422 THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [November 26, 1870, 
and when the concentrated liquor had become clear, 
it was to be decanted off or filtered. One ounce of 
such a concentrated infusion, added to seven of dis¬ 
tilled water, was said to form a mixture equal in 
strength, and possessing all the medicinal properties 
of an ordinary infusion. This mixture was also said 
to be superior to an ordinary infusion in appearance. 
Mr. Gardner concluded his remarks by stating that 
several similar preparations were in use, but that so 
far as he had an opportunity of judging, they did not 
adequately represent the strength required by the 
College. This appears to have been the first formula 
published for making concentrated infusions, and it 
is obviously open to objection, inasmuch as it would 
be impossible to evaporate such infusions as those of 
“ orange,” “ chamomile,” “ cascarilla,” etc. etc. with¬ 
out impairing then’ qualities. This communication 
was supplemented by another in 1855, in which a 
proposition was made to overcome these objections 
by first digesting these bodies in the spirit that was 
ultimately to be used for their preservation. 
In 1854, Mr. Frederick Curtis presented to the 
Pharmaceutical Society several specimens of concen¬ 
trated preparations,* which were placed on the table 
at a meeting on December 6 th, and gave rise to one 
of the most animated discussions that ever took place 
on this subject. Mr. Curtis, when pressed, made 
known the mode by which he made his preparations. 
At two subsequent meetings the discussion was 
continued. 
In 1855, Dr. Edwards read a paper on concen¬ 
trated infusions and decoctions at the Liverpool 
Chemists’ Association,! in which he stated that con¬ 
centrated infusions were at that time much hi use, 
especially among medical men who dispensed their 
own medicines, and he believed their experience 
would go far to justify their use. 
About the same time, Messrs. Barton made known 
a formula for preparing Inf. Calumbae Concent. | 
Mr. Jacob Bell furnished several formulae for con¬ 
centrated preparations. On these occasions much 
valuable information was elicited, but no advance 
appears to have been made in regard to the real ques¬ 
tion at issue, viz. whether, if “ fresh” infusions be or¬ 
dered, it is justifiable to substitute “ concentrated” 
preparations. 
Mr. Southall communicated a short note at a meet¬ 
ing of the Society,§ in which he pointed out that one 
difficulty in the way of adopting the use of concen¬ 
trated infusions was that some of them would not keep 
well without the addition of at least 25 per cent, of 
rectified spirit, and he also suggested that this spirit 
should be utilized in obtaining the active principles of 
some of the ingredients which were little soluble hi 
water. 
A paper was also read by Mr. Bastick, || hi which he 
expressed his opinion that in order to render the con¬ 
centrated infusions efficient substitutes for those of 
the Pharmacopoeia, it was necessary to study the 
constituents and characters of every drug employed 
in their preparation, and that, in consequence of the 
varied properties of these drugs, no uniform method 
would be found applicable for the manufacture of 
such concentrated infusions. 
Another paper was read by Mr. Schacht,** in which 
he advocated the use of concentrated preparations in 
* Pliami. Journ. 1st ser. xiv. 304. f Ibid. xiv. 348. 
X Ibid. xiv. 368. § Ibid, xiv. 437. 
II Ibid ‘ xiv. 439. ** Ibid . xiv. 486. 
certain instances, as they had been already acknow¬ 
ledged by the Pharmacopoeia authorities ; and he sug¬ 
gested that an extension of the principle would be 
attended with considerable advantage. He also 
gave a series of formulae for their preparation. 
Mr. Whipple read a paper, in which he said of the 
infusions* that he believed they were invaluable re¬ 
medies when prepared according to the Pharmaco¬ 
poeia, whilst his conviction concerning the so-called 
concentrated infusions was that they were inadmis¬ 
sible in preparing prescriptions, as they were not 
sanctioned by the College of Physicians. 
While making some remarks upon this subject, 
Mr. Henry Deane stated that he had made a calcu¬ 
lation what the cost would be in a small establish¬ 
ment to make infusions “ fresh” every morning, and 
he found it to be about P’8. 
In Mr. J. Gardner’s second paper on the subject! 
he said that if the College of Physicians were right 
in ordering boiling water as the best solvent of the 
substances ordered to be prepared by hot infusion, 
he did not see what there could be to prevent the 
practical pharmacist from producing concentrated 
infusions which would keep well, and would, when 
diluted, be equal, if not superior, to those made hi 
the ordinary way. 
(To be continued.) 
NITRITE OP AMYL. 
BY C. UMNEY, F.C.S. 
Although the experiments made by therapeutists 
with nitrite of amyl, have been upon somewhat a 
limited scale as compared with the research bestowed 
upon other novel remedial agents, still even now, with¬ 
out the charm of novelty, there may be many practi¬ 
tioners who are desirous of further experimenting 
with such a potent body. 
In order to give the physician an opportunity of 
fairly estimating the value of this medicine, it is 
necessary that the pharmacist should supply it in a 
state of almost absolute purity. 
It is much to be regretted that at the present time 
most of the nitrite of amyl, as found hi the leading 
pharmacies in town, is far from being uniform; in¬ 
deed, it is in a most unsatisfactory state, as the 
following experiments show. 
It will, however, be well to preface the publication 
of the details by saying that true nitrite of amyl 
should be made by passing nitrous acid into amylic 
alcohol, which has been previously subjected to frac¬ 
tional distillation until the portion retained for use 
has a boiling-point of 132° Cent. A nitrite so pre¬ 
pared, when deprived of any excess of acid it may 
contain by rectification over fused potassic carbonate, 
will have a boiling-point of 98°~99° C. 
(a.) Spec. Grav. ’865 
Fractional distillation. 
Temperature. 
Quantity distilled. 
80° to 90° Cent. . . 
... O’O 
90 „ 100 „ . . 
. . 65’2 
100 „ 110 „ . . 
. . . 20-9 
110 „ 120 „ . . 
... 2‘1 
120 „ 130 „ . . 
. . . 1*1 
Residue in retort . . 
. . . 9'1 
Loss hi distillation . . 
... 1’6 
lOO’O 
arm. Journ. 1st ser. xiv. 493. 
f Ibid. xiv. 495. 
