PHARMACY. 



solved in the water, may rise to the top, 

 or sink to the bottom, according to its 

 specific gravity. It is then to be separat- 

 ed, either by a separately, or by means 

 of a small glass syringe ; or by means of a 

 filter of paper ; or, lastly, by means of a 

 \voollen thread, one end of which is im- 

 mersed in the oil, and the other lower 

 end in a phial : the oil will thus pass 

 over into the phial by capillary attraction, 

 and the thread is to be squeezed dry. 



Most distilled waters, when first pre- 

 pared, have a somewhat unpleasant smell, 

 which, however, they gradually lose : it 

 is therefore advisable to keep them for 

 some days after their preparation in ves- 

 sels but slightly covered ; and not to cork 

 them up until they lose that smell. 



That the waters may keep the better, 

 about one-twentieth part of their weight 

 of proof spirit may be added to each after 

 they are distilled. I have been informed 

 by a respectable apothecary, that if the 

 simple distilled waters be rectified, by 

 distilling them a second time, they will 

 keep for several years without the addi- 

 tion of any spirit, which always gives an 

 unpleasant flavour, and is often objec- 

 tionable for other reasons. 



Distilled waters are employed chiefly 

 as grateful diluents, as suitable vehicles 

 for medicines of greater efficacy, or for 

 rendering disgustful ones mure accepta- 

 ble to the palate and stomach : few are 

 depended on, with any intention of con- 

 sequence by themselves. 



To the chapter on simple distilled wa- 

 ters, the London college have annexed 

 the following remarks. 



(< We have ordered most of the waters 

 to be distilled from the dried herbs, be- 

 cause fresh are not ready at all times of 

 the year. Whenever the fresh are used, 

 the weights are to be increased. But, 

 whether the fresh or dried herbs be em- 

 ployed, the operator may vary the weight 

 according to the season in which they 

 have been produced and collected." 



Herbs andseeds kept beyond the space 

 of a year, become less proper for the dis- 

 tillation of waters. 



To every gallon of these waters add 

 five ounces, by measure, of proof spirit. 



The Edinburgh college order half an 

 ounce of proof spirit to every pound of 

 the water, which is nearly the same. 



But the Dublin college order five 

 ounces of proof spirit to be added to 

 each pound, which is probably a typo- 

 graphical error. 



Water itself is ordered to be distilled, 



to give it greater purity ; and the sub- 

 stances from which distilled waters are 

 to be drawn, are as follows : the weight 

 of each being sufficient for a gallon. 



Two pounds of fresh orange-peel, 

 Edin. 



Aqua citri aurantii. 



One pound of sweet fennel seeds 

 bruised, Lond. Dubl. 



Aqua foeniculi dulcis. 

 Six pounds of the recent petals of the 

 damask rose. 



Aqua rosae centifolise, Edin. 

 Aqua rosse, Lond. Dub. 

 Three pounds, Edin. one pound and a 

 half, Lond. Dubl. of peppermint. 



Aqua menthae piperitse, Edin. 

 Aqua menthx piperitidis, Lond. 



Dub, 



Three pounds, Edin. one .pound and 

 a half, Lond. Dubl. of pennyroyal, in 

 flower, 



Aqua menthae pulegii, Edin. 

 Aqua pulegii, Lond. Dubl. 

 Two pounds of fresh lemon peel, 



Aqua citri medico, Edin. 

 One pound and a half of spearmint. 



Aqua menthre sativse, Lond. Dub. 

 One pound of cinnamon, (macerated 

 for a day) Lond. Dubl. 



Aqua lauri cinnamoni, Edin. 

 Aqua cinnamoni, Lond. Dubl. 

 One pound of cassia, 



Aqua lauri cassias, Edin. 

 One pound of bruised dill seeds, 



Aqua anethi, Lond. 



Half a pound of pimento, (macerated 

 for a day) Lond. 



Aqua myrti pimentx, Edin. 

 Aqua pimento, Lond. 



The virtues of all these waters are near- 

 ly alike ; and the peculiarities of each 

 will be easily understood by consulting 

 the account given in the materia medica, 

 of the substance from which they are pre- 

 pared. Mr. Nicholson mentions, that as 

 rose-water is exceedingly apt to spoil, the 

 apothecaries generally prepare it in small 

 quantities at a time from the leaves, pre- 

 served by packing them closely in cans 

 with common salt. This we understand 

 is not the practice in Edinburgh, and in- 

 deed cannot succeed with the petals of 

 the damask rose, for they lose their smell 

 by drying. The London apothecaries, 

 therefore, probably use the red rose. The 

 spoiling of some waters is owing to some 

 mucilage carried over in the distillation ; 

 for, if rectified by a second distiflation, 

 they keep perfectly. 



