April 1,1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
795 
2. To make a definite quantity of any desired strength 
from a stronger alcohol. 
3. To make a mixture of any desired strength by 
mixing a stronger and a weaker alcohol. 
4. To make a definite quantity of any desired strength 
by mixing a stronger and weaker alcohol. 
Answer to Problem 1.—Multiply the quantity of the al¬ 
cohol (either in fluid ounces or in gallons) by.its per¬ 
centage strength (Tralle’s alcoholometer) and divide by 
the required per cent.: the quotient gives the quantity 
to which the alcohol must he diluted. 
Answer to Problem 2.—Multiply the required amount 
by the required per cent., and divide by the per cent, of 
the given alcohol; the quotient gives the quantity to 
which the alcohol must be made up by the addition of 
water. 
Answer to Problem 3.—Subtract the percentage of the 
weaker alcohol from the required per cent., the difference 
indicates the quantity of the stronger alcohol to be used. 
Next, subtract the required per cent, from that of the 
stronger alcohol: the result indicates the quantity of the 
weaker alcohol to be used. Mix the two results to¬ 
gether, and as the contraction will be more or less, add 
.sufficient water to make the mixture equal to the quan¬ 
tity of the two liquids before mixing. For example, it 
is desired to prepare an alcohol of 60 per cent, by mixing 
an alcohol of 90 per cent, and one of 40 per cent. 
( 40 = 20 of the 90 per cent, alcohol. 
60 I 90 = 
55 
55 
. =30 „ 40 
Add water sufficient to make 50 parts. 
Answer to Problem 4.—Ascertain the quantity of each 
•alcohol to be mixed (by Prob. 3). The proportion which 
the required amount bears to the quantity thus shown 
will indicate the relative proportion of each alcohol to be 
used. Thus, if 30 parts were required to be made from 
the two liquids given in the previous example, as 30 is 
to 3-5ths of the mixture, then 3-5ths of each alcohol 
must be taken, or 12 parts of the 90 per cent, alcohol 
and 18 parts of the 40 per cent, alcohol, adding sufficient 
water to make 30 parts. 
These rules comprise most cases which are likely to 
occur in preparing solutions of alcohol in water, and are 
interesting problems in pharmaceutical arithmetic. 
Dr. Pile described a package of saffron coming under 
his notice in which covering nearly half an inch of the 
on tire surface was a mass of small worms ; in the centre 
was a mass (about a quarter of the whole) of small 
specks, which proved upon examination to be excrement 
of the worms. 
Professor Maiscii spoke of a sample of adulterated 
saffron with about 10 per cent, of carbonate of lime fixed 
to the saffron with some saccharine matter. A sample 
was also observed in Switzerland containing 3 or 4 per 
cent, of the same adulteration. Mr. Hanbury, °f London, 
about the same time examined a specimen containing 15 
■or 16 per cent, of the same material fixed to the stigmas. 
These specimens had no suspicious appearance until 
placed under the lens of an ordinary magnifying glass, 
when the fraud was easily detected. By throwing the 
suspected samples into water, the carbonate of lime will 
fall to the bottom of the vessel, while the saffron will 
float. Prof. Maisch also spoke of a sample, of frequent 
adulteration,—carthamus and calendula having been 
dyed with a solution of true saffron. This sample also 
contained a large quantity of the styles of crocus. 
Mr. M‘Boring spoke of the difficulty of filtering a 
tincture of senega after having been evaporated prepa¬ 
ratory to making compound syrup of squill, owing to 
the large quantity of pectin contained in the senega. 
The question was asked, whether bicarbonate of potash 
interfered with the tartar emetic. 
Prof. Maisch replied that he did not think there was 
any change in tartar emetic, the bicarbonate only neu¬ 
tralizing any excess of acid that may exist in the prepa¬ 
ration. 
Dr. Pile inquired for a practical test for glycerine, 
one that may be employed without delay and with 
little preparation, one to be proof against the ordinary 
and most common adulterations. 
Mr. Remington, who has been making some experi¬ 
ments in this direction, gave as his experience, after the 
examination of several (eight or ten) specimens of the 
most prominent makers, that a glycerine which is not 
discoloured by nitrate of silver in solution was generally 
pure ; the nitrate will in five minutes show a discolori- 
zation should impurity exist. He considers that sul¬ 
phuric acid is not thoroughly reliable ; there is a possi- 
liility that the bottle in which it is kept contained straw, 
cork, or some organic matter, upon which the acid would 
immediately act, and possibly condemn a pure glycerine 
in this way. Trommer’s test may also be applied to 
glycerine, and is entirely reliable in determining the pre¬ 
sence of sugar. 
Mr. Shoemaker produced a circular on “ iEtherlidon 
Chloral,” used in Berlin as a substitute for chloroform, 
without unpleasant result. 
Prof. Maisch gave the results of his experiments with 
hydrate of chloral of different makes generally known 
as German. The experiments were made with a view 
to overcome, if possible, the disagreeable pungency found 
on opening almost every vial of this salt. The pun¬ 
gency is probably due to an excess of hydrochloric acid. 
Attempts were made to neutralize this with carbonate of 
ammonia. This seemed to overcome the unpleasantness 
for a short time; when, however, the bottle was again 
unstoppered the hydrate chloral possessed the same 
qualities. 
A sample of crystallized hydrate of chloral was ex¬ 
hibited. This preparation is more permanent and may 
be crystallized from bisulphide of carbon. The chloral 
fuses by heating the bisulphide to about 60° or 65°. On 
cooling, the entire solution is filled with crystals. The 
following process was detailed:—Take a half-gallon re¬ 
tort, with capacious neck; into this place 1 lb. bisulphide 
of carbon and 5 oz. of commercial hydrate of chloral ; 
stop the neck of retort with a small piece of cotton, to 
prevent waste of bisulphide; place the bulb of retort in 
hot water; the chloral will first fuse; agitate the retort 
until entirely dissolved; set aside to crystallize; by 
keeping the neck of retort cool during process the vapour 
of the bisulphide when condensed will flow back into 
retort; by careful use the bisulphide will serve for seve¬ 
ral operations. Allow the crystalline mass to remain 
several hours in retort, when, with a glass rod, the 
crystals can be removed, dried, and are ready for use. 
The solution drawn off still contains chloral, which will 
in time crystallize. The crystals are long, needle-shaped, 
sometimes reaching 2 or 3 inches in length. In this 
form chloral is possessed of little or no pungency, and 
is far preferable for dispensing purposes.. By placing 
aqua ammonite near chloral as met with in commerce, 
dense white clouds arc formed, indicative of hydrochloric 
acid. __ 
At the Meeting held February 21st, 1871, a communi¬ 
cation from Mr. Charles Bullock was read, as fol¬ 
lows :— 
A disaster, occasioned by the breaking oi large 
show-bottles from freezing, during the late cold weather, 
led to experiments to determine the congealing-point 
of mixtures of glycerine with water, with results as follows. 
Common glycerine, sp. gr. 1*250=29° B., was used : 
i pint glycerine in 1 gall, of water congeals at . 30^ I. 
i l .. • 24 F. 
” ” i „ . 18° F. 
b ” ” ! ” ” . 10° F. 
3 ^ ^ l „ remains fluid at o l. 
Prof. Maisch spoke of a combination of oil of winter- 
green and sesquichloride of iron as forming a very beau¬ 
tiful colouring material for show-bottles. Prot. 1 rooter 
thought this combination was not permanent enough, as 
it soon lost its brilliancy by exposure to the sunlight. 
