, that we can scarcely believe that it is altogether
of vegetable origin. Mr. P. L. Simmonds, in the China Tele-
graph, gives the following account of Japan Wax : —

44 Rhus succedanea, the species which furnishes the Japan
Wax, has long been grown in our greenhouses, having been intro-
duced from China nearly a century ago. It might be raised,
we should suppose, in the Cape and Australian colonies, in the
Mauritius, and India, and would be far preferable as an oleagin-
ous plant to the species of candle-berry myrtles from which wax
is obtained. It will grow in any common soil, and may be
readily increased by cuttings. We shall probably soon learn
what is the ordinary mode of culture in the plantations of Japan,
and whether any attention is paid to manuring, pruning, &c.
The wax is of medium quality, between beeswax and the ordi-
nary vegetable tallows, such as Bassia butter, Borneo vegetable
tallows, Cocum butter, &c. Though there are shades of differ-

564

PREPARATION OF OPIUM IN FRANCE.

ence, several of these varieties of wax possess the essential
properties of that formed by the bee ; indeed, it was formerly
supposed that bees merely collected the wax already formed by
the vegetable; but Huber's experiments show that the insect
has the power of transmuting sugar into wax, and that it is in
fact a secretion. Japan Wax is softer, more brittle, and fatty
than beeswax, easily kneaded, and melts between 40p and 42° C.
It contains twice as much oxygen as beeswax, and has a differ-
ent composition, consisting of palmitic acid, united with oxide
of glyceryle. The small parcels which formerly reached this
country have been used in Price's Patent Candle Works, in sub-
stitution for wax, and for hard neutral fat, and, after conversion
into the acid state, both for candles and night-lights. If the
wholesale price can be reduced, this wax will find its way into
extensive consumption on the Continent for various purposes."
— Lon. Pharm. Jour, and Trans. Sept. 1859.

PREPARATION OF OPIUM IN FRANCE.

M. Roux, Professor of Botany at the Naval School of Roche-
fort, has just sent in an interesting paper to the Academy of
Science on the cultivation of the poppy in France for the pur-
pose of extracting opium. His first researches on this subject
date from 1851, but were more especially continued by
him during 1856, 1857, and 1858, on eight different kinds of
poppy. His results are stated as follows : — 1. The Indian poppy
furnishes a considerable quantity both of opium and seed ; the
cultivation of this vigorous species might be tried in those de-
partments of France where the oil of the black garden poppy is
a staple produce. The Indian poppy may be easily acclimatized
in France. A quantity sown in October, 1857, has succeeded
perfectly, and the young plants resisted a cold of 10 degrees
centigrade (18 degrees below Fahrenheit's freezing point) in the
following winter. This cold proved equally harmless to the
white, black, and red species, which were sown about the same
time. 2. The two latter produce the best opium, and juice
is much richer in morphine than is the case with the opiums of
commerce. 3. A man can collect 100 grammes of opium in
fifteen hours ; and if women and children, who are so often in

DETERMINATION OF QUINIA IN PERUVIAN BARK. 565

want of employment in the country districts, were employed on
this task, the opium necessary for medical purposes might be
entirely grown in France. 4. The growing of opium might be-
come very profitable in France, where poppy-oil is manufactured
to the amount of from 25,000,000f. to 30,000,000f., and where
it would, consequently, be easy to add a new branch to that
trade by the extraction of opium ; and it might even, in course
of time, become an article of exportation. Home-grown opium
has been tried, at M. Roux's request, by M. Duval, first chief
Navy Surgeon at Brest, and found to answer very well, owing
to the qantity of morphine it contains. — Lon. Pharm. Journ.
Aug. 1859.

ON THE DETERMINATION OF QUINIA IN PERUVIAN BARK.
By R. Kleist, Chief Apothecary of the Staff.

One ounce of the bark in coarse powder is digested for 24
hours at 112° F., and this is repeated four times, or until
thoroughly exhausted, with water containing in 17 ounces 4
scruples of muriatic acid ; the first time 5, every other time 4 oz.
of the acidulated water being employed. The clear liquors are
precipitated by caustic soda ; the precipitate is after two hours
re dissolved in muriatic acid to entirely separate the cinchotan-
nic acid,* heated, and after cooling, the tannin* is separated by
filtration, the filtrate is precipitated by caustic soda, the precipi-
tate collected upon a filter, the moisture pressed out between
folds of bibulous paper, and, while still moist, together with the
filter put in a wide mouth (opodeldoc) vial; it is then repeatedly
shaken with chloroform until completely exhausted, so that a
little of the last portion when evaporated upon a glass plate
leaves no stain behind. To avoid loss, the chloroform solution
is not filtered off, but decanted from the sediment, and then
evaporated in a small dish which has been carefully tared, when
the cinchona alkaloids remain behind.

By the experiments made with many different kinds of Peru-
vian bark, it has been ascertained, that in all cases, if the

*In8tead of tannin, coloring matter or cinchona red appears thus to be
separated.

566 A NEW VEHICLE FOR IODINE.

chloroform solution be transparent and leave a yellow-reddish
transparent resinous mass, this consists of quinia, and the bark
is the true Calisaya (China regia), either quilled, flat, with or
without epidermis; the latter usually yielded 18 grains of quinia,
the former only between 9 and 12 grs. But if the solution of
chloroform is rendered white and cloudy, and the residue after
evaporation is white or white-yellowish pulverulent, the bark is
of another kind which contains less quinia, this being in a
smaller proportion, the more the residue approaches in appear-
ance to pulverized lime. The bark contains no quinia if the
brown precipitate is soluble neither in chloroform, ether or alco-
hol ; it yields then no alkaloid by combining with muriatic acid
and precipitating.

Among 75 samples sold as Calisaya bark, it was by the above
method ascertained that 34 were true Calisaya bark, while in

41 cases, other inferior barks had been substituted for it

Archiv d. deutsch. Med. Gesetzgeb. — Wittsteins V, Sclir. vii.
584—587. j. m. m.

A NEW VEHICLE FOR IODINE.

Dr. Heller, and before him Arneth, Pelikan and Zdekauer,
has made the observation, that as long as the color of the oint-
ment of iodide of potassium is white, not a trace of iodine is
found in the urine, which is the case after it has turned yellow,
and contains free iodine ; he concludes that preparations of
iodine for external use must be more active if they contain free
iodine. Tincture of iodine, after a continued use for some time,
has various disadvantages, and Dr. Heller has therefore tried to
employ it in a solution in oil of juniper.

The solution of iodine in the oil must be effected with great
care by introducing it gradually in small quantities into the oil
to avoid explosion. The solution at first is brown, but gradually
decolorizes and corresponds with the formula C20 H12 I4. It
shows no reaction on starch, has no odor of iodine, but smells of
juniper berries, and does not color or destroy the skin. After its
use, iodine is found in the urine, the saliva and the mucu3 of

the nose Zeitsch. d. Wiener Aerzte. 1858 Wittsteins V.

Sehr. viii. 462. J. M. M.

THE FUSION POINT OF QUINIA.

567

Query : Does not the colorless solution contain the iodine in
a combined state, and is not therefore the assertion that for ex-
ternal applications iodine ought to be uncombined, premature
and unfounded ? J. M. M.

ON THE WATER OF CRYSTALLIZATION AND THE FUSING POINT

OF QUINIA.
By R. Kiessling.

The statements on these subjects are very defective and con-
tradictory. Liebig states that air-dry quinia loses at 120° C,
(248° F.) 14.2 per ct.= 8 equiv .water, and that it fuses easily ^to
an oily liquid, which on cooling congeals to a transparent mass.
According to Limpricht, quinia with 3HO fuses at 120° C. to
an oily liquid. In Hartung-Schwarzkopf s Chemistry of the
Organic Alkaloids, it is related that the flocculent and the crys-
tallized quinia contain 1 equiv. water, which escapes at a moder-
ate heat in the water bath, after which the crystals fall to a
white powder ; quinia fuses at about 150° C. to an oily liquid.

The author prepared some quinia from the sulphate ; the air-
dry alkaloid was exposed to a heat of 212° F., when it lost 3-925
per ct.; from 212 to 302° it sustained a farther loss of 1-925
per ct. No further loss occurred on heating to 392° ; the whole
loss was therefore 5-830 per ct. or 2-003 per ct. of the alkaloid
dried at 212°. Quinia=C20 H12 N02 + 3HO contains in 100
parts 63-49 C, 6-35 H, 7-41 N, 8-46 O, 14-29 HO. The loss
below 302° would therefore be a little over 1 equiv. But from
the amount of nitrogen found by analysis, the author concludes,
that quinia dried at 212° contains 3HO and that the loss sus-
tained by the alkaloid on heating, is occasioned by hygroscopic
water. The author obtained 7-160 per ct. nitrogen.* The loss of
weight at a higher temperature, the author ascribes to a slight
volatilization of quinia.

Quinia is rendered soft at a temperature between 80 and 90°
C, (176 — 194° F.;) in three experiments the author has found

*This statement appears to require further investigation, as the analy-
ses of Liebig, Reguault, Laurent and Strecker are all at direct variance
with it. See Amer. Jour. Pharm, xxvii, page 242.

568

THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OP S ARS APA RILL A.

the fusing point at 189°, 195° and 205° C, and concludes that it
is at a much higher temperature than has hitherto been supposed,
in the neighborhood of 200° C. (392° F.) — Wittsteins VierL
Schr. viii. 338—340. J. M. m.

ON THE THERAPEUTIC PRORERTIES OF SARSAPARILLA.
By Prof. Bocker, of Bonn.

