a student’s observations on the b.p. 
719 
P. 236, line 16 from bottom,—Pilula cambogiee composita, after “syrup” 
•write—by weight 1 oz., or a sufficiency. On same page, line 4 from bottom,— 
Pil. colocynthidis composita, after “distilled water” insert, a fluid oz., or a 
sufficiency. Page 239, line 7 from top, after “ treacle ” write—by weight 2 oz., 
or a sufficiency. 
Pilula Saponis Composita .—The proportion of opium in the compound pill 
of soap seems to have been uunecessarily altered from the customary 1 part in 
5, to—“ 1 part in 6 nearly.” 
If there should not exist any objection against the use of a potash soap, the 
following will be found an improvement on the official formula, since it not 
only yields a uniform mass, easy to roll, but what is of more consequence, one 
of unvarying strength :— 
Take of Opium, in powder 
* *, * "I of each 2 oz 
le powder ) 
Liquorice Root, in fine 
Hard Soap, in powder 
Soft Soap .... 
Gradually beat the powders, previously mixed together, with the soft soap, 
until a uniform mass is obtained. 
Pyroxylin .—Might not this be more euphoniously Latinized pyroxylinum? 
It would then correspond with similar terminations, as—digitalinum, glyceri- 
num, iodum, etc.; and since gun-cotton no more enters into the preparation of 
collodium flexile, than gossypium does into that of collodium, the flexile variety 
ought to be erased from the preparations of Pyroxylinum as given on p. 267. 
Syrupi .—The official instructions for the completion of most of these prepara¬ 
tions seem to be unnecessarily diverse. 
In eleven only of the seventeen syrups the final weight and specific gravity 
is to be noticed. 
In one instance (syrupus rhamni) the specific gravity alone is given. 
With syrupus aurantii, zingiberis, and ferri phosphatis, neither weight nor 
specific gravity is to be found. The two former, I am aware, cannot well vary, 
but that may not be said of the Fe 3 P 2 O s syrup, respecting which all that is 
stated is, that it should “ measure twelve fluid ounces,” but, if it should not, 
the deficiency must either be made up with distilled water, which is objection¬ 
able, or with diluted phosphoric acid, which would make the syrup unneces¬ 
sarily acid. 
In the formulae for syrupus rhei and syrupus scillse, we look in vain for any 
standard of comparison, to which loss by evaporation, etc. may be adjusted. 
If uniformity be considered necessary, a definite measure for every syrup, as 
well as weight and specific gravity, would prove of great practical utility, and 
save the calculation which is now necessary. 
Thus under syrupus we might read, the product should w r eigh 1\ lbs., measure 
90 fluid oz., and have a specific gravity of 1*33. 
Syrupus aurantii .—This syrup is not neary so delicious as it may be. The 
delicate flavour of the orange seems quite overpowered by the spirits of wine in 
the tincture. 
The following process, which consists in using a tincture double the ordinary 
strength, yields a syrup nicer every way than that of the B.P. the extra cost 
of the “ Peel ” is more than defrayed by the reduction in the strength of the 
spirit, this being sp. gr. 0935, or 13 percent. “ under proof,” and quite strong 
enough to prevent the slightest change by fermentation :— 
Tinctura Aurantii Fortior. 
Strong Tincture of Orange-Peel. 
