April 12, 1873.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
813 
pound having been discarded; so that no mistake could be 
made by comfounding the avoirdupois ounce or pound 
with the one intended. This was almost a necessity, as 
the troy ounce represented 480 grains, while the avoir¬ 
dupois contained only 437 4 grains. The drachm and 
scruple had also been discarded and grains used instead. 
The liquid measure indicated throughout is the old wine 
gallon. This contains 8 pints, each measuring 16 fluid 
ounces; and in order to prevent confusion, the term gallon 
Is never employed, but that of pint constantly used. 
He then noticed the various additions which had been 
•made to the new edition of the work, and referred to the 
appointment of the Committee to whom had been dele¬ 
gated the revision, compilation, and publication of the 
work, by the Convention which had met in the summer 
of 1870 at Washington. This Committee had full power, 
on till 1880, to publish a new edition of this national 
woi'k if at any time it was thought necessary to do so. 
After going over the various additions and removals of 
the different substances in this edition of the book, he re¬ 
ferred to the new mustard paper resembling Rigollot’s 
leaves, and especially to suppositories and to the fluid ex¬ 
tracts. In speaking of the former, he stated that a pre¬ 
ference was given to theobroma oil as the excipient, and 
that nine different kinds were ordered as against only 
four which were officinal in the B. P. 
One, he observed, was made with aloes, which reminded 
him of a suppositoi'y ordered some time ago by the late 
Sir James Simpson, containing gamboge. 
Mr. Mackay then noticed the twenty-two liquid ex¬ 
tracts in the new work. He remarked particularly upon 
the novelty of the menstruum proposed, namely, in a 
mixture of glycerine and diluted alcohol. In every case 
percolation and evaporation were ordered in the prepara¬ 
tion of these extracts. He gave the precise directions as 
printed, and submitted liquid ext. gentian and extract of 
ergot made exactly as recommended. The cost he had 
found to be about 3d. per ounce ; but if made on the 
large scale, and some of the alcohol perhaps saved in the 
evaporation, the cost might be much lessened. Both pre¬ 
parations were clear and looked uncommonly well, and 
evidently were possessed of great strength. One house in 
London had already made some experiments with simi¬ 
lar preparations, while specimens of a few were shown 
at the last meeting of the Society in London ; so that he 
had no doubt whatever in believing that it would, ere 
long, be determined whether such concentrations, made 
as directed, were suited for use in medical practice, 
and if so, the compilers of the supplement already pro¬ 
posed to be added to the existing B. P. would have their 
attention directed to the new mode of preparation, and 
probably suggest additions to the list of pharmaceutical 
preparations. 
The liquid extracts submitted gave much satisfaction, 
the ext. gentian especially appearing to be a very superior 
preparation. 
Mr. Mackay further noticed, that while the new che¬ 
mical nomenclature had not been introduced, there had 
been a slight modification, to the extent that salts of alka- 
line metals were now recognized as compounds, not of 
the oxides, but of the base itself,—as, for example, car¬ 
bonate of baryta was now called carbonate of barium ; 
carbonate of lime, carbonate of calcium ; citrate of potass, 
citrate of potassium : and so on. 
In concluding his remarks, Mr. Mackay referred to the 
excellent manner in which the work was printed and pub¬ 
lished. The price was moderate, and he thought the 
volume well worthy perusal. While the Convention had 
invested the Committee with full powers, there was a 
caution apparently exercised by them which gave a gua¬ 
rantee that nothing whatever would be inserted by them 
in any future edition of this national work without full 
verification and testing as to the preparation and adoption 
of new formulae. 
Mr. Baildon proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Mackay 
for having brought before the Society, in the full and 
clear manner he had done, the various features and con¬ 
stitution of this new edition of the American Pharmaco- 
poeia. This was carried with acclamation; and Mr. 
Paton then read a Paper on “ Perfumes Physiologically 
and Commercially Considered.” (See p. 803.) 
After remarks from various members present, a very 
cordial vote of thanks was proposed by the Chairman to 
Mr. Paton for his interesting paper. This was seconded 
by Mr. Young, and carried unanimously. 
LIVERPOOL CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
The eleventh general meeting of this Association was 
held at the Royal Institution, Thursday evening, March 
27th. The President, E. Davies, Esq., F.C.S., in the 
chair. The minutes of the previous meeting were read 
and confirmed. 
Mr. R. L. Wood was elected a member, and Mr. W. 
Croslcell an associate ; and several donations were an¬ 
nounced. 
Mr. Alfred H. Mason, F.C.S., then read a paper on 
“ The Manufacture of Glycerine : its Properties, Various 
Applications, and Quality, as it exists in Commerce.” The 
paper was experimentally illustrated, and specimens of 
products taken in the various stages of manufacture of 
pure glycerine, by different processes, were exhibited and 
explained; also specimens illustrating its application in 
pharmacy, and as a constituent in toilet requisites, etc. 
The Manufacture of Glycerine : its Properties, 
Various Applications, and Quality, as it exists 
in Commerce. 
BY A. H. MASON, F.C.S. 
Glycerine (C 3 H s 0 3 ) was discovered by Scheele in 1779, 
who obtained it in the preparation of lead plaister. He 
named it “ Sweet principle of Oils,” from its sweet taste. 
Subsequently its properties were more accurately studied 
by Chevreul, in his classical investigations on the che¬ 
mical history of bodies of fatty origin, and by Pelouze. 
Most of the fats and oils of the animal and vegetable 
kingdoms have a constitution analogous to that of the 
compound ethers,—acetic ether, for example. When 
acetic ether is treated with alkalies it assimilates the ele¬ 
ments of water, forming an alkaline acetate and alcohol. 
Oils and fats in like manner undergo, by the same treat¬ 
ment, a similar change. They assimilate the elements of 
water, glycerine is set free, and a salt of the acid, previ¬ 
ously in combination with glycerine, is formed. 
Glycerine is present in combination with solid and 
fluid fatty acids, in the shape of glycerides, to an amount 
of eight to nine per cent., and may be separated by treat¬ 
ment with bases (potash, soda, lime, baryta, oxide of lead), 
or with acids (sulphuric acid), and certain chlorides (chlo¬ 
ride of zinc), also by means of superheated steam, or very 
hot water without the formation of steam in closed ves¬ 
sels. Glycerine is also formed as a constant product by 
the alcoholic fermentation of dextrose, levulose, and lac¬ 
tose. According to Pasteur’s researches, the quantity of 
glycerine thus formed amounts to about three per cent, of 
the weight of the sugar. 
Glycerine may be manufactured—(1) By saponifying 
oils with oxide of lead ; sic, five parts of finely triturated 
litharge are heated with nine parts of olive oil or any 
other glyceride, and a small quantity of water, the mix¬ 
ture being constantly stirred and the water renewed, 
until the oxide of lead is converted into a plaister (Em- 
plastrum Plumbi, B. Ph.). 
3 PbO + 3H 2 0 + 2 (C 3 H 5 ,3 C 18 H 33 0 2 ) 
Oxide of Water. Oleate of Glyceryl 
Lead. (Olive Oil or Oleine). 
= 3(Pb,2C 18 H 33 0 2 ) 
Oleate of Lead 
(Lead Plaister). 
4 2(C 3 H 5 ,3HO) 
Hydrate of Glyceryl 
(Glycerine). 
