of a tincture, the relative proportions of spirit and water may not in some instances be varied with advantage as regards solubility, also with a view to the permanence of the resulting prepara

tion.

On reference to the British Homœopathic Pharmacopoeia, a work that I would recommend to the careful perusal of every pharmacist, there are some very pertinent remarks, which I take the liberty of quoting, on the preparation of the tinctures contained in it, and it will be observed that six different strengths of spirit are employed.

1. Dilute Alcohol.-This is made by mixing equal measures of rectified spirit and distilled water. The mixture should have a density of 935, and contains 42 per cent. of absolute alcohol.

2. Proof Spirit (British Pharmacopoeia).-This is made by mixing 5 measures of rectified spirit with 3 of distilled water. It should have a density of 920, and contains 49 per cent. of absolute alcohol.

3. Spirit of 20 O. P.-This is made by mixing 6 measures of rectified spirit with 2 of distilled water. It should have a density of 888, and contains 63 per cent. of absolute alohol.

4. Spirit of 40 O. P.-This is made by mixing 7 measures of rectified spirit with 1 of distilled water. It should have a density of 865, and contains 73 per cent. of absolute alcohol.

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5. Rectified Spirit (60 O. P.) has a density of 830, and contains per cent. of absolute alcohol.

6. Absolute Alcohol having a density of about 793 is required for a few of the preparations.

Again, under the head of tinctures, it is very properly stated that the objects to be attained in these preparations are the following:

1. A preparation containing all the soluble ingredients of the substance employed.

2. A uniform strength, so that it may be always known exactly how much of the dry crude material is represented in a given measure of the tincture.

And it further states, that these objects may be attained in the following manner:—

The complete solution of all soluble matter can be accomplished by varying the alcoholic strength to suit the nature of the ingredients in each plant, using a very dilute spirit where the ingredients are chiefly soluble in water, and a strong spirit where alcohol is the best solvent.

Referring to the practice in this Pharmacopoeia with regard to tincture of cinnamon, I find that rectified spirit is used as a men

struum.

A paper by Mr. Giles, read before the Bristol Pharmaceutical Association, will be found in the Journal of January 29th, in which the author reviews the Pharmacopoeial tinctures generally with reference to their alcoholic strength, and expresses an opinion that the subject is deserving of more attention than it appears to have received.

Tinctura Cinchonæ et Ferri Chloridi Saccharata. W. W. Seay. (Amer. Journ. Pharm., xliii., 350.) The author proposes three preparations, which may be employed either separately or in combination :

Moisten the cinchona with the dilute alcohol, and pack in a glass funnel, in the neck of which sufficient tow (free from tar) has been placed to act as a filter; cover the surface with a piece of perforated paper, and pour on alcohol, previously mixed with an equal volume of syrup, until it has reached the tow, and the surface of the powder is covered; cork the neck of the funnel, and allow it to macerate forty-eight hours; then remove the cork and continue the percolation with equal parts of alcohol and syrup mixed, until sixteen fluid ounces have been obtained.

Moisten the cinchona with f3iss. of dilute alcohol, and pack in percolator (with tow in the neck to act as filter), and pour on dilute alcohol until twelve fluid ounces have been obtained; then dissolve the sugar in the tincture by agitation.

This contains fifteen grains red Peruvian bark in each fluid drachm. I prefer the first process for exhausting the bark, for the reason that the alcohol is stronger, being diluted with syrup instead of water.

Place the sulphate of iron, sulphite of soda, and dilute sulphuric acid in a chemical flask, with one and a half fluid ounces of the syrup, previously heated to near the boiling point, and continue the heat until solution is effected. Place the chloride of barium, remainder of the syrup, and the water in another chemical flask, and apply heat until solution is effected. Now pour the two solutions together, mix thoroughly by agitation for a few minutes, and throw the whole upon a paper filter in a glass funnel, arranged in such a manner that it may be kept hot. When the ferrous chloride has filtered through, test a small quantity with a drop of solution of ferrous sulphate; if a white precipitate occurs, a few more grains of sulphate of iron must be added and refiltered; then add the hydrochloric acid, and fill into four-ounce vials for further use.

This syrup contains the same amount of metallic iron, minim for minim, as the tinct. ferri chloridi, U. S. P.

This contains 120 grains of red bark and 10 drops of syr. ferrous chloride to each fluid ounce. If it be desirable to mix in any other proportion, add one measure of hydrochloric acid for each measure of syr. ferrous chloride. This is a deep red, clear tincture, rather pleasantly bitter; if any doubt exists as to whether it has blackened, add dilute alcohol to a small quantity, until it becomes transparent enough to observe it thoroughly.