Dr. A. M. Adam, in some interesting Medical Notes from the
Continent, refers to some experiments by Prof. Bocker upon
sarsaparilla, as yet unpublished. Dr. Bgcher told Dr. Adam,
" that after carefully performing ninety-eight experiments with
this drug on healthy people, he found that, contrary to all our
usually received opinions on the subject, it possesses neither
diuretic nor diaphoretic properties. Another series of twenty-
six experiments, on the persons of uncured syphilitic patients,
gave exactly the same results. Bocker also satisfied himself
that sarza does not increase the efficacy of the agents, such as
iod. potass., &c, which are usually given along with it ; and
that the good results obtained by the administration of this salt,
dissolved in decoction of sarza, are in no degree attributable to
any virtue in the solvent fluid. I told Dr. Bocker that I remem-
bered hearing Professor Syme, many years ago, express his
opinion on the utter uselessness of so expensive a drug as sarza,
remarking, in his own quaint, forcible style, that he believed an
« infusion of hay' would be just as good, and a vast deal cheaper.
He seemed amused, and said that he entirely agreed with Syme ;
that infusion of sarza had no greater effect on the system than
so much common tea ; and that we must regard it merely as a
pleasant, but very expensive, vehicle for the administration of
other medicines. — Edinburgh MedicalJournal.

PERMANENT PURPLE OR LILAC DYE.

Several correspondents having applied for information respect-
ing the purple dye which is now so extensively used for giving to
silks, &c, the different shades of purple or mauve, we give the
following extract from the Specification of Mr. Perkin's patent,

ON A NEW PURPLE DYE.

569

which describes the process for producing and applying the
dje : —

" I take a cold solution of sulphate of aniline, or a cold solu-
tion of sulphate of toluidine, or a cold solution of sulphate xyli-
dine, or a cold solution of sulphate of cumidine, or a mixture of
any one of such solutions with any others or otjier of them, and
as much of a cold solution of a soluble bichromate as contains
base enough to convert the sulphuric acid in any of the above-
mentioned solutions into a neutral sulphate. I then mix the
solutions, and allow them to stand for ten or twelve hours,
when the mixture will consist of a black powder and a solution
of a neutral sulphate. I then throw this mixture upon a fine
filter, and wash it with water till free from the neutral sulphate.
I then dry the substance thus^obtained at a temperature of 100°
centigrade, or 212° Fahrenheit, and digest it repeatedly with
coal-tar naphtha, until it is free from a brown substance which
is extracted by the naphtha. Any other substance than coal-tar
naphtha may be used in which the brown substance is soluble
and the coloring matter is not soluble. I then free the residue
from the naphtha by evaporation, and digest it with methylated
spirit, or any other liquid in which the coloring matter is solu-
ble, which dissolves out the new coloring matter. I then sepa-
rate the methylated spirit from the coloring matter by distilla-
tion, at a temperature of 100° centrigrade, or 212° Fahrenheit.

<4 To produce the lilac or purple color in the material to be
dyed, I add a strong solution of the coloring matter (preferring
an alcoholic solution) to a dilute boiling solution of tartaric acid
or oxalic acid, and work the silk, cotton, or other material
through it when cold.

" For dyeing wool it is found advantageous to boil the wool
with the above solution and sulphate of iron, to rinse it in water,
and afterwards wash it in soap and water."

The colors produced by the use of this new dyeing material
are not only very delicate and beautiful, but they are perma-
nent when exposed to light. The same colors when produced, as
heretofore, from vegetable dyes, were extremely fugitive; so
much so, indeed, that linendrapers rarely exposed fabrics of such
colors in their windows. — Lon. Pharm. Jour, Aug. 1859.

570 ON THE EXAMINATION OF INDIGO.

ANALYSES OF VARIOUS KINDS OF PORCELAIN.
Br Joseph Muller.

The porcelain used for these analytical investigations was
freed from its glazing, which with thicker pieces was easily ef-
fected by wrapping them in paper, and striking them with a
hammer ; for the thinner pieces the use of the knife, chisel and
file was found necessary. On powdering it in an iron mortar,
much iron was rubbed off, which made it requisite to digest the
powder with diluted muriatic acid; after washing, it was tritu-
rated to a very fine powder in an agate mortar, and ignited. A
part of the powder thus treated was fused with carbonate of lime
and chloride of ammonium for the determination of the alkalies ;
for the other ingredients, another portion was treated with
carbonate of soda and potassa.

I. is porcelain from Meissen, II. from Elgersburg, III. from
Ballwitz in Bohemia, IV. gives the result of Vielguth's analysis
of Nymphenburg, V. Wilson's analysis of Berlin porcelain.

I. ir. nr. iv. v.

Silicic acid 60-033 72-77 74 798 72-80 71-340

Sulphuric acid -06 -087 — —

Sesquioxide of iron trace trace 2-50 1-743

Alumina 35-435 24-53 21-303 18-40 23-763

Magnesia trace trace trace -30 -192

Lime -577 -639 3-30 -568

Soda 1-547 1-61 -584 1-84

Potassa 2-264 -94 2484 -65 2-001

99-856 99-91 99-895 99-79 99-607
Wittsteins Viert. Schr. viii. 352—354. J. M. M.

ON THE EXAMINATION OF INDIGO.
Br Joseph Muller, of Prague.

The chemical determination of the commercial value of indigo
is very important, because, on account of the high price, it is
subject to various adulterations which are not detected, and may
not be suspected by the physical properties, the color, lustre,
gravity, shape, &c. The best chemical test, for the use of em-
pirics especially, is the method first proposed by Pugh, and im-
proved by Berzelius, which consists in the reaction of protosul-

ON THE EXAMINATION OF INDIGO.

571

phate of iron and lime with indigo, by which the coloring mat-
ter is deoxidized and dissolved ; if now precipitated by muria-
tic acid, the pure coloring matter may be dried and weighed.
It takes about two days to finish this analysis, but the whole of
the coloring matter is not obtainable in this way.

Professor Runge has lately proposed protoxide of tin and
potassa for deoxidation, but besides the necessity of preparing
the test fresh every time immediately before its use, the reduc-
tion takes place but partially, even if the reaction be allowed to
continue for weeks.

The author now proposes grape-sugar and potassa as reagents
for effecting the reduction, and thinks that they will realize all
just expectations. The mode of proceeding is as follows : 10
grains of finely powdered indigo, 30 grs. dry caustic potassa,
and 60 grs. grape-sugar, together with two drachms of water,
are moderately heated in a sand bath ; in a few moments a re-
action is observed, the color changes ultimately to a yellow
green, and a few movements with the pestle are now sufficient
to rub all into a fine powder. This is now washed into an
ordinary prescription vial, the weight of which, together with the
well-fitting cork, has been previously ascertained, the vial is
nearly filled with water, corked and weighed, and occasionally
shaken until the froth has lost its blue or green color and be-
come pale yellow, which usually takes place on the second day.
After settling, all the clear liquid is decanted, and the weight of
the residue ascertained, which contains the impurities of indigo,
consisting of clay, lime, magnesia, oxide of iron, silica, &c.

The decanted liquid, which in contact with the air turns blue
instantly, is over-saturated with diluted sulphuric or muriatic
acid, the precipitate is collected upon a filter, between which
and the funnel another filter of the same size and weight is
placed, to be used as a counterpoise, and is afterwards washed un-
til the filtrate ceases to redden litmus paper, when it is dried in a
warm place and weighed. Now, suppose the weight of the whole
contents of the vial to have been 1620 grains, of the residue after
decantation 161-5 grs. of the decanted liquid 1620 — 161.5=
1458.5, and of the blue coloring matter 5.59 grains ; the 10 grs,

34

572 ON THE EXAMINATION OF INDIGO.

of indigo then contain —Ij1?— =6.21 grs. of available coloring
blue, or 62.1 per cent, of the weight of the crude article.*

Berzelius' reduction test, for the same indigo, indicated only
12*81 per ct. ; nearly four-fifths of the color had consequently
entered into an insoluble compound with lime and was lost.
The author claims for his method, therefore, not only relative,
but absolute results in determining the commercial value of in-
digo ; he likewise thinks it advantageous to employ for dyeing,
instead of sulphate of iron and lime, impure grape-sugar and
caustic potassa, which might be cheaply prepared from wood
ashes with burned lime. The higher price of the material would
be more than fully compensated for by the increased yield of
the pure dyeing matter.

The author has also examined the products of decomposition
of grape-sugar. The deep brown liquid remaining after pre-
cipitating the indigo blue, was neutralized by potassa, evaporated,
freed from the crystallizing sulphate of potassa, the residue
treated with strong alcohol, then dissolved in water, decomposed
by acetate of baryta, and filtered. A few drops of solution of
sugar of lead, precipitated the humus-like substances ; the fil-
trate yielded with acetate of lead a voluminous pale yellow pre-
cipitate which in composition agreed with Bo decker and Struck-
mann's gallactinate of lead. Basic acetate of lead now pro-
duced a deep yellow precipitate, which, after decomposition by
sulphuretted hydrogen, and digestion with carbonate of baryta,
yielded a salt, corresponding to pectolactinate of baryta. Bo«
decker and Struckmann's formula (Ann. d. Chem. und Pharm.
C. 265) for gallactinic acid is C14 H3 07 + 2 HO, and for pec-
tolactinic acid C10 II6 O10 + 2 HO.

Kiessling states, that the products obtained by the decompo-
sition of chloride of silver by grape-sugar and potassa are like-
wise identical with these acids. — Wittstein's Viertelj. Sehrift
viii. 325—331.) j. m. m.

*No notice is here taken of the weight of impurities, which ought to be
deducted from the weight of the whole before calculation ; but even 50
per ct. impurities would not influence the result more than about -2 per ct. of
the real coloring matter, if that point of the author's directions is observed,
to decant the whole clear liquid, so as to leave as little as possible behind.

EXAMINATION OF POTATO AND RYE WHISKEY. 573

EXAMINATION OF POTATO AND EYE WHISKEY.
By S, J. Kappel.

I. The potato whiskey was colorless, of the known disagreea-
ble odor, had a faintly acid reaction, and at 60v F. a specific
gravity of -930 = 53 per ct. by measure of absolute alcohol. A
few drops of solution of potassa were added to about half an
ounce of the whiskey, the whole was evaporated by a moderate
heat, and, after cooling, an excess of sulphuric acid was added.
Immediately a cheesy odor of valerianic acid was evolved, which
soon after gave place to a persistent odor of fusel oil.

