78S 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[April 1, 1S7T. 
Parrish’s ‘Pharmacy.’ The following recipes will he 
adequate to the end proposed :— 
p. Tr. Cinehonrc Comp, f 5 v 
Tr. Calumbse f 5 iij 
Spt. Lavandula) Comp. 
Tr. Cinnamomi, an f 51 ‘j 
Syr. Aurantii f ^ss 
Ext. Grlyeyrrhizae 33 s. M. 
P- Tr. Gentianeo Comp. 
Tr. Cinchona) Comp, an f 5 ;s 
Ac. Tannici gr. ij. 
Syr. Sarsaparilla) Co. f 3 b M. 
p. Tr.„Cinchon. Co. f^ss 
Ferri et Potass. Tart. 5 j 
Spt. Cinnamomi f 5 ss. 
Curasao f 51 ] 
Sacch. Alb. 5 ij 
Aquae f^iij. M. 
The fer. et potass, tart, here serves a twofold purpose, 
since it helps materially to conceal the bitterness. The 
following formula) will generally prove efficacious as 
tonics or antiperiodics, and not unpalatable to the ma¬ 
jority of persons, and may be varied somewhat according 
to the case and the taste of the patient. 
ft. Quinise Sulphatis gr. xv 
Cinchoniae ,, gr. x 
Acidi Tannici gr. x 
Syrupi 
Syr. Aurantii Cort. a a f 3 yj 
01. Aurantii 
01. Sassafras, a a gtt. iij 
Aquae Cinnamomi f *ij Misce. 
ft. Quinice Sulph. gr. xv 
Cinchoniae ,, gr. viij 
Ac. Tannici gr. v 
Ext. Sarsapar. FI. Co. f 5 iij 
Syr. Sarsapar. Co. f ^iss. 
Aquae f 3 b M. 
p. Ouiniae Sulph. gr. xx 
Liq. Totassae Arsenitis m. xx 
Acidi Tannici gr. xij 
Syr. Aurantii Cort. f 5 vi 
Aq. Menth. Pip. f -iij. 
M. S. f 5 j ter die. As an antiperiodic f^ss-f^ij. 
ft. Quiniao Sulph. gr. xx 
Cinchoniae Sulph. gr. xv. 
Ac. Tannici gr. vi 
Syr. Sarsapar. Comp, f ^iiiss 
01. Anisi m. vi 
Tr. Cinnamomi f 3 iij. 
M. S. f 5 j ter die. As an antiperiodic f^ss-i. 
To prevent the slightly bitter taste which begins to be 
perceived about half a minute after swallowing the dose, 
rinse the mouth with water, or with cold tea, which is 
better. 
Coffee (if a good article) in strong decoction, or pre¬ 
pared by displacement or in powder, while it adds to the 
antiperiodic effect, disguises the taste of a large proj)or- 
tion of the sulphates of quinia and cinchonia and like 
bitters, as well as some other remedies, not impairing 
the medical properties, and though not new it seems not 
to be generally known. It is, perhaps, generally known 
to have been much used to conceal the taste of senna and 
magnesia sulphate, and in regard to quinia, AVarin° - 
mentions the fact on page 229, ‘Practical Therapeutics/ 
He says, “ Co flee is of importance as a means of disguis- 
ing the taste of nauseous medicines, particularly quinine, 
senna and epsom salts.” It is to be remembered, how¬ 
ever, that a weak preparation will not do. 
ft Coffee \ teacupful, Water Oiss. 
Use no milk with it unless a very small quantity only is 
desired to flavour; with or without sugar according to 
taste. 
In relation to this subject there is an important fact 
to be borne in mind. The quinia or cinchonia sulphate 
should be put in the coffee in form of powder. If dis¬ 
solved first with an acid, a decided bitterness will be per¬ 
ceived. So, in the case of anything employed to conceal 
the taste of quinia sulphate and like bitters, use the 
bitter in powder, avoiding an acid or (with a few excep¬ 
tions) any perfect solution. 
Cocoa or chocolate, if the quinia sulphate is not in 
large proportion, conceals the taste to a great extent, 
provided it be used of a sufficient strength, as in the solid, 
or semi-fluid state. For cinchonia sulphate it will do 
better, since the taste of this substance is not so diffieidt 
to cover. 
A decoction—five minutes boiling—of a certain strength 
(a weak preparation will not answer) of a mixture of 
green and black teas (I have not succeeded so well with 
either alone, yet there can be no reason why one wilL 
,not do), after standing with the leaves for eight hours* 
disguises the taste of quinia and cinchonia sulphates, 
though not in so large proportion as coffee. For this 
purpose: 
If. These V. gr. xxv,—These N. gr. xxxiv, Aq. f giij. 
—American Journal of Tharmacy. 
THE FOOD PRODUCTS OF ST. PETERSBURG. 
In a Report on the Food Products of St. Petersburg 
to the Lords of the Committee of Council on Education, 
Mr. Andrew Murray has given some very interesting 
information, the result of inquiries having special re¬ 
lation to the Food Department of the South Kensington 
Museum and its requirements. 
At the Industrial or Agronomic Museum in St. Peters¬ 
burg he found some curious specimens of what may be- 
called abnormal food, only eaten on occasions of great 
scarcity, as lichens and sawdust cakes from the north,, 
and different kinds of clay from central Russia; but the 
normal food was not represented. M. de Solsky, the 
gentleman in charge of the museum, was engaged in 
making a collection, and not only gave Mr. Murray 
every assistance in his power, but insisted on being him¬ 
self allowed to supply a set of specimens gratuitously to> 
the South Kensington Museum. 
The breads resolve themselves practically into different 
modifications of three chief kinds : tschernoi-chleb, black 
bread, made of rye ; kalatsch, white bread, made of wheat, 
of which the best kind comes from Moscow; and saika, 
white bread enriched with raisins or other accessories, 
equivalent to our buns or Scotch “ cookies.” 
Ices are made in great perfection in St. Petersburg. 
Those met with in London are all in common use there. 
In addition, there are some others. One, a very good 
kind, is made from, or flavoured by, the hazel nut. An¬ 
other, still better, is a water ice, made from the fruit of 
the elueva ” or cranberry (gathered after the berry has. 
been touched by frost), sweetened and slightly flavoured, 
by vanilla. In Russia this is much used for invalids, 
and Mr. Murray thinks it worthy of introduction into 
this country, or, if already in use, of being more gene¬ 
rally known and adopted, not only for the sick-room,, 
where its refreshing coolness and slightly subacid flavour 
are inexpressibly grateful to the fevered .palate, but 
simply and selfishly for the gastronome. The cranberry is. 
also put to another use in Russia. During the summer 
months a great traffic in beverages is carried on in the 
principal streets. Boys with large glass ewers, holding 
about half a gallon of some coloured liquid, haimt the 
corners of streets or porticos of buildings. The most 
common is a rose-coloured drink, which owes its colour 
and its virtue to the elueva. The other drinks are le¬ 
monades and similar concoctions. 
►St. Petersburg is well supplied with fresh vegetables^ 
