CORRESPONDENCE. 
743 
easily removed with potash. The only thing 
requiring care is not to overheat the ergot 
in the water, as it forms a thick solution 
had to filter, on account (I should think) of 
starchy matter. I always macerate in a 
water-bath, and never have any trouble, and 
invariably get good results. I usually ope¬ 
rate upon from 1 to 3 lbs. 
With reference to emplast. belladonnae, I 
consider the B. P. preparation very superior 
to the old one; and I think the notion of 
the difficulty of getting rid of the spirit ra¬ 
ther imaginary. Among the points deserv¬ 
ing consideration, are those of the uncer¬ 
tainty of the result and the price. As will 
be seen by the laboratory memoranda given 
below, I cannot make it under 10s. 6(Z. per 
lb., and it is regularly quoted in London 
drug circulars at os. 4 d., which is a con¬ 
siderable discrepancy. I think the quantity 
of spirit insufficient to exhaust the bella¬ 
donna extract. The inconvenience said to 
result from its being of too soft a character 
may be got over by the use of an adhesive 
margin, which was also required for the old 
preparation, or it would not stick. 
Lab. Mem. No. 1. 
Ext. Belladon. Jiij Is. 10c?. 
Sp. Yini Beet, (loss) 4*c?. 
Emp. Besinae -jiij 2d. 
Besult of this was 3 oz. and 4 drs. of 
aster, costing 2s. 4 d. 
Lab. Mem. No. 2. 
Ext. Belladon. §iij Is. 10i. 
Sp. Vini Beet, (loss) 4 d. 
Emp. Besinae §iij 2d. 
Besult of this was 3 oz. and 6 drs. of 
aster, costing 2s. 4 d. 
Lab. Mem. No. 3. 
Based on the former two. 
Fol. Belladon. Hss 8c?. 
Sp. Yini Beet, (loss) Is. 0 d. 
Emp. Besinae 2c?. 
The amount of alcoholic extract in this 
case was 6^ drs., and that of the plaster 3 oz. 
and 6 drs., costing Is. 10c?. 
Lab. Mem. No. 4. 
Based on Nos. 1, 2, and 3. 
Ext. Belladon. Alcoholic. 5v 10c?. 
Emp. Besinae 2c?. 
Besult 3 oz. and 5 drs. plaster, costing Is. 
The calculation of results does not allow 
for waste in adding the extract to the plaster, 
but it would affect all in the same ratio. 
Yours most respectfully, 
Thomas W. Bomans. 
55, Westgate, Wakefield, 
April llth, I860. 
Pulyis Cretle Aromaticus. 
Sir,—It has more than once been a sub¬ 
ject of remark that so large a quantity of a 
costly and inert drug like saffron is ordered 
in several preparations of the British Phar¬ 
macopoeia. Perhaps the most extreme case 
is that of pulv. cretse aromat. Any who 
will take the trouble to price out the quan¬ 
tities ordered in the Pharmacopoeia will find 
that the preparation costs about 5 s. per lb., 
of which the colouring matter alone, at its 
present price, 3s. 9c?. to 4s. per oz., costs 
about four-fifths. Such figures speak for 
themselves, and I think afford good ground 
for consideration whether a smaller propor¬ 
tion of saffron will not produce a sufficiently 
rich colour. 
C. Eye. 
Hampstead, April 21st, 1870. 
Preservation of Eggs. 
Sir,—Having been consulted on the sub¬ 
ject of egg preservation by a large dealer, I 
should be glad to receive information as to 
the following particulars :— 
1. Is there a better process for preserving 
hens’ eggs than the old-fashioned one of 
sinking them in thick lime-water ? 
2. The lime process kepps the eggs sweet, 
but renders the shells more fragile. Is there 
any method of obviating this ? 
3. Have any of your correspondents tried 
the salt and water process, or that where the 
eggs are boiled for half a minute before put¬ 
ting ha a preservative solution ? And, if so, 
with what results P 
4. Have any investigated the whole sub¬ 
ject, and, if they have, what is their conclu¬ 
sion as to the most useful method to be 
adopted on a large scale ? 
6. Is the addition of a freezing mixture 
to the lime and water of any benefit in har¬ 
dening the shell ? 
With regard to the last point, such freez¬ 
ing mixtures would have to be cheap, and 
would mostly contain sal ammoniac, which 
is decomposed by lime; and, speaking off¬ 
hand, I don’t think such an addition would 
do any good. 
I shall be obliged by any communica¬ 
tions. 
Yours truly, 
B. Shaw. 
J Exchange Buildings, Halifax, 
April 19 th, 1870. 
A correspondent sends the following for¬ 
mula for liquor carbonis detergens :— 
B. Bruised bark of Quillaya Saponaria, 
4 lbs. 
Sp. Wine Meth. 65 per cent., 2 galls. 
Heat to ebullition, and macerate for some 
days in a sand or water bath. 
This tincture is then used for the prepara¬ 
tion of saponified coal tar. 
B. Coal Tar, 3 xxxij 
Alcoholic Tinct. Saponaria, as 
above, §lxxvj. 
Digest eight days in a water or sand bath 
at a moderate temperature, occasionally 
stirring the mixture, and filter for use. 