The acid reaction of whiskey is usually attributed to the pre-
sence of acetic acid, generated from the alcohol by oxidation
from the air during the process of fermentation ; the oxidation
of fusel oil (amylic alcohol) to valerianic acid is analogous to
the former, and might evidently take place under similar cir-
cumstances. To determine the quantity of acid, and whether
any was present besides the valerianic, 1500 grains of the
whiskey were digested with carbonate of baryta in excess until
the acid reaction had ceased, the filtrate was then decomposed
by sulphuric acid ; the precipitate, after washing and igniting,
weighed »7456 grains. The filtrate was neutralized with
potassa, evaporated to a small amount, then distilled with an
excess of sulphuric acid ; the distillate had the odor of pure va-
lerianic acid; it was nearly neutralized with potassa, and slowly
evaporated to dryness. The saline residue had the sweet taste
of the alkaline valerianates, and on decomposition by sulphuric
acid, a pure valerianic odor without any acetic smell was given
off. The acid of the whiskey, therefore, is valerianic acid only,
and from the sulphate of baryta (equivalents 116.7) the quanti-
ty of valerianic acid (C10 H9 03 == 93) is calculated 116.7 : 93=
•7456 : -595 grains, which in 100 parts of whiskey corresponds
with »0397 per ct. of valerianic acid.

By evaporation, ignition, treating with nitric acid, ammonia
and potassa successively, copper was detected, yielding «00184
per cent, oxide of copper.

II. The rye whiskey was slightly yellowish, acid and con-
tained 52 per ct. absolute alcohol. Treated as above, no acetic,
but .03125 per ct. valerianic acid was detected. The small quan-

4

574 • ON THE CONSTITUTION OF SCAMMONY.

tity of ashes contained no copper, but traces of iron, recognized
by sulphocyanuret of potassium. — Wittsteins Viertelj. Sehr.
viii. 340—343). j. M. m.

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF SCAMMONY.
By Franz Keller.

The author has previously stated thatscammony is a glucoside,
and, continuing his investigations upon this body, has found that
the products of decomposition which he obtained from the resin
were not pure substances ; he has now obtained definite products
of decomposition in the following ways : —

1. Decomposition of the Resin by Acids. — If a solution of the
resin, not too dilute, which has been repeatedly purified by ani-
mal charcoal, be mixed with an equal volume of English sul-
phuric acid or supersaturated with muriatic acid gas, the whole
of the resin is completely decomposed in the course of about 8
days. If it be then diluted with water, fatty crystalline scales
separate ; these unite in flakes, rise to the surface, and subse-
quently contract into a shining crystalline film, the individual
crystals of which belong to the clinorhombic system. The floc-
culent body obtained by the addition of water was collected on
a filter, and washed with water. It then usually appears of a
dazzling whiteness, and when dried forms a scaly laminar mass,
like cholesterine. It is fused again in very dilute solution of
potash, and then repeatedly in water, by which means a coarse-
ly radiate mass is obtained, which is insoluble in water, but
readily soluble in alcohol, on the evaporation of which it shoots
into large, brittle, transparent laminar crystals of the above-
mentioned system. These have at first scarcely any taste, but
gradually produce an unpleasant sensation in the throat. The
alcoholic solution has a perfectly neutral reaction. When fused
upon water, the crystals flow into an oil of a slightly yellowish
color, which solidifies at 80° — 82° F., forming a brittle crystal-
line mass with a shining surface, which appears composed of
large laminae, especially when slowly cooled. The analysis of
this body gave : —

C 73-39 73-57 73-63 28 = 168 73-68
H 12-48 12-55 12-42 28 28 12-28
0 14-13 13-88 13-95 4 32 14-04

ON THE CONSTITUTION OF SCAMMONY.

575

If this neutral body be dissolved in solution of potash, the
potash-salt of an acid produced from it is obtained. This sep-
arates, on the addition of sulphuric acid, in white flakes, which
unite to form oily drops when heated ; on cooling, these appear
as a beautifully satiny mass. The alcoholic solution has a de-
cidedly acid reaction.

The crystals obtained from the alcoholic solution are less
lustrous, and consist of needles grouped like wavellite round a
central point, which are also formed by the fused acid on cool-
ing. The melting point was found to be 140 — 142° F. The
acid produced by potash from the first-mentioned neutral body,
and separated by sulphuric acid, was dissolved in alcohol with
the addition of an excess of ammonia ; and this solution was
precipitated by nitrate of silver. The flocculent precipitate ob-
tained gave on analysis

0 49-39

49-26

30=

100

49-58

H 7-89

8-09

27

27

7-43

0

6

48

13-24

Ag 29-33

29-62

1

108

29-75

e analysis of the free acid gave

C 70-28

70-01

30 =

:180

70-31

H 11-13

12-00

28

28

10-93

0 18-59

17-99

6

48

18-76

Consequently the neutral body has the composition C28 H28
O4, and would be isomeric with the aldehyde of cenanthylic acid.

The acid produced therefrom by potash would have the formu-
lae C30 H28 O6.

The author now found that in dissolving the neutral body in
potash a volatile body escapes, which may be distilled off from
the solution and collected in a receiver ; this volatile body
proved to be an alcohol of the formula C26 H28 O2. This alco-
hol is best obtained directly by the treatment of scammony in
its alcoholic solution with potash, as follows : —

2. Decomposition of the Resin by Potash. — If fragments of
hydrate of potash be added to the colorless, building, alcoholic
solution of the resin, this immediately acquires a yellow color.
When the boiling is continued, the fluid becomes turbid with
separation of dark flakes, which only dissolve with difficulty in
boiling alcohol, are precipitated again on cooling, and can be

576

ON CITRON CONTAMINATED WITH COPPER.

completely separated by a further addition of alcohol. The
supernatant clear fluid, when mixed with much water, separates
an abundance of flakes, which may readily be collected ; and
this flocculent body is nothing but the volatile alcohol just men-
tioned.

The remaining alcoholic fluid contains valerianate of potash.

To obtain the above mentioned alcohol in a pure state, the al-
coholic fluid obtained from the decomposition of the resin, which
is still rich in potash, is put into a retort, when the alcohol is
distilled off and replaced with water. When the last traces of
alcohol have passed over, the wall of the retort becomes coated
with a thin fatty layer, which gradually passes into the ascend-
ing tube, and then into the refrigerating tube, from which it issues
in the form of a gelatinous stopper. In order to prepare larger
quantities, it is better to employ the resin itself, distilling it in
very spacious retorts with solution of potash not too concen-
trated.

The formation of this body also takes place with baryta-
water.

If the masses of the volatile body be fused upon water, they
flow into a perfectly clear oleaginous stratum, which, on cooling,
exhibits a very delicate crystalline structure. The melting-point
in the capillary tube, employing two glasses standing one with-
in the other, was found to be exactly 1049 F., which is also the
point of solidification. Analysis gave ; —

c

77-95

78-06

26=156

78

H

14-08

14-15

28 28

14

0

7.97

7-79

2 15

8

As this volatile alcohol is produced from the neutral body
C28 H28 O4, which the author regards as allied to the aldehydes,
the formation of the acid first described and of the alcohol is
as follows : —

2 (C28 H28 04)=C26 H28 O6.
London Chem. Cfaz.from Liebig's Annalen, cix. p. 209.

ON CITRON CONTAMINATED WITH COPPER.

Bauwens, jun., of Ghent, has found that citron (succade, confec-
tio citri) is often contaminated with copper ; of six samples, ob ■

ON SOME PRINCIPLES OF CONVALLAMA MA JAMS. 577

tained from different sources, not one was free of copper.
The presence of copper is easily proven ; citron is cut 'into
small pieces and put into water containing some acetic acid ;
the bright blade of a knife is then immersed in it, and soon be-
comes covered with a reddish film. Citron containing copper
assumes a brownish red color when thrown into a solution of
ferrocyanuret of potassium.

It does not admit of any doubt that the copper is derived
from the vessels in which the citron is prepared ; this is effected
in the following way : the large fruit of Citrus medica, Risso,
and Citrus decumana, L., are plucked before they are fully ripe,
cut lengthwise into two or four pieces, and after the removal of
the pulpy interior, are distilled with water from a copper kettle,
to gain the volatile oil which is sold under the name of " huile
de cedrat." The action of the free fruit acid on the copper can
be hardly prevented, particularly if the kettle had not been kept
in a bright state, but had become covered with oxide. After
the volatile oil has been distilled off, a certain quantity of sugar
is added to the thin residue containing the pieces of the fruits,
and the excess of water is evaporated. — Journal de Pharm.
d'Anvers, 1859, 37.— Wittsteiri s Viert. Sehr. viii. 451.)

ON SOME PRINCIPLES OF CONY ALL ARIA MAJALIS.
By G. F. Walz.

Some time ago, the author analyzed the lily of the valley ;
in the N. Jahrbuch f. Pharm. 1858, x. 145, he published his in-
vestigations of the two most important constituents — the conval-
larin, a crystalline acrid principle, and the convallamarin, which
is pulverulent and bitter.

Preparation. The herb, together with the root, is collected
before or after flowering, dried, coarsely powdered, exhausted by
alcohol of »840 spec, grav., the green filtrates are precipitated
by subacetate of lead, the dissolved lead removed by sulphuretted
hydrogen and the clear filtrate is distilled in the waterbath to
regain the alcohol. The residue separates, on cooling, a mass of
crystals, mixed with chlorophyl, resin, &c; after collecting them
on a filter, they are pressed and treated with ether, which leaves

578 ON SOME PRINCIPLES OF CONVALLARIA MAJALIS.

most of the crystals behind. The ethereal solution yields more
crystals on evaporation, but mixed with a syrupy liquid, from which
they may be liberated either by digesting with water, agitating
the separated resin with ether, dissolving the insoluble residue
in alcohol, digesting with animal charcoal, filtering and evapo-
rating ; or the acid reaction of the syrup is neutralized by soda,
the liquid evaporated and the residue treated with ether, then
with water, and at last with alcohol, which latter solution, after
being decolorized by animal charcoal, is evaporated.

