356 
PHYSIOLOGIC RESEARCHES AS TO CHLORODYNE. 
testing Mr. Hustwick’s formulae, it must be understood that minims are used in¬ 
stead of drops. His recipe A will then require for twelve pills gr. xviij more of 
lycopodium, to produce a spongy, bulky mass, each pill weighing nearly 7| grs., 
and in a short time will not bear the slightest pressure without crumbling ; 
this experiment was repeated twice to test its accuracy. C, exact formula, un¬ 
manageable, and requires an extra gr. j of lycopodium to each pill; the creasote 
does not properly combine, but is diffused over the mortar, each pill weighed 
nearly gr. xj, and yielded up creasote on pressure; after awhile the pills became 
hard, brittle, and unsatisfactory,—tried three times with the same result. F 
could not be made but with gr. xxxvj lycopodium, and gr. xxiv pulv.trag. co. 
(12) large, soft, and unsatisfactory pills were made; and as to the relative value 
of absorbing power of liquorice powder and lycopodium, it is scarcely appre¬ 
ciable, as the following recipe will illustrate:—creasoti mxij, pil. sapon. co. 
5*s, pulv. glycyrrh. q.s. into twelve pills, which weighed 62 grains; whilst the 
same pills with lycopodium weighed 55 grs., and although seven grains lighter, 
they were slightly more bulky. Supposing pil. sapon. co. is not required, the 
following formulae will make excellent pills :— 
Creasoti ntxij. |Sb Creasoti mxxiv. 
Cerae flav. gr. xvj. Cerae flav. 5 j. 
Pulv. sapon. gr. viij. M. in Pulv. sapon. gr. x. M. in 
pil. xij. pil. xij. 
Here you have two homogeneous masses, tested as to their solubility in the fol¬ 
lowing manner:—5 grs. pepsine to 1 oz. water, and kept at a uniform temperature 
of 100° F. in a test-tube, readily disintegrates them. Suppose wax alone to be 
insoluble in the stomach (which Mr. Hustwick does not attempt to prove), it 
becomes disintegrated , as the following experiments will prove :—two aperient 
jpills, having three thick coatings of wax, were taken at bedtime, and acted 
lreely the following morning. In like manner two ordinary calomel and 
colocynth pills were coated, and produced their usual effect. Before concluding 
I would just observe that my own experience induces me to use simple instead 
of pulv. trag. co. as preferable for pills, and they do not become so hard unless the 
tragacanth is used in excess. 
Bread is decidedly objectionable, it becomes hard and crumbly, and is always 
difficult to roll; it certainly gives hulk to the pills, but its stamina being of a 
spongy nature, liquorice powder will be found preferable. I am sorry to have 
occupied so much of your space, but I trust the introduction of a new excipient, 
capable of a much more extensive application than for creasote, will be a suffi¬ 
cient apology. From yours, 
W. D. Savage. 
PHYSIOLOGIC RESEARCHES AS TO CHLORODYNE. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—Your Journal Is doing good by permitting a fair scientific examination 
of the physiological and other properties of chlorodyne. It is quite clear that if 
we have such a deadly addition as belladonna to the other toxic agents, such as 
hydrocyanic acid, morphia, Indian hemp, in one variety of chlorodyne, it is 
of vital importance the fact should be stated; for myself, having tried all three 
specimens pretty extensively, viz. that of Towle, Freeman, and of Daven¬ 
port’s, I have come to regard them all as equally valuable on some points, use¬ 
less in others; two of them certainly free from belladonna, if not all. I think 
the profession, if guided honestly by medical journals and not self-interest in 
the advertising of proprietary medicines, should discountenance secret formulae. 
We have deaths from chloroform and chlorodyne, because experienced men are 
