24 
THE CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST OF AUSTRALASIA. Jan. 1, 1886. 
a solid jelly separates out, and a large proportion of the oil 
floats to the top of the gelatinized mass ; and no amount of 
agitation will blend the ingredients together. 
The author thought it would be worth while to make a few 
experiments to see what a modified process, or an altered 
formula, would do — deviating as little as j)ossible from the 
standard liniment. 
It has been stated in the Pharmaceutical Journal that, if 
Fighly rectified turpentine be used, as well as pure«upo mollis, 
the liniment will turn out satisfactorily, provided that the in- 
structions given in the pharmacopoeia be rigidly carried out. 
We have tried it, however, under several conditions, and 
find that it is practically impossible to attain good results 
from the official cjuantities, with such quality of ingredients 
as are usually to be found in a pharmacy ; strictly adhering 
to the directions. 
A correspondent in one of your contemporaries asserts that 
if double the prescribed quantity of water be employed, a good 
liniment can be made. We find that this statement is correct, 
for on adding a second quantity of water (equal to that 
;^eviously used), to the wretched incompatible mixture 
described above, and shaking well, a fair liniment like a furni- 
ture cream was produced, but too thick to pour easily out of a 
narrow-necked bottle. On adding a third portion of water — 
so as to increase the original quantity to three times, a beauti- 
ful milk-like fluid resulted — as perfectly mixed and as per- 
manent as St. John Long’s famous embrocation where yolk 
of egg is employed. We find, however, that a little less pro- 
portion of water than this answers sufficiently well. 
We now desired to discover whether by any other method of 
procedure, a suitable preparation could be produced without 
alteration of the pharmaeopoeial quantities. 
By dissolving the soap in two-thirds of the oil of turpentine, 
and the camphor in the remaining portion ; and mixing the 
two fluids together, we produce the linimeiitiim tcrehinthincc 
of the former B.P. The only difference between the two 
ffirmuljB, being two ounces of water. Such quantity of water 
We therefore added gradually, shaking violently after each addi- 
tion. The result ajjpeared better than when the ingredients 
were mixed by the official method, yet the oil was plainly seen 
in large drops throughout the mixture, and in a short space of 
time, the whole thickened like a badly-made custard. On 
now adding as much more water and shaking, it once more 
assumed the fluid state, but appeared very flocculent. On 
further adding of water, there was still more blending, yet 
distributed through the liquid, remained 
visible ; while on increasing the proportion of water to treble 
the officially formulated quantity, a uniformly mingled fluid, 
resembling milk, was obtained, which maintained its 
homogeneousness for a fortnight, and will doubtless keep for 
a long time to come. 
It is clear, therefore, that it matters little what method of 
mixing be adopted, and provided a sufficient proportion of 
water be employed, a satisfactory result obtains. It is however 
necessary to add that if the official modus operandl he followed, 
and the proiiosed alteration in the quantity of water (see 
below) be adopted ; every care must be taken to get the soap 
thoroughly admixed with the water before using the oil of 
turpentine, which in turn must be added by instalments, in 
order to ensure a complete blending of the ingredients in the 
limment. 
I would therefore suggest the following amended formula 
for this at present unsatisfactory preparation : — 
Liniment of Turpentine. 
Soft Soap 
Camphor 
Distilled Water . . 
Oil of Tui’pentine 
2 ounces. 
1 ounce. 
6 fluid ouces 
16 fluid ounces. 
^ Directions. — Place the soft soap in a mortar and triturate 
it with the water, gradually, to a homogeneous cream. Dis- 
solve the camphor in the oil of turpentine, and add it to the 
foregoing mixture with constant stirring. 
By the modification indicated,, the proportion of oil of 
turpentine will be reduced from 16 parts in 21 parts (or nearly 
1 in 1^), as it is in the official formula, to 16 parts in 25 parts 
— or more correctly 16oz. in 23Joz. hy weight (the sp. gr. of oil 
of turpentine being 90 .) or 16oz. in 24oz. l>y volume, which 
is equivalent in strength to 1 in 1^ ; but the product is a 
vast improvement upon the pharmacopfuial preparation for ■ 
which the above substitute is recommended. 
Siubeirt's CTorntr. 
“ Competition is the best TraUiing.'' 
I As the result of an accident the award on Competition 10 is 
I not complete in time for this issue. We publish the questions 
in the next Competition, and the awards for the two preced- 
ing will be published in our next issue. 
COMPETITION No. 11. 
j The replies to be sent in before February 15, and the report 
I will appear in the ensuing month. 
I Rules. 
I The competition consists of written exercises. 
Each sheet should bear some 7iom de plume or motto,. 
I and an^ envelope bearing the same legend, and containing the 
competitor’s real name and address, should accompany each 
exercise. 
All papers will be examined by a competent authority. The 
names of the successful candidates will be published, and the 
mottoes or noms de jdume of the others, in order of merit, to- 
gether with the number of marks actually gained by each, 
j The following rules must be attended to 
(a.) Answers should be written on foolscap or quarto sized 
paper, and on one side only. 
(5.) Candidates must confine their attention strictly to the 
questions. 
(c.) It is not necessary to repeat the question ; the number 
j only need be given. 
I The prizes, consisting of books, published at about the 
I price of 10s. for the first, and 5s. for the second, will be for* 
j waided to the winners as soon as their choice is ascertained. 
I QUESTIONS. 
1. Compare the 2 ^roperties of the two oxides of carbon, 
and state how each can be derived from the other. 
2. What medicinal j)lants belong to the natural order 
Myrtacece ? G-ive their botanical names, [and state if any 
aie indigenous to Australia. Mention also the pharmaco- 
j pmial preparations derived from them, 
f 3- Describe the characters of parenchyma, prosenchyma, 
I trachenchyma, and state where these tissues may be found. 
g ensing g ifft cu (ti es . 
“Juciindi acti labores." — Cicero. 
R Liq. antim. tart jss 
Magnes. sulpli. . . 533 
Liq. santal. tlav. cum buchu 
et cubebro jj 
Syrup, aurautii 
Aquas, ad ?viii 
M., ft. mist. 
I Alchemist's" Mi.vfure . — The prescribed ingredients will 
I not mix ju'operly without a suitable adjunct, for a floc- 
I culent^ resin-like deposit forms on the side of the bottle. 
The addition, however, of ^ss of mucilage will permit the pro- 
duction of an elegant preparation. The modus operandi is as 
follows ; — Place half an ounce of mucilage with an equal 
quantity of water in the bottle; add an ounce of Liquor 
SautaL Flav. cum Buchu et Gubehd, and shake vigorously; 
next add the syrup and shake again ; and finally add gradu- 
ally the Liq, Antim. Tart and the remainder of the water 
in which has been dissolved the magnes. sulph. ; shake 
on each addition. As thus prepared, the mixture has kept 
for a week without any separation. 
Yin. ipecac jij 
Tr. camph. Co jij 
Syr. tolut. jij 
Spt. chlor. 5iis3 
Aquse ad 
2'he Ghild'’s Mixture, the formula of which has been for- 
warded to your columns by “Puzzled,” affords an instance 
of that kind of prescription that creates the greatest difficulty 
to the pharmacist. Opiates should not, as a rule, be admin- 
istered to infants ; but here the quantity of opium in the mix- 
ture is so exceedingly small, that any doubt about the pro- 
priety of dispensing it on that score need not be entertained. 
The question then arises, in view of the concentrated nature 
of the medicine, is there not too much spirit for infantile con- 
stitutions ? The interrogator remarks that it is nearly half 
rectified spirit. Let us analyse it strictly. 