The aqueous solution obtained by any one of the above
methods is decolorized by animal charcoal, precipitated by a
watery solution of tannic acid, and the precipitate, after filtering
and expressing, is digested with alcohol ; the tincture is now
treated with hydrated lime, filtered, and distilled to one half.
Carbonic acid is passed through the residue to precipitate the
excess of lime, the liquid is evaporated and the dry mass digest-
ed with ether. To obtain the bitter principle in a perfectly
pure state, it must be redissolved in water and treated as be-
fore.

Properties. Convallarin crystallizes in colorless rectangular
prisms, is scarcely soluble in water, but sufficiently to impart to
it its acrid taste, and to foam like soap water when shaken.
It is easily soluble in alcohol, which solution produces an intensely
acrid sensation in the throat, and is rendered turbid by water
and ether. If heated to 312° F., it remains unaltered, but it
fuses at a higher temperature and is decomposed. It dissolves
in ammonia and is deposited again on evaporation ; potassa dis-
solves and decomposes it ; concentrated mineral acids dissolve
it, and yield with water a flocculent precipitate which is now
soluble in ether.

The composition of convallarin is C34 H31 On. By digestion
with diluted acids, sugar is procured and a new body convallare-
tin C28 H26 06, which is soluble in ether, yellowish white, crys-
talline and of a resinous taste.

Convallamarin is a white powder, of a very bitter, subsequent-
ly sweetish taste, soluble in water and alcohol, not in ether ; it
dissolves in ammonia without decomposition, but is decomposed
by potassa. The moist powder is colored violet by concentrated
sulphuric acid, which color disappears by the addition of water,

VARIETIES.

579

which is rendered turbid. Nitric and muriatic acid yield a yellow
solution, which is precipitated by water. The aqueous solution is
precipitated by protonitrate of mercury, and by tannin ; sesqui-
chloride of iron and bichloride of platinum occasion a slight
turbidity.

Its composition is expressed by C46 024. Dilute acids de-
compose it into sugar and convallamaretin C40 H36 016, which is
a yellowish white crystalline powder, of a faint resinous taste.
It is worthy of note that convallamaretin, minus one half of an
equivalent of sugar C6 H5 05, gives the composition of the acrid
principle convallarin. — Wittstein's Viert. Sclirift. viii. 259 — 262.

J. M. M.

A new Disinfectant for Dressing Putrid Sores and Ulcers. — Considerable
discussion has recently taken place in the French Academy, respecting a
new preparation, introduced by MM. Demeaux and Corne, for dressing
and disinfecting putrid sores and ulcers. It consists of a mixture of one
hundred parts of commercial plaster of Paris in very fine powder, and
from one to three parts of coal tar. This mixture forms a powder of a
more or less greyish color, and a slightly bituminous odor. For applica-
tion, it may also be made into a paste with olive oil, which binds the
powder together without destroying its absorptive power. The following
are the properties of this substance, as described by the above gentlemen : —
A gangrenous sore, with an abundant fetid suppuration, treated with this
dressing, is immediately freed from all disagreeable odor, and the band-
ages, even after 24 or 36 hours, exhale no more odor than if taken from a
simple fracture. An ulcerated cancer producing a fetid serous suppuration,
dressed with this substance is entirely deprived of odor as long as the
dressing remains on. So also the linen saturated with pus, cataplasms
impregnated with the suppuration, &c, placed in contact with this sub-
stance lose all their disagreeable odor; the infectious liquid produced by
gangrene, clots of decomposed blood, tissues in a state of advanced putre-
faction, treated with this substance are immediately disinfected. Its action
appears to be to arrest the work of decomposition ; it removes the insects,
and prevents the production of maggots. The consistence acquired, either
by the powder alone or the paste with oil, does not cause the least pain to
the patient, or harm to the sore. Its application may be indirect or direct,
the latter produces no harm, but rather exercises a detersive action favor-

580

VARIETIES.

able to cicatrization. This dressing has the double power of disinfecting
the pus and other morbid products, and of absorbing them; the last
circumstance is of the greatest importance, because it enables the use of
lint to be dispensed with. Fifty kilogrammes of this powder may be made
in Paris for one franc. M. Velpeau, at the Hopital de la Charite, and
several other French Surgeons have employed this preparation with great
success, and speak very highly of its disinfecting properties. Mr. Crace
Calvert, of Manchester, has addressed a letter to the French Academy, in
reference to this subject, pointing out the great variation which exists in
the composition of coal tar, and the consequent necessity for more ac-
curately ascertaining to which of the constituents the disinfecting properties
are really due, in order to ensure the uniform action of the preparation.
From the results of his own experiments he considers that the antiseptic
properties of the tar are entirely due to the carbolic acid present. He
states, that a corpse injected with a weak solution of this acid, was pre-
served from decomposition for several weeks; and that a piece of flesh
steeped in carbolic acid, was exposed to the air for three years without
change. He also states, that a small quantity added to urine will preserve
it from decomposition for some weeks ; and that it is also capable of pre-
venting the gallic fermentation from taking place in the solutions of tanning
substances. — London Pharm. Journal.

Glycerine Ointment for the Itch. — M. Bourguignon, so well known in
Paris by his successful researches on "the acarus scabiei," has published
in the Gazette Medicate the following formula. One general friction, not
preceded by soap ablutions is sufficient: Yelks of two eggs* essence of
lavender, lemon, and mint, of each 120 drops ; gum tragacanth, half a
drachm ; well pounded sulphur, twenty-six drachms ; glycerine, thirty-two
drachms. Total weight, nearly eleven ounces. Mix the essence with the
yelk of egg, add the gum tragacanth, make a good mucilage, and then
add very gradually the glycerine and sulphur. Many cures have been
obtained by this preparation, which has the advantage of giving no pain.
The well-known Helmeric ointment being really useful, M. Bourguignon
has modified it, and substituted glycerine for the axunge. In the altered
form the preparation is not any dearer, as efficacious, and less painful
than the original ointment. It does not grease the clothes, and has an
agreeable perfume. Gum tragacanth, fifteen grains; carbonate of potash,
thirteen drachms ; well pounded sulphur, twenty-six drachms ; glycerine,
fifty-two drachms; essences of lavender, lemon, mint, cloves, and cinnamon,
of each fifteen drops. Total weight, nearly eleven ounces : make a mucil
age with the gum and one ounce of glycerine, add the carbonate, mix until
it is dissolved, and then gradually add the sulphur and glycerine; lastly,
pour in the essences. With this compound, M. Bourguignon advises two
general frictions of half an hour, within twelve hours of each other, and
followed, twenty-four hours afterwards, by a simple warm bath, as the

VARIETIES.

581

glycerine is soluble in water. Two-thirds of the preparation should be
used for the first friction, the other third for the second. — Ibid, from Lancet.

Poisoning by Strychnia given in place of Santonine. — Dr. Simons, of
Aiken, in Belgium, has just had the misfortune of seeing a child of seven
years perish, to whom he had given santonine (as he thought) as a vermi-
fuge. On examination of the bottle from which the powders had been
prepared, it was found that, though labelled saDtonine by M. Degheest, the
wholesale druggist who had delivered the bottle, the latter contained a
powder composed of one-sixth of santonine and five-sixths of strychnine.
The Court before whom this sad affair was brought decided that the
heaviest penalty should be inflicted upon M. Degheest and his assistant, as
their warehouses were found in a most irregular and dangerous state as
regards poisonous substances. Dr. Simons, though evidently guiltless,
was lightly fined, as, according to the letter of the law, he was bound to
examine and test the medicinal substances he received from the wholesale
druggist. It is, however, perfectly plain to every one, that the busy country
practitioner cannot find time for such investigation, besides not being ac-
customed to the necessary manipulations. — Ibid, from Bub. Med. Press.

At the Semi- Annual Meeting held 9th mo. 27th, 1859, present twenty
members. The President, Charles Ellis, in the Chair.

The Minutes of the College were adopted, and those of the Trustees
were read.

Alfred W. Test was elected to membership,

A. A. B. Durand resigned his membership, having retired from the
pharmaceutical profession.

The Committee on the proposed change in the laws in relation to
Annual Contributions, recommended making no change at present.

The Committee on Sinking Fund reported that the ground rent had
been paid off and the property of the College mortgaged for three thousand
dollars, as directed by the Special Meeting, held in the Spring. This is
the only debt of the College.

The Delegates to the American Pharmaceutical Association reported
that they all attended, with the exception of one; the vacancy they filled
by the appointment of Samuel S. Bunting, who was in attendance. Nine
members of this College were present at the meeting.

The Association assembled in Boston, at the Rooms of the Massachusetts
College of Pharmacy, on the afternoon of the 13th inst., and continued
its. session during the 14th, 15th, and 16th inst.

The meeting was well attended by delegates representing Boston, New

582

MINUTES OF THE COLLEGE.

York. Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Chicago, and by numerous
other members. One gentleman was in attendance from Tennessee, one
from St. Paul, Minnesota, and the 3d Vice President, Dr. Battey, from
Georgia.

A large number of members were in attendance from the New England
States, and much interest in the affairs of the Association seemed to be
awakened in that section.

During the past year over one hundred and thirty new members have
been added to the Association. A number of papers of great interest were
read, which will duly appear in the transactions.

The Massachusets College of Pharmacy placed ample conveniences at
the disposal of the Association to transact their business in a satisfactory
and comfortable manner. The members from a distance were treated with
great courtesy and attention, and the delegates from this College will long
remember the attention received at the hands of their Boston friends.

Signed on behalf of the Delegates, Charles Bullock.

The subject of subscribing toward the publication of the Proceedings
of the American Pharmaceutical Association being introduced, the College
was informed that the income of the Association, arising from the annual
subscriptions of its members, was likely to prove insufficient to publish a
sufficient edition of the voluminous Proceedings in extenso, and to give them
the circulation which their interest and importance demand, and on
motion the subject was referred to the attention of the Board of Trustees.

