DECOCTUM ALOES COMPOSITUM CONCENTRATUM. 
593 
Assafoetida is still used as a condiment in the East, and we see no reason why 
the taste might not be acquired by Europeans, as garlic is taken in Spain, or 
caviare in Russia. 
Almost the whole of the gum-resins in commerce come down the Persian 
Gulf to India, and thence to an English port; our author, with natural pride, 
observes on this head :— 
“ The route by which we now receive assafoetida and many other drugs, makes us 
hope that the completion of the canal of the Isthmus of Suez will give Marseilles the 
benefit of becoming the market for these articles, and will thus free French commerce 
from the intermediate offices of the English merchant.” 
In closing this notice of a work of much interest, we are confident that there 
can be but one opinion as to the value, to pharmaceutical research, of such mono¬ 
graphs on Natural Orders, or on articles of the Materia Medica ; the increase in 
the number of such works clearly marks the great impetus that has been given, 
in the last few years, to the pursuit of individual subjects, and to the investi¬ 
gation of the byways and collateral paths of those great sciences that in all 
historic time have absorbed man’s higher mind or captivated his purer intellect. 
* MILK OF SULPHUR. 
TO THE EDITORS OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Gentlemen,—In reply to your correspondent “J. C. T.,” in the Journal for the 
present month, I would refer to the paper read by Mr. luce at the Pharmaceu¬ 
tical Meeting of April 13th, 1842, which will be found reported in the first 
volume of the ‘ Pharmaceutical Journal,’ at pages 581, 582, etc. 
Twenty-six years ago many chemists tried to recommend the pure precipitated 
sulphur to the public, and I know that it was offered at the same retail price as 
the “ milk of sulphurbut the public preferred the latter, and we can account 
for this preference. 
The large quantity of sulphate of lime present gives the milk of sulphur a very 
white and silky appearance, and entirely removes the slight sulphur smell, 
which I have generally found in the pure precipitated sulphur. 
* In Mr. Ince’s paper he estimates that 40,000 lbs. weight of sulphate of lime is 
swallowed annually by her Majesty 's liege subjects for milk of sulphur. Never¬ 
theless, the public prefer the “ milk of sulphur ” to the pure precipitated sulphur 
I am, Gentlemen, yours, etc., 
Joseph Leay. 
Chilconvpton , Bath , May 12 th, 1868. 
DECOCTUM ALOES COMPOSITUM CONCENTRATUM. 
BY ARCHIBALD PATERSON. 
In this age of progress, pharmacy has not been exempted from the general 
demand for novelties. One of the novelties in pharmacy of this age is the in¬ 
troduction of, and demand for, concentrated preparations. 
In many respects these are valuable additions, and supply the market with 
good and elegant preparations, which would never have existed had it not 
been for the love of something new. 
They are for the most part what may be termed proprietary medicines, in so 
far as they are generally prepared by some particular firm, which has devoted 
VOL. ix. 2 q 
