March 22, 1873 ] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
759 
Tincture of Quinine.. 
Sir,—I regret to differ from such an authority as Mr. 
Giles, but I must still maintain that the B.P. formula for 
this tincture does yield unexceptionable results, and not 
only so, but that the closer the instructions are followed 
the more successful is the preparation. 
Many of your correspondents, Mr. Giles apparently 
among the number, appear to have assumed that the crys¬ 
talline deposit was either quinine or some salt of that alka¬ 
loid, whereas in point of fact it contains no quinine what¬ 
ever, it is not hitter, and is insoluble in dil. sulph. acid. 
If to a tincture of orange made with fully proof spirit a 
few drops of dilute sulphuric acid are added, exactly the 
same result is obtained, no quinine being present . 
The crystals are in reality “sulphate of lime” (see also 
Mr. Hustwick’s paper in last issue), and are derived partly 
from the quinine salt and partly from the orange peel. 
The quantity will vary with the quality of the peel used, 
and depend partly also upon whether the peel is thinly or 
thickly cut, the lime salts of some organic acids (probably 
citrate and malate) residing in the white portion of the 
peel. 
As, therefore, sulphate of lime is less soluble m a fully 
proof spirit than in one of less strength, there is hut little 
probability of sufficient being left in solution to give any 
subsequent crystals. 
The objection to using dilute sulphuric acid is also appa¬ 
rent, for by its use the formation of the crystals which it 
is desired to prevent is actually favoured. 
J. H. Baldock. 
South Norwood , S.E., March 17th, 1873. 
Sir ; —jjad Mr. Hustwick been present at the pharma* 
ceutical meeting of November 6th, 1872, or had the report 
of the discussion that followed the reading of Mr. Hasel * 
den’s paper been accurate, he would have learned that 
recognized the precipitate as sulphate of lime, and assigne 
its origin to a double decomposition between the sulphate 
of quinia and a soluble salt of lime, present in the fresh 
peel, but not apparent in the old dried peel. 
Mr. Hustwick finds the reaction take place in tincture of 
the dried peel, but does not specify the age of the speci¬ 
men. I think he will find the fresh peel yield a very much 
larger proportion of the substance than the dried, especially 
if the latter have been kept in the dry state a considerable 
I write not merely for the sake of correcting my evidence, 
but also to suggest to Mr. Hustwick a continuance of the 
investigation he has so well begun. Could he not endeavour 
to isolate and identify this salt of lime that is soluble both 
in water and in weak spirit P I some time since made a 
few experiments with that view, but discontinued them 
before arriving at any definite result. 
I should be very pleased to have the matter cleared up. 
Although it seems of little importance, facts of an inte¬ 
resting character could hardly fail to be brought to light 
by such an investigation. 
Weymouth, March 17th, 1873. Tiios. B. Groves. 
Suppositories. 
gj r _X am sorry to see that new compositions are being 
talked of for making suppositories; I have made many 
with cacao butter, and have never had that base objected 
1X1 Can the following ready method of making suppositories 
be easily beaten ?—I must premise that I keep cacao butter 
ready in a bottle in fine shavings, according to a suggestion 
which appeared in this Journal. Take a small mortar, and 
invert it, with the pestle inside, over the gas stove. Reach 
out the suppository mould, and smear the inside with 
glycerine; weigh out the ingredients and sufficient shaved 
cacao butter. By this time the mortar is ready ; mix in it 
the ingredients with a little cacao, butter, and then the 
remainder, stir in the mortar till just melted, and pour 
into the mould, then set the mould to cool. . 
A very little experience will show the desired tempera¬ 
ture of the mortar, and I would suggest to young dis¬ 
pensers the advantage of weighing materials for one or 
two extra suppositories to allow for waste m pouring. 
^ W. J. Churchill. 
Birmingham, March 18th, 1873. 
Aqua Chloroformi. 
Sir,—I just wish to throw out a very simple suggestion 
with regard to aq. chloroformi, one of the preparations 
mentioned by Professor Redwood as likely to be inserted 
in the reprint of the “ Pharmacopoeia.” Forty-eight minims 
of chloroform will dissolve in one pint of distilled water, 
and such a solution is one-tenth the strength of sp. chloro¬ 
formi, one very convenient to remember in prescribing. 
Thus:— 
Sp. Chlorof. 
Chloroform. 
1 fl. oz. = 24 mins. 
£ fl. oz. = 12 „ 
Ilfracombe. 
Aq. Chlorof. 
Chloroform. 
1 fl. oz. = 2'4 mins, 
i fl. oz. = 1*2 „ 
W. Tearle 
Public Analysts. 
Sir,—I am glad to find by your report that the electing 
bodies of Clerkenwell, St. Giles’s, and Holbdrn have seen 
the wisdom of appointing a professor of chemistry as pub¬ 
lic analyst, and have not allowed the mania of the moment 
to blind their discretion by appointing medical officers of 
health, as in the majority of cases, simply because the 
word “medical” was inserted in the Act of Parliament. 
I strongly advocated this course in St. Pancras a short 
time ago by moving an amendment (lost by eight votes) 
that the officer appointed should be bond fide a professor 
of chemistry, who could devote the necessary time to the 
requirements of the office. I did so, not from any doubt 
which I entertained as to the ability of the medical officer, 
but from a strong conviction that, as medical officer of 
health, he could not possibly afford to give the necessary 
time and attention required for analysis. 
Surely it was never intended by the promoters of this 
Act that medical officers of health should monopolize these 
appointments, and then engage the services of an assistant 
to perform the duties; a fact admitted during the debate 
in St. Pancras. This system of seeldng an appointment 
upon certain merits, and afterwards transferring such im¬ 
portant duties into the hands of an assistant whose ability 
and qualifications are entirely unknown to the electing 
board, is not only objectionable, but fraught with very 
serious consequences; from the fact that the character, 
reputation, and commercial morality of the trading com¬ 
munity are at stake, and in all probability, upon the positive 
or negative assertion of this unknown deputy, they either 
stand or fall. But when we find such men as Dr. Redwood 
appointed, it becomes a passport of safety to the public 
interest on the one hand, and a guarantee to the Act on 
tliG pt.1i fir. 
There are, doubtless, many difficulties in the way of 
working this Act effectually; but in sanctioning such an 
appointment, the Local Government Board will at least 
have the satisfaction of knowing that, as far as regards the 
appointment of public analyst, they have placed the right 
man in the right place. 
Tollington Park, March 18th, 18/3. T. C. Jones. 
Pharmaceutical Students in Edinburgh. 
Sir,—Just now, when the subject of providing schools 
and libraries for students of pharmacy, is deservedly at¬ 
tracting so much attention, perhaps an apprentice s opinion 
would not be out of place. v i. 
The branch of the Pharmaceutical Society m Lam burgh, 
with praiseworthy intention, have at length succeeded in 
providing handsome and lofty rooms for the use oi all 
connected with the profession, as a place of meeting and 
mental recreation. They have also provided a museum, 
library, and reading-room,—but to what purpose r JNo 
doubt many useful and instructive journals are to be found 
on the table, and books of the highest class, well fitted to 
cultivate a taste for scientific knowledge, are obtainable 
from the library. There are also specimens, etc., from 
which an inquiring mind might obtain a great insight into 
the mysteries of botany; but the old saying still presents 
itself forcibly, “ The harvest is ripe, but the labourers are 
few 
On looking at the visitor’s book, we see on one day four 
or five names, and on some only one or two. One naturally 
asks the reason of this. Here is a fine reading-room, m 
the centre of a town which has been long and worthily 