The Committee on Obituary Notices introduced the following, which
were directed to be entered on the Minutes :

Departed this life on the 12th of June last, aged 49 years, Hon. Jacob
Bell, of London, one of the honorary members of this College, and for
many years President of the London Pharmaceutical Society. The name
of Jacob Bell has been so long connected with the history of Pharmaceutical
progress in Great Britain, and his death has been the subject of so much
comment in the London Pharmaceutical Journal, of which he was editor,
and in our own and other scientific journals, that we have felt any notice
beyond an official record of the loss sustained by our profession to be
uncalled for in this place;

Frederick Klett, one of the original members of this College, and a
member from its foundation till his decease, died on the 26th of July, 1859,
aged 64 years. He commenced business in December, 1818, at the corner
of Second and Callowhill streets, and continued in the same location till
January, 1855, when he sold out his interest and retired from business.
Since 1845 he was American Consul for the kingdom of Wurtemburg in
Germany. He was an active and enterprising business man, and was much
respected in this community during his long business career.

In accordance with resolutions adopted at the last Annual Meeting, the
College balloted for Delegates to the Pharmacopceial Convention of 1860.
William Procter, Jr., Edward Parrish and A. B. Taylor were duly elected.

EDITORIAL. 583

The Semi- Annual Election resulted in the choice of the following :

For Trustees.

T. P. James, S. S. Garrigues, E. T. Ellis,

A. B. Taylor, W. J. Jenks, Chas. Bullock,

Jacob L. Smith, Dr. W. II. Pile.

To fill vacancy occasioned by the resignation of F. C. Hill,

James T. Shinn.

Committee on Obituary Notices.
Edward Parrish, W. Procter, Jr., C. Bullock.

Then adjourned,

Edward Pakrish, Secretary.

(Hftttorial Department.

The Boston Meeting. — The Meeting of the American Pharmaceutical
Association in September was a decided success, not only was it the
largest gathering that has yet occurred under the auspices of the Associa-
tion, but the amount of results in the shape of reports and original papers
will exceed that of any previous Meeting. The large space occupied by
the Minutes of that Meeting in this number, renders comment on the details
unnecessary. It has been the aim of the Editor to give a connected account
of the proceedings of each meeting as nearly correct as it is possible to get
it so as to embody a history of this great movement as it progresses. A
good way of judging of the nature of such a meeting is to examine its
elements — to observe the character and standing of the men who engage
in it. When it is found that pharmaceutists and druggists, whose time,
pecuniarily speaking, is very valuable, and who in addition are willing to
pay the expenses for travelling and hotel fare, and avoid the pleasures
incident to a large city to attend three sessions a day, something more than
curiosity must prompt them to the act • and it is but fair to infer that they
feel a deep interest in the advancement of Pharmacy as a scientific art,
and in its professional relations. The Meeting was characterized by good
feeling throughout, a large accession of new members was gained, and
much labor pointed out and accepted for the Meeting next year. Our
Boston brethren, in their arrangements for the accommodation of the
Meeting, deserve great praise, and in reverting to the occasion we can
suggest nothing to alter in the comforts and facilities afforded. The

584

EDITORIAL.

provision of a large additional room for the exhibition of specimens and
of a room for committees should not be passed unnoticed.

Each member of the Association was presented with a map of Boston
and its vicinity, with explanatory matter, prepared expressly for the
occasion, all handsomely done up in pocket map style; and the outside
influence of the Massachusetts College was felt in various other ways, in
facilities for visiting objects of interest, and by invitations to places of
instruction and amusement. It should not be forgotten that a number of
members were accompanied by their wives, who, it might have been sup-
posed, would have had a dull time while their husbands were engaged at
the Meeting. Not so — a Committee of Boston ladies, provided with ways
and means, enabled the ladies of members to visit various interesting
objects in the city and vicinity, so that they really came away better
posted on subjects usually sought out by travellers than did their husbands.

As regards the entertainment given in honor of the Association by
gentlemen of the Massachusetts College, at the American House, it is
sufficient to say that in'abundance and excellence of material, and genuine
expression of good feeling, it was all that could be desired by those who
are favorable to this mode of exhibiting hospitality to strangers ; and,
although but one of a minority, we cannot but take this occasion to express
a hope that such costly demonstrations will cease to be an accompa-
niment of our Annual Meeting.

Wild Cherry Pastils. Correction. —Our subscribers are requested,
on reading this paragraph, to turn to page 22 of the January number of
this volume, and in the formula for " Wild Cherry Pastils," by William R.
Warner, insert after the line " Pulv. Acacias," the words "Pulv. Sacchari
5xv." (TroyJ. The line was omitted accidentally, and without it the
formula requires a calculation to get at the amount of sugar needed.

Botanical and Pharmacological Enquiries and Desiderata. — The re-
ception of the pamphlet, embodying these inquiries, issued under the
direction of Sir William Hooker and Mr. Hanbury, is acknowledged from
the latter, and in our next issue will be noticed in the way desired.

John M. Maisch. — By a circular received from this gentleman, we are
informed that he has "assumed the position of Superintendent of the
practical department of Parrish's School of Pharmacy." Besides giving
instruction in practical pharmacy, Mr. Maisch proposes to open a Labora-
tory for Practical and Analytical Chemistry, designed in particular for the
wants of pharmaceutists and physicians. From our knowledge of Mr.
Maisch we believe that his instructions will prove valuable to his patrons.
The Laboratory is located at 800 Arch street (Philadelphia), above the
drug store of Edward Parrish.

)

EDITORIAL.

585

An Introduction to Practical Pharmacy :— Designed as a text-book for the
Student, and a guide for the Physician and Pharmaceutist. With many-
Formulas and Prescriptions. By Edward Parrish, Graduate in Phar-
macy, &c. Second Edition, greatly enlarged and improved, with 246
Illustrations. Philadelphia. Blanchard & Lea, 1859, pp. 720.

The first edition of this book was noticed in vol. 28, page 10 of this Journal.
The demand for a second edition, after so short a lapse of time, is unmis-
takable evidence that the book has met the approval of those to whom it
has been addressed — physicians and pharmaceutists. This success has
stimulated the author to increased zeal in its revision, and after consider-
able investigation and research, the present edition embodies the improve-
ments which have resulted. It would have been preferable to have devoted
the time and labor necessary to a close inspection of this work for the pres-
ent number, but the late period at which it was placed in our hands, and
the preparation of the index to this volume, are sufficient excuse for avoid-
ing at present a critical notice of the " Introduction to Practical Pharmacy,"
which could only be based on a careful examination of the whole details
of the book. While in every part the author gives evidence that he has
revised the pages, it is the 3d and 4th parts that will be found to have
received the greatest extension. The former of these, " Pharmacy in its
relations to organic Chemistry," is a fruitful theme, and the author has em-
braced many details in it not found in the first edition. His system of
syllabi, by which a bird's eye view of each class is given, is here much ex-
tended, and affords a useful aid to the Student in comprehending the sub-
jects. In the chapter on Formulae and on Extemporaneous Pharmacy we
observe many additions, and in the latter a set of rules and regulations for
the shop, which if carried out in letter and spirit would reform the practices
of numerous Pharmaceutical establishments. It is our intention to recur
to this book again under circumstances more favorable to estimate its
merit as " a text book for the student," and as "a guide for the physician
and pharmaceutist," but meanwhilo we feel no hesitation in saying that
the author has made it an exceedingly valuable compend of practical infor-
mation needed by the pharmaceutist and country practitioner : and illus-
trated as it is at every step with figures, the beginner will find it easily
understood.

A Manual of Scientific and Practical Agriculture for the School and Farm.
By J. L. Campbell, A. M., Prof, of Physical Science in Washington
College, Virginia, with numerous illustrations. Philadelphia. Lindsay
& Blakiston, 1859, pp. 442, 12mo.

This volume is replete with valuable information in regard to the ele-
ments of agricultural chemistry, in its bearing on soils, manures, culture
and maturation of crops, rotation of crops, etc. The writer, though at
present a tencher of science, is not unused to practical agriculture, and evi-

586

OBITUARY.

dently brings to his task considerable personal observation and experience.
The book, as its name and size indicate, is written as a manual for students
and young farmers. The observations on crops have a more especial refer-
ence to Southern staples, including tobacco and cotton. The cereal grains
and the pulses and grasses are also treated of. Each chapter is concluded
with a series of questions bearing on the text, and rendering it a fit text
book for agricultural classes. The author is evidently in favor of a better
system of agriculture than usually is carried out at the South, and his book
is calculated to do good among a class of young men, sons of planters, who
are too apt to ignore the applications of scientific agriculture, and pursue
the old beaten track of their fathers.

The work is well printed and bound, and deserves the attention of
farmers and others.

The Chemist and Druggist, a Monthly Trade Circular, London, Sept. 15th,
Vol. I, No. l,pp.68, is the title of an advertising journal just issued in London,
and extensively circulated, almost wholly devoted to business advertise*
ments, and sent post-paid in England for 62 \ cts. per annum.

Obituary. — Prof. Henfret, of London, died on the 7th of September,
in the 39th year of his age. He was a botanist of considerable eminence,
occupying the Chair of Botany in King's College, London, and the author
of various papers on his favorite science.

Dr. Thomas Nuttall, formerly of Philadelphia, died at his residence,
Nutgrove, Lancashire, England, on the 10th of September, in the 73d year
of his age. He was born in Yorkshire, brought up a printer, emigrated to
this country near the close of the 18th century, and subsequently devoted
himself to botany, geology, ornithology, &e. He travelled much — visited
California and Oregon, wrote several works, and among them the supple-
mentary volumes to Michaux's North American Sylva. A few years since
a relative bequeathed him a considerable estate, on condition of his spend-
ing nine months of every year in England.

INDEX.

TO VOL. XXXI. (VOL. VII. THIRD SERIES) OF THE AMERICAN
JOURNAL OF PHARMACY.

