382 
SUGGESTIONS FOE THE BRITISH PHARMACOPOEIA. 
Liq. Ammoniac fort. 
,, ,, Acet. fort. 
,, ,, Carb. fort., P. L. 
,, Calcii Chlorid. fort., B. P. 
„ Ferri Perchlor. fort. 
,, Ilydrarg. Perchlor. fort. 
,, Iodi Co. fort. 
Liq. Ammon, dilut. 
,, ,, Acet. dilut., P, L. 
,, ,, Carb. dilut., B. P. 
,, Calcii Chlorid. dilut., B. P. 
„ Ferri Perchlor. dilut. (equal 
in strength to the L.) 
„ Hydrarg. Perchlor. dilut., P. L. 
„ Iodin. Co. dilut. (to correspond 
to Liq. Potass. Iod. Co., P. L.), 
etc. etc. 
The sp. ammonise arom. is ordered to be distilled,—surely an unnecessary ex¬ 
pense and trouble. Under the spirits, we have solutions of essential oils in recti¬ 
fied spirit, in the proportions of one of oil to nine pints of spirit, preparations 
differing much from the former spirits (P. L.) ; in the case of peppermint con¬ 
taining forty-seven, and in that of juniper ninety-five times the quantity of oil. 
Surely it would have been more advisable to have adopted the term essence, by 
which such solutions are already known in the trade and recognized by the Dublin 
College. 
The ung. resinse is ordered to be made of— 
Resin, 8 ounces. 
Yellow Wax, 4 ounces. 
Simple Ointment, 16 ounces : melted together. 
The 16 ounces of simple ointment is composed of— 
White Wax, 4 ounces. 
Prepared Lard, 6 ounces. 
Almond Oil, 6 ounces: melted together. 
The object of uniting yellow and white wax in this compound I cannot tell, 
but it strikes me it would be better to have ordered the proper quantities of 
each ingredient in the first instance and melt them together, to avoid the unne¬ 
cessary application of heat. 
Mr. Barber, in this month’s Journal, advocates the employment of yellow wax 
in preference to white, in the preparation of ung. hydr. nitr. ox. It is not im¬ 
probable but the healing qualities of the wax may, to a slight extent, be dete¬ 
riorated by bleaching. I have, on more occasions than one, observed on mixing 
iodide of potassium with ung. cetacei, a brownish-coloured ointment result, 
owing perhaps to a minute quantity of chlorine being retained by the wax. This 
may affect delicate preparations, and, among others, the hydr. nitr. oxid. It is 
worthy of investigation how far the healing qualities of wax may be affected by 
bleaching. 
. The process given for liq. ferri perchloridi is troublesome and faulty, yielding 
different results to different operators. I cannot say it has yielded me a satisfac¬ 
tory product. The simple process in the London Pharmacopoeia yielded a very 
much esteemed tonic, and, seeing we have in the B. P., perox. iron, dried at 
212°, and pure hydrochloric acid, which dissolves it, there can be no great diffi¬ 
culty in propounding a formula for a solution yielding a certain quantity of 
peroxide of iron on addition of potash, containing a slight excess of acid, sufficient 
to keep it in solution. 
Hoping these observations may induce others to communicate their ideas«on 
these matters, 
I remain, yours respectfully, 
William Proctor. 
Hewcastle-on-Tyne , Dec. 16, 1865. 
