PHARMACY. 



mucilages, which are commonly classed 

 \viththe infusions, are instances of sim- 

 ple solution, and the chalk mixture is the 

 mechanical suspension of an insoluble 

 substance. When the menstruum used 

 is water, the solution is termed simply an 

 infusion ; but when the menstruum is al- 

 cohol, and upon a colouring 1 material, it 

 is called a tincture ; when wine or vine- 

 gar, a medicated wine or vinegar. Infu- 

 sions in water are extremely apt to spoil, 

 and are generally extemporaneous pre- 

 parations. 



The following are those officially pre- 

 scribed : 



Infusum cinchona, Edin. infusion of 

 Peruvian bark. 



Infusum digitalis purpureze, Edin. infu- 

 sion of fox-glove. 



Infusum gentianse compositum Lond. 

 Infusum gentianae luteae comp. Edin. in- 

 fusion of gentian, compound. 



Infusum mimosae catechu, Edin. t infu- 

 sion of catechu. 



Infusum rheijmlmati, Edin. infusion of 

 rhubarb. 



Infusum rosse, Lond. infusum rosx Gal- 

 licae, Edin. infusion of roses. 



Infusum senna^, Lond. Bubl. infusion of 

 senna. 



Infusum senna: tartarlsatum, Lond. in- 

 fusion of senna tartarised. 



Infusum tamarindi Ind. cum cassia sen- 

 na, Edin. infusion of tamarinds and senna. 



CLASS XII. Mucilagines. MUCILAGES. 



These, as officially prescribed, are as 

 follow : 



Mucilago amyli Lond.^Edm. mucilage 

 of starch. 



Mucilago tragacanthse, Lond. mucilago 

 astragali trag'ac. Edin. mucilago gummi 

 tragac, Dubl. mucilage of tragacanth. 



Mucilago mimosse niloticre, Edin. muci- 

 lago gummi arabici, Lond. mucilage of 

 gum arabic. 



Mucilago sein. cydonii mali, Lond. mu- 

 cilage of quince seed. 



CLASS XII. Syrupi. SYRUPS. 



In making these the following is the 

 proportion where no particulars are men- 

 tioned in respect to the weight of sugar. 



Take of double-refined sugar twenty- 

 wine ounces ; any kind of liquor one pint, 

 (one pint and a half, Uubl.) ; dissolve the 

 sugar in the liquor, in a water bath ; (mix 

 and boil down to one pound, Dubl.) ; then 

 set it aside for twenty -four hours ; take 



VOL. V. 



off the scum, an dp our off the syrup from 

 the feces if there be any. 



Syrups are solutions of sugar in any wa- 

 tery fluid, whether simple or medicated. 

 Simple syrup is nutritious and demulcent. 

 When made of fine sugar, it is transpa- 

 rent and colourless. It' necessary, it is 

 easily clarified by beating to a froth the 

 white of an egg with three or four ounces 

 of water, mixing it with the syrup, and 

 boiling the mixture for a few seconds, un- 

 til the albumen coagulates, and envelop- 

 ing all heterogeneous matters, it forms a 

 scum, which may be easily taken off, or 

 separated by filtration. When, instead of 

 simple water, any other fluid is used for 

 dissolving the sugar, the syrup is then 

 medicated. Medicated syrups are pre- 

 pared either with express juices, infusi- 

 ons, decoctions, or saline fluids. The ob- 

 ject of forming these into syrups is, either 

 to render them agreeable to the palate, 

 or to preserve them from fermentation. 

 In the latter case, the quantity of sugar 

 added becomes a matter of great import- 

 ance ; for if too much be employed, the 

 sugar will separate by crystallization ; and 

 if too little, instead of preventing fermen- 

 tation, it will accelerate it. About two 

 parts of sugar to one of fluid, are the pro- 

 portions directed by the British Colleges 

 with this view. But as, in some instances, 

 a larger quantityof fluid is added,and after- 

 wards reduced to the proper quantity by 

 decoction,it will not be superfluous to point 

 out some circumstances which show the 

 evaporation to have been carried far 

 enough. These are, the tendency to form 

 a pellicle on its surface, when a drop of it 

 is allowed to cool; the receding of the last 

 portion of each drop, when poured out 

 drop by drop, after it is cold ; and, what 

 is most to be relied on, its specific gravity 

 when boiling hot being about 1.385, or 

 1.3 when cold. The syrup which re- 

 mains, after all the crystallizable sugar 

 has been separated from it, has been 

 much, and probably justly, recommended 

 by some for the preparation of medicated 

 syrups and electuaries, although its phar- 

 maceutical superiority is actually owing 

 to its impurity. 



The following are the official prepara- 

 tions. 



Syrupus simplex, Edin. simple syrup. 



Syrupus acidi acetosi, Edin. syrup of 

 acetous acid. 



Syrupus allii, Dubl. syrup of garlic. 



Syrupus althea;, Land. Edin. smip of 

 marshm allows. 