Abel, Joseph, on citrate of iron and strychnia 127

Acetic acid converted into methylic alcohol 172

Acetic fluid extracts 538

Acetate of lead, preparation of basic 280

Acrid principle of Ranunculus sceleratus 440

Action of bichromate of potassa in dyeing 131

Action of nitric ether on iodide of potassium 438

Adelheid "spring water 458

Adulterated oil of peppermint , 552

Adulteration of cream of tartar 486

Adulteration of otto of rose 335

Adulteration of valerianate of iron 482

Aiken, Prof. Wm. E. A.} on althaea paper as a test for acids and alkalies 367

" " " examination of a spurious opium 374

Ailanthus glandulosa, vermifuge properties of 229

Albright, A., on the adelheid spring of Bavaria 458

Alcohol as a solvent of all medicinal principles 43

Alcoholic fermentation, new researches on 72

Allen, Harvey, on podophyllin 206

Allopathic sugar pellets. , 2$

Althaea paper as a test for acids and alkalies N 367

Alum in china 69

Ambergris 183

American dispensatory of Dr. King 285, 384

American Pharmaceutical Association 383

American Pharmaceutical Association, call of the meeting of 382, 483

American Pharmaceutical Association, minutes of the meeting of 1859 491

American Pharmaceutical Association, officers of, for 1859 497

Ammonia, new source of 430

Amounts of sulphuretted hydrogen and hydrocyanic acid in tobacco smoke 76

Anagallis arvensis, observations on 299

Analysis of the root of Bryonia alba 249

Analysis of Daphne mezereum flowers 351

Analysis of the root of Arum maculatum , 351

Analysis of highland cutweed kelp 461

Analysis of various kinds of porcelain , 570

588 INDEX.

Andrews, Thomas, note on azone 463

Andrews, G. W., on the preparation of phosphide of calcium 560

Anhydrous sulphuric acid, preparation of 439

Animal bread of the Mexicans, Hautle or 74

Annatto, culture and preparation of 360

Anthon, E. F., new method of preparing sulphurous acid 353

Anthemin and anthemic acid 4*70

Apparatus for pharmaceutical purposes, steam 223

Argenti nitras fusus... 49

Aromatic syrup of blackberry root 552

Arum maculatum, analysis of 351

Atropia, valerianate of , 150

Bannvart, Charles, pharmaceutical notices 13

Baryta, its industrial applications..., 136

Baryta, manufacture of the sulphate of 451

Battey, Dr. Robert, on liquor ferri iodidi , 205

Behavior of boracic to tartaric acid , 241

Berthelot, 31., on melezitose, a new sugar , 61

" " on the camphenic series 73

Bell, Jacob, notice of the late...., 488

Bibliographical notices 92, 94, 191

Bernouilli, Dr. J. J., on the weight of drops 441

Bichromate of potassa, its action in dyeiDg 131

Binocular vision , 82

Binoxystrychnia 134

Bitter wine of iron , 450

Bixa orellana, culture of for annatto 360

Blockey, John S., and Herbert Sugden on the action of bichromate of potassa

in dyeing 131

BocJcer, Prof., of Bonn, on the therapeutic properties of sarsaparilla 568

Boussingault, on the relations of the soil to vegetation... 468

Botany Bay kino 226

Brandy, preparation of Catawba 363

Bryonia alba, analysis of 249

Bryonin 249

Bryonetin 249

Bryoretin 251

Brunner, C, on the preparation of platinum black 344

" 11 on the preparation of molybdate of ammonia 348

Buchu, fluid extract of 313, 349, 582

BucJcalew, C. R., Letter in reference to the cinchona tree 475

Bullock, Charles, on mercury and its oxides and acetates 268

" ££ on an adulteration of cream of tartar ...486

" « on adulterated oil of peppermint. 552

Callman, H., on crystallized valerianate of atropia 150

Camphenic series 73

INDEX. 589

Cameron, Charles A., on urea as a direct source of nitrogen to plants 157

Canella bark, on a red, 346

Canouil, 31., chemical matches, &c 150

Canouil's processes for manufacturing chemical matches 468

Carapa touloucouua 231

Caraya amara, bark of, as a medicine 33

Carbonate of ammonia for poisoned bites 184

Carney, Charles T., on the solubility of sesqui-oxide of chrominum 128

11 " report on the adulterations of drugs 502

Carrie, 31., on the preparation of liquid tartrate of potassa, ammonia and

iron 257

Catawba Brandy, preparation of 384, 363

Catalogue of the Class of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, 1858-9 95

Catalogue of the Library of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy 291

