196 
BRITISH PHARMACEUTICAL CONFERENCE. 
evaporating, I obtained but a very trifling colourless residue, consisting of 
most brilliant prismatic and octahedral crystals, soluble in acids, but not in 
ether. They are consequently not buxine, but probably anew alkaloid. As 
the larger part of pereirine presented a close resemblance in colour and taste 
toberberine, I tried to obtain from it crystallized nitrates and hydrochlorates 
but without success. Pereirine appears therefore to be a peculiar base. 
The President remarked that Dr. Fliickiger was Director of Ihe State Pharmacy at 
Bern, and the subject of his paper was one on which he was peculiarly well qualified to 
speak. It was an interesting fact that Pareirci Brava contained an alkaloid which had 
been supposed to he exclusively yielded by bibiiu bark. Again, it was remarkable that 
an alkaline nitrate should precipitate this alkaloid just as with emetine ; and the beha¬ 
viour of these two alkaloids under such circumstances w ? as quite exceptional. 
Mr. Mobson (London) said that according to his experience the percentage of bibi- 
rine obtained frcm the weed of the greenheart-tree was very small. 
ON TINCTUBE OE ACETATE OE IEON. 
BY MESSRS. J. DEANE AND T. JEFFERSON. 
Tincture of acetate of iron is one of several preparations that occasion some 
trouble and annoyance to those engaged in the dispensing of medicines, partly 
from its instability, and partly from its being so rarely prescribed that, even 
if kept prepared, it will, at the time of its being required, most probably be 
found in a condition quite unfit for use. Although the process given m the 
British Pharmacopoeia would seem to furnish a ready means of preparing it 
in small quantity at short notice, practically a considerable time and much 
w aste of spirit of wine are involved in w T ashing out the solution retained by 
the precipitated sulphate of potash. When freshly made the preparation is 
elegant enough m appearance, but, for the reasons above stated, some modifi¬ 
cation of the process seems desirable. 
With the view of trying to overcome these difficulties, some experiments 
were undertaken to prepare a tincture which should keep without matenal 
change for a reasonable time, and w hich should be equally definite in compo¬ 
sition with that prepared according to the formula given in the Pharma¬ 
copoeia. 
1st. For sake of comparison, samples were carefully prepared strictly m 
accordance with the B. P. directions, and placed under varying conditions, 
some being fully exposed to sunlight, and others kept in the shop under or¬ 
dinary circumstances ; but in all cases it was found that a change began to 
take place in about a month or five weeks, the liquid gradually becoming 
turbid, and depositing oxyacetate of iron, while at the same time the alcohol 
became partially converted into acetic ether by the action of the liberated 
acetic acid. .... 
2nd. Thinking that possibly the presence of alcohol might expedite decom¬ 
position, an aqueous solution was prepared of the same strength, by dissolv¬ 
ing freshly precipitated oxide of iron in an equivalent portion of acetic acid, 
and diluting to the proper bulk ; but this experiment was not attended w ith 
any better success than the first, decomposition commencing in about the 
same time. 
3rd. A concentrated solution was prepared, four times the strength of Ihe 
tincture, so as to bear the same relation to it, that the liquor ferri perchloridi 
fortior docs to the tinctura ferri perchloridi. 
The formula adopted is as follows :— 
