April 22, 1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
8-57 
itotts anir times. 
*** In order to facilitate reference, correspondents are 
requested to mark their answers in each case with 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, W.C., and not to the Pub¬ 
lishers. 
[191.]—SOLVENT OF WHITE SHELLAC.—The reply 
of Mr. Allen as to the insolubility of white lac a fortnight 
after its preparation is only a partial truth. I have kept it 
in glass-stoppered bottles and in stone jai's for many months 
without its solubility being in any degree impaired.—J. 
Whitfield. 
[204.]— LINIMENTUM RUB RUM. — F. J. Machin 
sends the following formula :— 
R. 01. Succini Rect. m.xx 
01. Carui 5j 
01. Terebinth, ^ij 
01. Rubri ^iv 
Otto Rosm gtt. iv 
01. Lini ad 5 xvj. 
M. ft. Linimentum. 
[211.]—HORTICULTURAL INK.—Bichloride of plati¬ 
num dissolved in distilled water forms an indelible ink for 
writing on zinc or brass labels. N.B.—Must be used with a 
quill pen. —J. J. Thomas, Weymouth. 
[222.]—TINCT. COLOCYNTH.—Neligan gives the fol¬ 
lowing formula:— 
Colocynth yj 
Star Anise 5j 
Rectified Spirit fjxiv. 
Digest for three days and filter.—J. Whitfield. 
TUBA ROOTS.—We have received the following com¬ 
munication from Dr. J. E. De Vry:—In reference to the 
notice on tuba roots on p. 790 of your valued periodical, I 
take the liberty to inform you that the natives in Java use 
under that name Dalbergia heterophylla and D. purpurea 
to narcotize fishes with the intention to catch them. I sup¬ 
pose these are the same plants which are used in Borneo 
under the name of tuba or tooba. 
The Hague, 6th April, 1871. 
PARRISH’S SYRUP OF THE PHOSPHATES, OR 
CHEMICAL FOOD.—For the information of several of 
our correspondents, we reproduce the formula for the above, 
from Parrish’s ‘ Practical Pharmacy.’ 
Parrish's Compound Syrup of Phosphates. 
Take of Protosulphate of Iron ^x 
Phosphate of Soda 
Phosphate of Lime 5 xl j 
Phosphoric Acid, Glacial, 5xx 
Carbonate of Soda 9:j 
Carbonate of Potassa 5 j 
Muriatic Acid 
Water of Ammonia, of each, sufficient 
Powdered Cochineal 5'j 
Water, sufficient 
Sugar lb.ij ^viij, offic. ^ 
Orange-flower Water f 3 ]. 
Dissolve the sulphate of iron in [5 ij of boiling water, and 
the phosphate of soda in f giv of boiling water. Mix the so¬ 
lutions and wash the precipitated phosphate of iron till the 
washings are tasteless. Dissolve the phosphate of lime in four 
fluid ounces of boiling water with sufficient muriatic acid to 
make a clear solution ; when cool, precipitate it with water of 
ammonia, and wash the precipitate. 
To the freshly-precipitated phosphates, as thus prepared, 
add the phosphoric acid previously dissolved in water; when 
clear, add the carbonates of soda and potassa, previously dis¬ 
solved in water, and muriatic acid to dissolve any precipitate. 
Now dilute with water till it reaches the measure of 22 fluid 
■Dunces, add the sugar, and towards the last, the cochineal; 
dissolve by the aid of heat, strain, and, when cool, add the 
orange-flower water. 
As thus made, each teaspoonful contains about 2| grains 
of phosphate of lime, 1 grain of phosphate of iron, with frac¬ 
tions of a grain of phosphates of soda and potassa, besides 
free phosphoric and hydrochloric acids. The solution is per¬ 
fect, the taste agreeably acid and the flavour pleasant. The 
disposition to precipitate a bulky sediment of the insoluble 
phosphates is one of the greatest annoyances in this prepara¬ 
tion, when made on a large scale, and can be obviated best by 
substituting hydrochloric acid for a suitable portion of the 
phosphoric acid used, taking care to separate tiie liquid into 
two portions, and adding the carbonate of soda and potassa 
to that consisting exclusively of the phosphoric acid solution, 
lest portions of chloride of sodium and chloride of potassium 
should bo formed and contaminate the resulting solution. 
Owing to the uncertain strength of phosphoric acid of com¬ 
merce, being a mixture of the monobasic, bibasic, and tribasic 
acids, and always being contaminated with earthy phosphates, 
there is some uncertainty about the proportions to be em¬ 
ployed in the above formula. These considerations have in¬ 
duced the trial of a method by double decomposition, which 
should always furnish a uniform strength of acid from a cheap 
and accessible source. 
E. Scheffer, of Louisville, Ky, has proposed to take 49'25 
drachms of phosphate of lime, 34T25 monohydrated sulphuric 
acid, diluted with three times its weight of water, put them 
in a thin dish and heat on a water-bath for half a day. By 
this process only 37 - 25 drachms of phosphate of lime will be 
decomposed by the sulphuric acid which combines with the 
lime of these 37'25 drachms to form sulphate of lime, while 
the phosphoric acid is set free and holds the other twelve 
drachms of phosphate of lime in solution. After it has cooled, 
the magma is pres-ed, macerated with fresh water, and again 
pressed, and the liquid evaporated, if necessary, to twenty 
fluid ounces, cooled and filtered. The phosphate of iron and 
carbonate of potassa and soda are now added as in my own 
recipe, and the whole made into a syrup secundum artem. 
The washing of the precipitated sulphate of lime is best 
performed in a funnel, the water being thrown upon the 
middle in a kind of reservoir formed by raising the precipitate 
on the sides of the funnel; the last portions are collected se¬ 
parately and evaporated until, with the stronger portion, 
thev have the desired measure. 
Dr. Joseph G. Richardson, of Philadelphia, has proposed 
to use citric acid as the solvent for the phosphates in the com¬ 
pound syrup ; this substitution, though probably modifying 
the therapeutic properties of the preparation, furnishes it in 
a very 7 agreeable form. 
Me are indebted to the Chicago Pharmacist for the follow¬ 
ing formulae:— 
BORAX AND GLYCERINE. 
Take of Borate of Soda in fine powder, 1 part. 
Glycerine, 2 parts. 
Mix, perfume, and coiour with cochineal. 
MEDICATED PRUNES. 
Take of Senna leaves, 2 parts. 
Boiling water, 1(3 parts. 
Macerate for an hour and strain: add to this infusion, 
Prunes (stoned), 32 parts. 
Sugar (crushed), 10 parts. 
Boil together, with constant stirring, for about ten minutes, 
and evaporate by means of a water-bath, until reduced to a 
pulpv consistence ; add to each pound ot this confection, 
Citric Acid, in fine powder, 1 drachm. 
Tincture of Ginger, 1 fluid ounce. 
Mix. 
CULINARY ESSENCES. 
Flavour of Almond. 
Take of Oil of Bitter Almonds 1 11. drm. 
Alcohol, 95 per cent. 10 11. oz. 
Water 6 11. oz. 
Dissolve the oil in the alcohol and add the water, and filter. 
This flavour should not be sold without a caution ns to its 
poisonous nature, and directions as to the quantity to be used. 
Flavour of Cara-way. 
Take of Caraway Seed, bruised, 1 oz. troy 
Oil of Caraway Seed 2 11. drms. 
Diluted Alcohol 16 11. oz. 
Digest for eight or ten days and filter. 