Caspari, Charles, on oxide of zinc 435

Caucassian insect powder 373

Chapman, Wm. C, on syrup of iodide of iron 559

Chemical matches without phosphorus 150

Chemical characters of otto of rose 338

Chickweed, observations on 299

Chloroform, on the tests of its purity , 148

Chlorinated lunar caustic 238, 477

Chloride of zinc, saponification of fats by 431

Chloric ether, on commercial 553

Cicuta virosa, volatile oil of the seeds of , 251

Cimicifuga, acetic tincture of , .....483

Citrate of iron and strychnia 23, 127

Citromel of iodide of iron.. 64

Citron contaminated with coffee 576

Cinchona bark, assay of .....426

Cinchona, its introduction into India , 429

Cinchona tree, the , 475

Cinnamodendron corticosum 347

Clo'ez Guignet on permanganate of potassa 278

u " on the conversion of nitrogen of nitrogenous matters into

nitrate of potassa 151

Claus, Dr. C, of Dorpat, on the history of pharmacy in Russia 165

Cobalt, preparation of metallic 433

Coffee, citron contaminated with 57G

Colocynth , 331

Colocynthin 331

Colocynthitin 331

Colocynthein 332

Commercial chloric ether , 553

Commercial history of otto of rose 252

Combustibility of powdered iron , 254

Conversion of nitrogen into nitrate of potassa 151

Conversion of acetic acid into methylic alcohol 172

590 INDEX.

Contamination of distilled waters with tin 254

Concussions in boiling prevented 348

Constitution of solania 417

Constitution of scammony 5*74

Convallaria majalis, on some principles of 577

Convallarin 577

Convallamarin 577

Convallamaretin 579

Convallaretin 578

Coral, its rate of growth , 185

Coumarin from Liatris odoratissima , , 556

Cream of tartar, adulterated , ..486

Crystallized valerianate of atropia, 150

Culture of peppermint in Michigan 35

Culture of Bixa orellana for annatto 360

Cutweed kelp, analysis of 458

Cyanide of potassium, poisoning by , 482

Daniell, Dr. W. F., on red canella bark from the "West Indies 346

Daphne mezereum, analysis of the flowers of 351

De Vrij, Dr., on iodide of ethyle 170

Death of Humboldt 392

Dangerous explosion of muriatic acid 479

Densimeter, a new 135

Dental anaesthetic. 480

Detection of iodine in urine ,...350

Determination of tallow and stearic acid in wax 417

Determination of quinia in Peruvian bark> 365

Dentifrice 232

Disinfectant, on a new 579

Displacement use of the funnel in 327

Displacement or percolation , 317

Distillation of oil of peppermint 39

Distilled waters, contamination of, with tin , 254

Dr. Edward R. Squibb 186

Druggist, the, a new pharmaceutical journal 288

Drops, the weight of 441

Editorial department 86, 186, 284, 383, 484, 583

Eichler, William, on melampyrit 365

Elixir cinchonae 18

Elixir of citro-lactate of iron , 416

Employment of permanganate of potassa as an oxidizing agent 18

Eaz, J. B., an analysis of the flowers of Daphne mezereum 351

" " analysis of the root of Arum maculatum 351

Erdmann, O. L., on the acrid principle of Ranunculus sceleratus 440

" " on hematoxylin , 453

Essence of scurvy-grass 416

INDEX. 591

Essential oil of valerian .414

Estimation of organic matters in the air of cities, &c 444

Ethereal oil of horse chestnuts 231

Ethereal oil of elemi 424

Eucalyptus resiuifera, on the kino of 226

Eulenburg, Dr., on a new remedy for hydrophobia 345

Evaporation of water from beneath an oily liquid 3*72

Examination of potato and rye whiskey 573

Examination of a spurious opium 374

Extract of colocynth 20

Extractum aconiti foliorum fluidum 532

Extractum aconiti radicis fluidum 533

Extractum aromaticse fluidum 540

Extractum belladonnas fluidum 532

Extractum buchu fluidum , 532

Extractum capsici fluidum 539

Extractum canellse fluidum 539

Extractum cardamom! fluidum , 539

Extractum caryophylli fluidum 539

Extractum chimaphilae fluidum 539

Extractum chiraytae fluidum 536

Extractum cimicifugae fluidum ....534

Extractum cinchona? fluidum 536

Extractum cinnamomi fluidum 539

Extractum colchici radicis fluidum 534

Extractum colombse fluidum , 534

Extractum conii fluidum 53S

Extractum cubebse fluidum ..539

Extractum digitalis fluidum 532

Extractum dulcamaras fluidum „ 536

Extractum ergotae fluidum 538

Extractum eupatorii fluidum 535

Extractum ferri pomatum 26

Extractum gallse fluidum 536

Extractum gentianae fluidum 535

Extractum geranii fluidum 536

Extractum glyeyrrhizae fluidum 545

Extractum granati fluidum 537

Extractum hellebori fluidum , 534

Extractum hyoscyami fluidum ....582

Extractum inulae fluidum 539

Extractum iridis florentinae fluidum 539

Extractum ipecacuanha fluidum 534

Extractum jalapae fluidum 534

Extractum juglandis fluidum 547

Extractum krameriae fluidum 547

Extractum lobeliae fluidum 538

592 INDEX.

Extractum lupulinae fluidum 539

Extractum matico fluidum 532

Extractum myrrhee fluidum . 539

Extractum podophylli fluidum ■ 534

Extractum pimentae fluidum 539

Extractum pyrethri fluidum , ,...-.,,....539

Extractum pruni virginianae fluidum . 546

Extractum quassiae fluidum 547

Extractum rhei fluidum . 541

Extractum rhei et potassae fluidum , 389

Extractum rhei et senna? fluidum , 543

Extractum rubi fluidum .....557

Extractum sanguinarise fluidum 534

Extractum sarsaparillae fluidum 537

Extractum sarsaparillae fluidum compositum 544

Extractum scillae fluidum... 535

Extractum senegae fluidum 535

Extractum serpentarias fluidum 535

Extractum sennae fluidum 542

Extractum spigeliae fluidum 537

Extractum spigeliae et sennae fluidum 542

Extractum stramonii fluidum 532

Extractum taraxaci fluidum 545

Extractum uva ursi fluidum , 537

Extractum Valeriana? fluidum 532

Extractum veratri viridis fluidum 534

Extractum xanthoxyli fluidum . 539

Extractum zingiberis fluidum 539

Extracts, most correct method of making 233

Extracts, preservation of fluid 113, 216

Facts in relation to the solubility of phosphate of iron 410

Ferri iodidum 52

Ferrated tincture of bark , 147

Ferrein, A., on the yellow coloring matter of autumnal leaves 352

Fire weed in peppermint plantations 38

Flach, M., on the contamination of distilled waters with tin 254

Fluid extract of buchu 313, 349, 532

Fluid extract of cimicifugae 313, 534

Fluid extract of serpentariae... 314, 535

Fluid extract of valerian 314, 379, 532

Fluid extract of yarrow 437

Fluid extracts, preservation of 113

Fluid extracts, proper menstruum for 305

Formation of cyanide of potassium in smoking belladonna 415

Formulae for the fluid extracts in reference to their more general adoption

in the Pharmacopoeia 530

Formation of gum tragacanth 161, 243

Friedel, C, on the conversion of acetic acid into methylic alcohol 172

INDEX. 593

Freestone of extraordinary strength 183

Funnels in displacement, use of 327

Garrod, Dr. A. B., report on McAndrew & Son's scammony 274

Gaultheria procumbens 31

Gaudenet, 31., on the preservation of photographs on paper 279

Geisler, 31., on the essence of scurvy-grass 416

Geith E., on the determination of tallow or stearic acid in wax 417

Ginseng excitement » 480

Gleanings from the French Journals 229, 410

Glycerin water «■ 18

Glycerole of lead 442

Glycerin ointment for the itch 580

Gmelin, 31. Otto, on the constitution of solania 417

Gobley, 31., on vanillin, the odorous principle of vanilla 130

Grahame, Israel J, on syrup of ipecacuanha 143

" " on fluid extract of buchu 349

" " on the process of percolation or displacement...., 354

" " on fluid extract of valerian 379

" on mel rosae 443

Gratiola officinalis , 340

Gratiolin 340

Gratiosolin 341

Gratiolacrin 341

Gue,rin-3Ienneville, 31., on the animal bread of the Mexicans 74

Guillermond, 31., on the assay of Peruvian bark .426

Gum tragacantb 161, 243

Growth of coral, rate of the 185

Hematoxylin.., 453

Hairs of the urtiaceae 184

Hanbury, Daniel, on otto of roses 333

Heintzleman, Joseph Aug., on Anagallis arvensis 299

Headland, on the action of medicines on the system , 487

Ileinitsh, Charles A., on citrate of iron and strychnia , 23

Hemlock pitch as produced in Michigan , 28

Hemlock oil as produced in Michigan 29

Henry, A., on iron reduced by carbon „ 129

Hetet, Prof., on the vermifuge properties of Ailanthus glandulosa ,...329

Ilewson, F. C. E., on the preservation of timber 174

Hofmann, Dr., on iodonitrate of silver , 456

Ilorncastle, John, on citromel and tartromel of iodide of iron 64

Horsechestnuts, ethereal oil of , 231

Hupp, J. C, M. D., on the therapeutic uses of protein , 402

Hydrargyri iodidum , 57, 203

Hydrargyri iodidum rubrum 58, 409

Hydrocyanic acid in tobacco smoke 76

Hydrobryotin 251

Hyoscyamus, saltpetre in 402

llypophosphites of quinia , 285

594 INDEX.

Industrial application of baryta 136

Infusions 376

Inquiries into the formation of gum tragacanth 161, 243

Introduction of cinchonia into India , 429

Investigation of strychnia 133

Iodo-nitrate of silver 456

Iodo-bromine water of Heilbrunn in Bavaria 458

Iodide of ethyle 170

Iodide of iron, syrup of 54, 215

Iodide of iron, syrup of 559

Insect powder , 373

Iodine, testing nitric acid and nitrate of soda for 170

Iodine, a new vehicle for 566

Ipecacuanha, syrup of. 143

Iron reduced by carbon 129

Iron, syrup of iodide of 54, 215, 559

Iron, pyrophosphate of, soluble 248

Japan wax, note on 561

Journal and Transactions of the Maryland College of Pharmacy 287

Juice of Eucalytus resinifera 226

Juices of rhubarb-stalks, tomatoes and quinces, acids in the 193

Juncadella, E., on the action of nitric ether upon iodide of potassium 438

Kappel, S. J. Examination of potato and rye whiskey 573

Kelp, analysis of cutweed 458

Kino of Eucalyptus resinifera ,.225

Keller, Franz, on the constitution of scammony 574

Keisslinff, R., on the water of crystallization and fusing point of quinia.. 567

Kleist, R., on the determination of quinia in Peruvian bark 565

Kraft Sf Tessig du Mottay, on the saponification of fats by chloride of zinc. ..436
Kuhlmann, F., on the industrial applications of baryta. 136

Lancaster, Thomas A., on the acids of rhubarb stalks tomatoes and quinces.,193

" " on syrup of tar 555

Landerer, Dr. X., on the detection of iodine in the urine 350

Lamont, John, on an analysis of Highland cutweed kelp 438

Le Conte, John, observations on the species of nicotina 471

Leaves of the wild cherry tree 423

Leptandra virginica, mannite from - 557

Liatris odoratissima, coumarin from 556

Library of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy 284

Lilac dye, a permanent 568

Linimentum caoutchouci 389

Linimentum succini compositum , , 390

Liquor arsenici et hydrargyri iodidi 410

Liquor ferri iodidi 54, 205, 409, 559

INDEX. 595

List of graduates of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy for 1859 281

List of subjects for investigation by members of the American Pharmaceu-
tical Association for 1860 523

Lotio hydrastis composita 390

Lunar caustic, chlorinated 238

Macgowan, Dr., on alum in China 69

Mackay, 3Ir., on the commerce of otto of roses 252

Mahla, Dr. F.} on nitro-benzole 200

" " on the preparation and detection of nitrobenzole 202

" " on saltpetre in hyoscyamus ■ 402

Maisch, John 31., on extractum ferri pomatum 26

" 11 on the preservation of fluid extracts 113

11 11 on the new system of German weights 207

" " on the proper menstruum for fluid extracts 305

" ls notes on fluid extracts of buchu, cimicifuga serpentaria

and valerian 312

" " on the solubility of phosphate of iron 410

" " on a new mode of preparing some syrups 557

Manufacture of acetic, tartaric and citric acids 140

Manufacture of chromic and hydroferrocyanic acids 142

Manufacture of oil of roses at Kisanlik 324

Manufacture of sulphate of baryta , 451

Mannite from Leptandra virginica . 557

3Iannkoff, Dr. Emit, on the ethereal oil of elemi 424

Martin, Stanislaus, on the preservation and distillation of roses and orange

flowers 258

Mayer, Fred. F., on Prussian blue or hydrocyanate of iron 395

Medical convention for revising the Pharmacopoeia 283

Medicine in India 184

Meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association 484

Melampyrit 365

Mel rosae 443

Melezitose, a new sugar 61

Mercury, its oxides and acetates 260

Mercury, its black oxide of 261

Mercury, red oxide of 264

Mercury, acetate of 265

Merrill, William S., on the solubility of medicinal principles in alcohol 43

Microscopist's companion 391

Minutes of the Pharmaceutical Meetings 84

Minutes of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy 280, 581

Miscellaneous chemical observations 308

Mistura chenopodii coirp 390

Morphise sulphas 59

Mode of preparing liquids of specific gravity 135

Mohl, Hugo Von, on gum tragacanth 243

Morrison the hygeist 183

596 INDEX.

Molybdate of ammonia, preparation of 248

Monsel's persulphate of iron 403

Miiller, Gustav, on the quantitative determination of tannin 427

Nature of scammony and turpeth resin 377

New act of Parliament regulating medicine 189

New British Pharmacopoeia 189

New disinfectant for dressing putrid ulcers , 579

New German System of weights 207

New mode of making suppositories . 231

New method of preparing sulphurous acid..... 353

New mode of preparing some syrups 549

New remedy for hydrophobia 345

New researches on alcoholic fermentation 72

New vehicle for iodine 566

Nichols, J. R., on steam apparatus for pharmaceutical purposes 223

Nicotiana fruticosa 471

Nicotiana rustica 472

Nicotiana tabacum 473

Nitro benzole , 200

Nitrate of potassa, its formation from nitrogenous substances 151

Nitrate of silver, iodide and 456

JVoodt, Dr., on the Caucassian insect powder 373

Note on the kino of Eucalyptus resinifera 226

Note on commercial chloric ether „ 552

Note on Japan wax 561

Note on ozone 163

Obituary. — Soubeiran 191

Obituary.— Prof. Wm. Tully 288

Obituary. — J. L. Lassaigne 288

Obituary.— Humboldt 392

Obituary.— Jacob Bell 488

Obituary. — Prof. Henfrey 586

Obituary.— Dr. Thomas Nuttall 586

Observations on the acids of rhubarb stalks, tomatoes and quinces 193

Observations on Anagallis arvensis 299

Oil of fireweed 38

Oil of geranium, history of 336

Oil of ground-nuts 415

Oil of hemlock, production of 29

Oil of peppermint, adulterated 552

Oil of valerian, researches on 414

Oiled paper a substitute for oiled silk in surgery 272

Oily solution of oleate of binoxide of mercury 415

Oleoresina capsici 548

Oleoresina cardamomi 548

INDEX. 597

Oleoresina cubebee 548

Oleoresina caryophylli 548

Oleoresina felicis maris 548

Oleoresina Lupulinas 548

Oleoresina piperis nigri 548

Oleoresina pyrethri 548

Oleoresina sabinse 548

Oleoresina xanthyoxyli 548

Oleoresina zingiberis 548

Oleoresins 54S

Oleoresinous fluid extracts 539

Opium, examination of a spurious 374

Opium in France, preparation of. 564

Orange-flowers, preservation of , 258

Osann, M., on the preparation of anhydrous sulphuric acid 439

Otto of rose, production of 333

Otto of rose at Kisanlik, manufacture of 324

Otto of rose, adulteration of 335

Otto of roses 252

Oxystrychnia 134

Ozone, note on 463

Parisian wash powder „ 478

Parrish, Edward, Pharmaceutical notes of travel 1, 97, 209

" " on the use of funnels in displacement 327

Parrish's Practical Pharmacy, notice of

Pasteur, 31., on alcoholic fermentation..... 72

Peat gas 280

Peckolt, Theodore, of Cantagallo, on the culture of annatto 360

Pelouze, P., on the manufacture of sulphate of baryta 457

Peppermint, adulterated oil of 552

Peppermint plantations of Michigan 33

Pepsin wine 185

Percolation or displacement 317

Permanganate of potash as an oxidizing agent 78

Persulphate of iron, Monsel's 403

Pharmacy in Russia, history of 165

Pharmaceutical notes of travel by E. Parrish 1, 97, 209

Pharmaceutical notices 18, 409

Pharmaceutical statistics of Saxony 330

Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain 485

Photoglyphic engraving 478

Phosphide of calcium 560

Physicians' Visiting List 487

Pierlofs, 31., researches on oil of valerian 414

Plummcr § Kelly, on the solubility of strychnia 24

Plummcr, Dr. John P., miscellaneous chemical observations 308

598

INDEX.

