ON EXCIPIENTS FOE PILLS. 
423 
And thirdly, this bottle prevents the loss of acid fumes, which makes a 
considerable difference in the total acidity. In fact, the acid is stronger, 
more definite, and therefore superior to that made by the official method. 
Diluted nitro-hydrochloric acid, made by the process ordered in the British 
Pharmacopoeia, should have a sp. gr. P074 ; and 352'4 grains, by weight, 
should require for neutralization 920 grain-measures of the volumetric solu¬ 
tion of soda. Practically, however, the product does not answer to these 
tests, as shown by Mr. Heathfield and Mr. Tilden. The former gentleman, 
in a paper read at the Pharmaceutical Conference, held at Dundee, stated 
that he found the acid to have a sp. gr. 1-066, and neutralizing power equal 
to 840 grain-measures of volumetric solution of soda. Mr. lilclen’s experi¬ 
ments detailed in the ‘Pharmaceutical Journal’ (second series, Yol. X. 
p. 580), show that 352 - 4 grains by weight of acid, when made as directed by 
the British Pharmacopoeia (to say nothing of the precautions he used and the 
care he took to have all the gases and fumes contained in the product) has a 
saturating power equal to 828 grain-measures of volumetric solution of soda, 
in no case requiring 920. I have made similar analyses, and have found the 
mean of eight estimations (he. four samples, two estimations each) to be 
sp. gr. 1-065, and the acidity of 352 4 grains by weight equal to 835 grain- 
measures of volumetric solution of soda. This result nearly corresponds to the 
estimation of Mr. Heathfield, but is a little above that of Mr. Tilden. From 
these statements we clearly see that acid diluted by the B.P. process, practi¬ 
cally does not answer to the tests given for it in the Pharmacopoeia, which 
test, supposing there to be no diminution in volume, is too much by 20 grain- 
measures. However, there is a decrease in volume of one in ninety-six, thus 
increasing the acidity of the product. The analyses of acids made in these 
bottles are as follow :— 
The mean of eight estimations ( i.e . two for each sample) was sp. gr. 1-0741, 
and 352-4 grains, by weight, required for neutralization 919 grain-measures vo¬ 
lumetric solution of soda. The comparative result in respect to acidity is, 
that 100 grains by weight of acid, made in these bottles, will neutralize 24 
grain-measures more of volumetric solution of soda than the same quantity 
of acid made by the old process, or, in other words, that 91 grains by weight 
of the former acid is equal in acidity to 100 grains by weight of the latter. 
With regard to free chlorine, comparative analyses show that 100 grains by 
weight of acid, made in these bottles, require 3 grain-measures more of volu¬ 
metric solution of hyposulphite of sodium, than the same quantity of acid 
made as the Pharmacopoeia directs. 
In conclusion, I would express my thanks for being permitted to conduct 
many of the above experiments in the Laboratory of the Pharmaceutical So¬ 
ciety, and for the kind hints of Professor Attfield. 
OX EXCIPIENTS FOR PILLS. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL, 
Dear Sir,—I venture once more to trespass on your space, in reply to some 
remarks made by Mr. Savage in the last Journal, on a previous communication 
of mine; but will first premise that this is not a discussion on the therapeutic 
value of wax, but only its use as au excipient for pills. In his reply, he most 
certainly has not “ proved the fallacy of my experiments,” and I think that I 
shall shortly be able to show that there is considerable inconsistency between 
his theory and his practice; and I would also remind him that there is no 
analogy between the idea of taking turpentine after wax pills, and spirits of 
