618 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. [January 28, 1871. 
flute aifo Queries* 
*** In order to facilitate reference , correspondents are 
requested to mark their anstvers in each case ivith the title 
and number of the query referred to. 
No notice can be taken of anonymous communications. 
All queries or answers should be accompanied by the name 
and address of the writer. 
NOTICE.— To prevent delay, correspondents are re¬ 
quested to send their communications to the Journal Depart¬ 
ment, 17, Bloomsbury Square, IV. C., and not to the ^Pub¬ 
lishers. 
[99.]—SHEET LIGHTNING.— “ Pestle and Mortar ” 
can prepare “Sheet Lightning” by following the directions 
of the B. P. for the preparation of pyroxylin, substituting 
paper for the cotton, and immersing it for a little longer time 
in the mixed acids. The best paper I have been able to pro¬ 
cure for the purpose is Swedish filtering-paper, but should 
prefer a thinner paper, somewhat resembling “cigarette” 
paper, if able to obtain it sufficiently large. For blue fire, 
soak afterwards in a weak solution of chloride of copper; for 
red, use chloride of strontium.—H. J. Bacon. 
[115.]—MARKING-INK.—I have found the written por¬ 
tion sometimes destroyed, and have attributed it to want of 
care in heating the fabric, supposing the destruction to be 
caused by the letters on becoming dark rapidly absorbing 
heat, and thus charring before the white and unwritten part 
becomes discoloured. Perhaps also the effect may be height¬ 
ened by the evolution of oxygen gas arising from the decom¬ 
position.—H. J. Bacon. 
[124.]—AFRICAN SAFFRON.—In answer to X. Q. Z. 
as to the source of the so-called African saffron, I beg to in¬ 
form him that a correspondent of the Neio York Druggists’ 
Circular lately suggested that it might possibly be derived 
from the Lyperea crocea, a South African plant, which is 
said to closely resemble saffron. But at a recent meeting of 
the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, reported in the Chi¬ 
cago Pharmacist for December, a sample of this so-called 
African saffron was exhibited by Professor Maisch, obtained 
from the Chicago market, which upon examination proved to 
be Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower) in a broken and dis¬ 
coloured condition.—F. R. B. P. 
[131.]—MOUTH WASH.—An excellent astringent lotion 
for the mouth can be made as follows:— 
R. Boracis 5iss 
Mel. Ang. 5yj 
Tinct. Pyrethri ^ss 
Tinct. Myrrhoe 5iij 
Aq. FI. Aurant. §ij 
Aq. Ros® ad *vi. 
“ Give and Take.” 
3. IV. G. will find the following a first-class remedy:— 
P. Aluminis M 
S.v. R.5j \ 
Tr. Myrrh® Simp, ad 5'j- 
To be used with a camel-hair brush after meals. —H. H. Read. 
R. Borax, 
Alum, 
Bay Salt, each 5j 
Sp. Camph., 
Tinct. Myrrh, each 3j 
Sp. Armoraci® 5'j. 
M. Shake occasionally for a day or two, then filter. A tea- 
spoonful in a wine-glassful of water, to rinse the mouth after 
cleaning the teeth, or at any time.—W. W. 
[132.]—COUGH BALLS FOR HORSES. 
R. Antim. Tart., 
Digitalis, ana 5ss 
Pot. Nitrat. 5iss 
Picis Liquid®, q.s. ft. Bol. 
Omni Nocte. —W. W. 
R. Rad. Scill® 2 dr. 
Gum. Ammoniac! 4 dr. 
Ipecacuanh®, 
Opii, ana 4 dr. 
Piraent® 1 oz. 
Bals. Sulphur. 4 oz. 
Sapon. Castil. 2 oz. 
Theriac® q.s. 
Ft. mass® pro Bol. no. vj. 
One twice a day. W. W. 
R. Pulv. Scill® 5vj 
Gum. Ammoniac. ^ij 5\j 
Gum. Opii 5iij 
01. Anisi 5j 
Mix and divide in six balls. M. S. P. 
The following is a good form: 
R. Antim. Sulphurat. 5i(j 
Camphor 5j 
Sulph. Flor. 5ij 
Antim. Tart. 5j 
Sapo Mollis, q.s. 
Ft. bol. 
One every night or every other night.— R. Rogers. 
[133.]—CAMPHOR BALLS. 
R. Cetacei 5hj 
Cer® Alb® 5i y 
01. Amygd. 
Rad. Anchus®, si opus sit. 
Melt, then add— 
Camphor. (Pulv.) 5iij 
Pour into small gallipots, so as to form hemispherical cakes. 
W. W. 
R. Cocoa-nut Oil, 8 oz. 
White Wax, 3 oz. 
Camphor, 1J oz. 
Melt the oil and wax together, and add the camphor pre¬ 
viously pulverized.—S. D. 
[135.]—ESSENCE OF JARGONELLE PEAR.—Ace¬ 
tate of Amylene is sold under this name. It is made by dis¬ 
tilling a mixture of 1 part oil of grain, 2 pot. acet., 1 oil of 
vitriol. Wash the diluted liquid with alkaline water, agitate 
with chloride of calcium, and re-distil from litharge.—W. W- 
[136.]— DISPENSING (Sigma). 
R Potass® Chloratis 5iv 
Tinct. Ferri 5iv 
Aqu® ad iij. M. 
“ One teaspoonful in water three times daily.” 
It is impossible with that quantity of water to dissolve 
more than two-thirds of the chlorate of potash. Even boil¬ 
ing the chlorate of potash with the solution will not suffice, 
as it immediately re-erystallizes on cooling.— Henry H. 
Read. 
[* # * The chlorate of potash should be rubbed down with 
the water, and a “shake-the-bottle” label affixed.— Ed. Ph. J.] 
[142.]—CRIMSON MARKING-INK.—Can any of your 
readers give a formula for a good stable “crimson marking- 
ink?” I know the formula in Pharmaceutical Journal 
(Second Series, Yol. V. p. 188), but it has the disadvantage of 
degenerating in colour, in the course of a few weeks, to a dull 
brown shade.—R. G. H. 
[143.]—DISPENSING.—I received to-day the following 
to dispense:— 
R. Collodion 
Chloroform, pur., ana 5u* 
M. Paint the irritable parts every night with a camel-hair 
brush. 
Can any of your readers inform me how I am to dispense it, 
so as to produce the result required ? I have my experience 
of it, and so also had some one else, for it had been dispensed 
before somehow .—“ Yiator.” 
[145.]—GINGER ALE (AERATED).— Can any one give 
me a good recipe for making the above ?—Soda-water. 