Platinum black, preparation of 344

Potato whiskey 573

Poisonous properties of the ethereal oil of elemi 424

Poisonous effects of the leaves of the yew tree 479

Poisoning by cyanide of potassium 482

Poisoning by strychnia admixed with santonin 581

Podophyllin ,...19, 206

Powder to roll pills in..... 18

Powdered blue mass 270

Practical observations on preserving timber 174

Practical observations on the preservation and distillation of roses and

orange flowers ......258

Preparation of metallic cobalt 433

Preparation of anhydrous sulphuric acid .....439

Preparation of phosphide of calcium 560

Preparation of pure sulphates 64

Preparation of nitrobenzole 202

Preparation of Rochelle salts 256

Preparation of liquid tartrate of ammonia, potassa and peroxide of iron 257

Preparation of basic acetate of lead . ..280

Preparation of platinum black 344

Preparation of molybdate of ammonia 348

Preparation of opium in France 564

Preservation of fluid extracts 113, 216

Preservation of animal and vegetable substances 156

Preparing extracts, best methods for 233

Process of percolation or displacement. ...354

Process for assaying quinia in cinchona bark 426

Proceedings of the American Pharmaceutical Association for 1858 88

Procter, Jr., William, Remarks on propylamin 125

" " Note on propylamin 222

11 11 On the kino of Eucalyptus resinifera 226

" " On percolation or displacement 317

" " Remarks on persulphate of iron 403

" 11 Note on the solubility of phosphate of iron ...413

" 11 On the leaves of wild cherry bark 423

" » On formulas for the fluid extracts with reference to

the next Pharmacopoeia 530

" 11 On commercial chloric ether 553

" " Coumarin in Liatris odoratissima 556

Production of otto of rose

Prohibition of empyrical preparations in Russia 483

Proper menstruum for the fluid extracts.. 305

Protein, therapeutical applications of 402

Prussian blue or hydrocyanate of iron 395

Propylamin, notes on 125, 22^

Pyrophosphate of iron, on soluble 249

INDEX. 599

Purgative and vermifuge biscuits 414

Purple and lilac dye 56S.

Quantitative determination of tannin 427

Quinby vs. Eckstein 187

Quinces, on the acids of. 198

Quinia, assay of Peruvian bark of. 426

Ranunculus sceleratus, acrid principle of 440

Melting, M., on the preparation of Rochelle salt 256

Red canella bark from the West Indies 346

Relations between fermentation and crystallization 273

Relations of the soil to vegetation 468

Remarks on the preparation and uses of Catawba brandy 363

Remarks on Monsel's persulphate of iron 403

Remarks on spiritus ammonia? aromaticus 466

Report on the action of McAndrew & Son's scammony 274

Report of the Library Committee of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy 289

Rye whiskey 572

Report on home adulterations, by Chas. T. Carney, &c 502

Report of the specimens exhibited at the Boston meeting of the American

Pharmaceutical Association 527

Researches on the essential oil of valerian 414

Revision of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia for 1860 190

Rhubarb stalks, on the acids in 193

Rittenhouse, Henry N., on chlorinated lunar caustic 477

Robiquet, M. , on soluble pyrophosphate of iron 248

Rochelle salt, on the preparation of. 256

Roman chamomile 416

Rose, H., on the behaviour of boracic to tartaric acid. 241

Roses, preservation of, for distillation 258

Roussin, M., on a test for the purity of chloroform 148

Roux, M., on the preparation of opium in France 564

Rumicin 152

Russia, history of pharmacy in 165

Samdera indica 342

Samderin 342

Saltpetre in hyoscyamus 402

Saponification of fats by chloride of zinc 431

Sarsaparilla, therapeutic properties of 568

Scammony, on the constitution of. 574

Scammony, Mc. Andrews & Son's 274

Scammony resin, nature of 377

Schutzenberger, P., 133

Seeger, Roland, on hydrargyri iodidum 203

Sepometer, Dr. Smith's 182

Sharswood, William, on the preparation of metallic cobalt 433

600

INDEX.

Saint Louis Pharmaceutical Association 485

Silk' worms, new 185

Sm ith, Dr. J. Lawrence, "on chlorinated lunar caustic 238

" " 11 on the manufacture of ottar of roses at Kisanlik...324

" 11 u on hypophosphite of quinia . 285

Smith, Dr. Angus, on the organic matter of the atmosphere 444

Solubility of strychnia 24

Solubility of medicinal principles in alcohol... 22

Solubility of sesqui-oxide of chromium, by aid of galvanism 128

Solubility of some alkaloid in chloroform 232

Solubility of phosphate of iron, note on the .....128

Soluble pyro-phosphate of iron 248

Soluble citrate of magnesia 407

SpacowsJcy, Mr., on a new densimeter 135

Spirgatis, Dr. H., on the nature of scammony and turpeth resins 377

Spiritus ammonise aromaticus 466

Squibb, Dr. E. R. on the revision of the U. S. Pharmacopoeia 49, 186

Squire, P., on weights and measures 369

Statistics of oil of peppermint 41

Stearns, F., report on the plants of Michigan 28

" " on the peppermint plantations of Michigan..... 33

Stein, Prof., on testing for iodine in nitric acid, &c. 170

Steam apparatus for pharmaceutical purposes 223

Stevenson, Mr., on infusions 376

Stevens, Dr. W. H., on the ginseng excitement 480

Suppositories, new mode of making 231

Strychnia, citrate of iron and --23, 127

Strychnia, solubility of in water and alcohol 24

Strychnia, investigation of • 133

Sulphates, prepartion of pure. G4

Sulphate of baryta, preparation of 457

Sulphuretted hydrogen in tobacco smoke • 76

Sulphurous acid, new process for making 353

Sulphuric acid, preparation of anhydrous 439

Syrup of ipecac • 143

Syrup of iodide of iron • 559

Syrup of tar • 555

Syrups, new method of making 549

Tannin, its quantitative determination 427

Tartromel of iodile of iron 64

Taylor, Alfred B., on elixir cinchonse If

Test for the purity of chloroform 148

Thayer, Henry, M. D., on the preservation of fluid extracts 216

Thann, Carl von, on rumicin ...152

Therapeutical applications of protein. 402

Thompson, William S., on bitter wine of iron 450

" " " on ferrated tincture of bark 147

INDEX. 601

Therapeutic properties of sarsaparilla 568

Tickbourne, C. R., on spiritus ammonia aromaticus 466

Tilden & Co., and the Medical Journals 86

Tilyard, Charles, on fluid ext. of yarrow 437

« " on glycerole of lead 442

Timber, preservation of 174

Tin, distilled waters contaminated with 254

Tincture of bark ferrated 147

Tincture of myrrh 410

Tomatoes, on the acid of 196

Tooth paste 478

Trapp, Julius, on the volatile oil of the seeds circuta virosa 251

Turpeth resin, nature of 377

Ulmus fulva, obtained in Michigan 32

Urea, a direct source of nitrogen to plants 157

Urine, detection of iodine in 350

Use of funnels in displacement 327

Valerian, fluid extract of 379

Valerianate of atropia crystallized 150

Valerianate of iron, adulterations of 482

Vanillin, the odorous principle of vanilla 130

Varieties 82, 174, 279, 478, 579

Vermifuge, biscuits 414

Vermifuge properties of Ailanthus glandulosa 229

Vielguth Sf Nentivich, on the most correct method of preparing extracts 233

Vinum ergotse 410

Vivianite 482

Vogel, Jr. A. ^ C. Reschauer, on sulphuretted hydrogen and hydrocyanic

acid in tobacco smoke 76

" " " " on the evaporation of water under an oil liquid 372

Voltaic narcotism 480

Volatile oil of the seeds of Cicuta virosa 251

Walz, G. T., analysis of Bryonia alba 249

" " on some principles of Convallaria majalis 577

" " on colocynth 331

tl 11 on Gratiola officinalis 340

Warner, William R., on wild cherry pastilles 22

Water of crystallization of quinia 567

Wax, determination of tallow and stearic acid in 417

Wax, note on Japanese 561

Wayne, Edward S., on mannite from Leptandra virginica 557

Weights, new German system of 207

Weights and measures proposed for the British Pharmacopoeia 369

Weight of drops 441

Wild cherry leaves 423

*

602 INDEX.

Wild cherry pastilles 22

Wine of iron bitters 450

Wittstein, Dr. G. C, on the prevention of concussions in boiling 348

Wurtz, Prof. Henry, on the preparation of pure sulphates 67

Yellow coloring matter of the autumnal leaves 352

Yew tree, poisonous effects of the leaves of the 479

Yarrow, fluid ext. of 437

Zimmerman, John, remarks on Catawba brandy 363

Zinc, oxide of 435

Zinci chloridum . 60