Preservation of Tinct. Kino from Gelatinising. J. W. Wood. (Amer. Journ. Pharm., xliii., 344) The author gives the following formula for the preparation of this tincture; it yields a product which has no tendency to gelatinise, like the simple tincture of the Pharmacopoeia.

Mix the alcohol, water, and glycerin together, and having mixed the kino with an equal bulk of clean sand, introduce in a percolator, and pour on the menstruum.

This menstruum seems thoroughly to exhaust the drug of its astringent principle, and also makes a nice-looking preparation.

Some made on the 16th day of July, 1870, was exposed to the influence of the atmosphere, the stopper of the bottle containing it having been removed for several months, so that it had evaporated to at least two-thirds; yet it remains as good as when freshly made, without any apparent tendency to gelatinise.

The menstruum might be somewhat modified, perhaps with advantage, as, for instance, by using proportionally less alcohol and more glycerin and water, or vice versa. The author also suggests that the same menstruum be employed in preparing tinct. catechu, which, though not so liable to gelatinise as tinct. kino, yet sometimes does so.

Note on Tincture of Kino. A. F. Haselden, F.L.S. (Pharm. Journ., 3rd series, ii., 182.) As a rule, tincture of kino is not in constant demand, but it is frequently ordered in combination with other remedies during a prevalence of diarrhoea, and many practitioners prefer it to catechu. Tincture of kino is also used as an adjunct to mouth-washes, and any method of making or keeping it so that it shall remain unaltered will be a desirable acquisition.

For some years past the author has preserved tincture of kino from gelatinising by keeping it in bottles holding two ounces only, Once commenced, this quantity is soon consumed, and there is no fear of a change taking place before so small a bottle is emptied. In this manner he has kept the tincture for two The addition of glycerin, as suggested by Mr. J. W. Wood, cannot, he thinks, be objectionable, and for other than the Pharmacopoeia tincture he will be tempted to try it, and hopes to obtain an equally desirable result.

years.

Tinctura Opii. Allen Shryock. (Amer. Journ. Pharm., xliv., 160.) Allowing the opium to be wholly exhausted of its active principles, 1 grain would be represented by 12 minims of the tincture according to the United States formula; but a minute quantity of morphia has been detected in the residuary matter, so that the tincture is rather weaker than the proportion of opium employed

should indicate. To determine this difference, though slight, would be of interest.

Powdered opium was analysed, and found to yield 13,2 per cent. of morphia, giving 3171 grains in 50 troy ounces: this quantity being converted into 40 pints of tinctura opii, U. S. P., the dregs of the same were analysed, and found to contain 13 grains of morphia, upon which data we may readily calculate the loss as represented by morphia. Assuming the amount of morphia contained in the powdered opium to be represented nominally by 100 per cent., the amount of morphia retained in the dregs (13 grs.) will be represented by 40996, or approximately of one per cent. Therefore 12 minims of tincture of opium in strength equals 1 grain of powdered opium less per cent., or 100 gr., and 1 grain of powdered opium in morphia strength equal 12 minims.

996

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With this slight difference, however, 12, minims of the tincture may even represent more than 1 grain of powdered opium in therapeutic action, though lacking slightly in strength, from the fact of its being in a more diffusible state.

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of the opium used was taken up by the menstruum, and each fluid ounce of the tincture contained 4.93 grains of morphia.

The residues left in making galenical preparations are always more or less charged with traces of the active principles. The proper menstrua and mode of preparing them presents a wide and interesting field for investigation.

Morphia Strength of Tincture of Opium. L. M. Rice. (Proc. Amer. Pharm. Assoc., 1871, 447.) The author has analysed twenty samples of tincture of opium, collected from good pharmacies in America. The minimum quantity of morphia found was 2:39, and the maximum 5.23 grains per fluid ounce. The average was 3.625 grains. The assays were made as follows:-In most cases, thirty grammes of the tincture were used for each assay, and when the sample was large enough, two or three assays were made, and the averages taken. The tincture was first evaporated to one-half in a small capsule, by means of a water-bath to get rid of the alcohol. It was then set aside to allow the black tarry matter, which is soluble in alcohol, but insoluble in water, to subside. After twenty-four hours the aqueous solution was poured off and filtered into a small wide-mouth vial. The black tarry precipitate was then mixed with 3ij. of distilled water, and poured upon the same filter. This substance is much more easily removed by subsidence than by filtration. It is desirable to get rid of it, as it interferes with the precipitation of the morphia.