61 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
[July 22, 1871. 
is all but excluded from tlie market; it is well known 
that very nearly all cliloral hydrate is imported from 
Germany, and I believe I am correct hi stating that 
only two English firms do manufacture it in quan¬ 
tities. 
Mr. Schering’s whole argument necessarily falls to 
the ground, and for the best of reasons, the manufac¬ 
ture as assumed by him would never pay. It would 
perhaps have been wiser if he had prided himself upon 
the purity of his product instead of boasting of selling 
an adulterated article. His tests are of course 
worthless, because even less than 1 per cent of alco¬ 
hol will be sufficient to produce slight coloration 
with sulphuric acid, but it is scarcely necessary to 
treat the matter as a chemical question. 
FLUID EXTRACTS AND THEIR MENSTRUA. 
BY EDWARD R. SQUIBB, M.D. 
(Continued from page 46.) 
Diluted alcohol, as at present officinal, consists of equal 
measures, at 60° F., of alcohol of specific gravity -835 
and distilled water, and has a specific gravity 
at 15-6° C. = 60° F. -94118. 
at 25-2° C. = 77° + F. -93438. 
This, when made from alcohol s. g. -81674 at 15-6° C., 
requires 100 measures of the alcohol at 15-6° C. to 
112-54 ,, ,, distilled water at 15-6° C. or 
100 „ „ „ „ 15-6° C. 
require 88-85 ,, „ the alcohol at 15-6° 0. 
Made by weight, 
100 parts of the alcohol require 136*86 distilled water, 
or 100 „ distilled water „ 73-03 alcohol. 
100 „ alcohol, s.g. -835, „ 119-84 distilled water, 
or 100 „ distilled water „ 83-44 alcohol, -835. 
One pint of this diluted alcohol 
at 10-6° C. = 51° F. weighs 446-30 gram. = 6887 grains, 
at 30-6° C. = 87° F. „ 439-69 „ = 6785 „ 
20° C. = 36° F. 6-61 „ = 102 „ 
Made with alcohol s. g. -8208 at 15-6° C. = 60° F., 
100 parts alcohol require 135 parts distilled water, 
and the s. g. of the mixture 
at 15-6° C. = 60° F. is -941849. 
at 25° C. = 77° F. is -935422, or -000684 for ea. 1° C. 
One pint of this mixture 
at 10-6° C. = 51° F. weighs 446-50 grm. = 6890 grams, 
at 30-6° C. = 87° F. „ 439-75 „ = 6786 „ 
20° C. = 36° F. 6-75 „ = 104 „ 
A mixture of three parts, by weight, of stronger alco¬ 
hol, and one part glycerine, proves to be a very good 
menstruum for cinchona and rhubarb, and may be found 
applicable to other drugs. 
Made with alcohol of s. g. -81674 at 15-6° C. 
and glycerine „ 1-2523 at 15-6° C., 
the mixture has a specific gravity 
at 15-6° C. = 60° F. -90050. 
at 25° C. = 77° F. -89296, or -000802 for ea. 1° C. 
One pint of this mixture 
at 10-6° C. = 51° F. weighs 427-30 gram. = 6594 grains, 
at 30-6° C. = 87° F. „ 419-82 „ = 6479 „ 
20° C. = 36° F. ~7-48 „ = 115 „ 
The other special menstruum thus far studied by the 
writer is one that has been found well adapted to wild 
cherry bark, pareira brava and uva ursi. This is a mix¬ 
ture of two parts stronger alcohol, three parts glycerine, 
and five parts water. By measure this is very nearly 
two measures each of the alcohol and glycerine, and four 
of water. 
Made from alcohol of s. g. -81953 at 15-6° C., and gly¬ 
cerine s. g. 1"2523 at 15-6° C., it has a s. g. 
at 15-6° C. = 60° F. 1-03833, 
at 25° C. = 77° F. 1-03283, or nearly -0006 for ea. 1° C. 
One pint of this mixture 
at 10-6° C. = 51° F. weighs 492-03 gram. = 7593 grains, 
at 30-6° C. = 87° F. „ 486-97 „ = 7J14 „ 
20° C. = 36° F. 5-06 „ = 79 „ 
It appears very probable that special menstrua for 
special drugs can and should be very much multiplied. 
Indeed, it may be regarded as almost certain that a pro¬ 
per degree of research would show that every drug re¬ 
quires a special menstruum in order to secure the .best 
results. If there be a rule of any general applicability, 
it is that for drugs which contain definite alkaloids, the 
menstruum should he as strongly alcoholic as possible 
a rule which is in opposition to former practice. 
It remains now to notice the prominent fluid extracts 
with which the writer has had most experience, in detail. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF ACONITE ROOT. 
Not officinal, but should be, and should always bear a 
red label. The root should be in very fine powder, and 
the menstruum stronger alcohol. The officinal quantity 
of powder requires 5 fg for moistening, and the mois¬ 
tened powder should be passed through a sieve before 
packing. A pint of the menstruum at 25° C. = 77° F., 
weighs about 5907 grains, and a pint of the finished 
preparation, at the same temperature, should weigh about 
6350 grains, giving a difference of about 440 grains, 
varying somewhat with the quality of the root and the 
dryness of the powder. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF BELLADONNA ROOT. 
Not officinal, but should be, as stronger and more uni¬ 
form than that yielded by the leaf. The two are not 
necessary, and if the leaf was dropped, the root would 
soon go into general use. The fluid extract should 
always bear a red label. 
The root should be in very fine powder, and the men¬ 
struum stronger alcohol. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF BUCIIU, OFFICINAL. 
The leaf should be green and fresh, the short buchu 
the best, and be in very fine powder. Many menstrua 
tried, with various portions of glycerine and water, but 
none so good as stronger alcohol. About 8 f^ required 
to moisten the powder, which should be passed through 
a sieve before packing. A pint of the menstruum weighs 
about 5907 grains, and a pint of the finished preparation 
about 6677 grains, giving a difference of about 770 
grains. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF CIM.ICIFUGA, OFFICINAL. 
. The root being in very fine powder, the officinal plan 
yields an excellent preparation by repercolation. The 
process could, however, be much simplified. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF CINCHONA, OFFICINAL. 
The bark should be in very fine powder, the menstruum 
one part glycerine and three parts alcohol, and 8 f- should 
be used to moisten the powder before sifting. Many 
menstrua were tried with this drug, but none seemed to 
answer so well as the mixture indicated. With it a fluid 
extract was prepared of which a minim represented about 
one and a half grains, and this has now stood more than 
four months without a deposit. Therefore, a prepara- 
