December 30, 1871.] THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
539 
gktts ani faeries. 
*** In order to facilitate reference, correspondents arc 
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. 
[291.]—GOLDEN INK may bo made by mixing finely 
divided gold-leaf or Dutch metal with thin gum-water. 
—J. Tully. 
TRANSPARENT CEMENT.—A very strong trans¬ 
parent cement, applicable to wmod, porcelain, glass, 
stone, etc., may be made by rubbing together in a 
mortar two parts of nitrate of lime, twenty-five parts of 
'water and twenty parts of powdered gum arabic. The 
surfaces to be united to be painted with the cement, and 
hound together until completely dry.—A. Selle, in 
Dingier's Polgtcchnischcs Journal. 
GLUE FOR LABELS.—A good cement for attach¬ 
ing paper labels to bottles may be made by boil¬ 
ing a mixture of gelatine and dextrine in water. When 
dry, the labels should be covered with dammar varnish. 
— Dingl. Pol. Journ. 
CLEANSING GLASS VESSELS FROM PE¬ 
TROLEUM.—Milk of lime, with which petroleum 
forms an emulsion, is recommended by F. Stolba in 
Dingier s Polytechnisches Journal (cci. 181) as the best 
means of cleansing glass vessels soiled by petroleum. 
[294.]—A PRESCRIPTION.—A correspondent asks 
for our readers’ opinions on the following:— 
Purgcrs against red Choler. 
Turbith, Confectio Ilamech, Electuary of the juice of 
Roses, Scammony, Diaprunum solutive, Venice Treacle, 
Troches of Rhubarb, Troches de Eupatorio, Pills of Tur¬ 
bith, Electuarium, is wonderfully good for the above. 
An ounce thereof giveth eight stools, & purgeth red 
choler. 
[295.]—SOL. ACID. CARBOLIC. AROMAT.—Can 
any reader inform me what should be used when sol. 
acid, carbolic, aromat. is ordered in a prescription ? I 
am unable to find any recognized formula.—T. A. S. 
[296.]—NAPHTHALINE.— F.P. (Manchester) wishes 
for information as to where he may find a demand for 
pure naphthaline. 
[297.]—CHEMICAL FLY-PAPER.— u XilAdinirari '’ 
would be glad of a receipt for chemical fly-paper. 
[298.]—SYRUP. FERRIET QUINCE IIYPOPHOS- 
PHATLS.— IF. S. N. asks for a formula for syrup, 
ferri et quinao hypophospliatis. 
[299.]—MEDICATED LOZENGES.—// Williams 
wishes to be furnished with directions for making medi¬ 
cated lozenges. 
The following journals have been received:—The ‘British 
Medical Journal,’ Dec. 23 ; the ‘Medical Times and Gazette,’ 
Dee. 23 ; the ‘ Lancet,’ Dec. 23; the ‘ Medical Press and Cir¬ 
cular,’ Dec. 27 ; ‘Nature,’ Dec. 23; the ‘Chemical News,’ 
Dec. 23; ‘English Mechanic,’ Dec. 22 ; ‘ Gardeners’ Chro¬ 
nicle,’ Dec. 23; the ‘Grocer,’ Dec. 23; the ‘Journal of the 
•Society of Arts,’ Dec. 23; ‘American Journal of Pharmacy’ 
for December; the ‘Canadian Pharmaceutical Journal’ for 
December; ‘ Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie ’ for Novem¬ 
ber ; the ‘ Chloralum Review ’ for December; ‘ Brewers’ 
Guardian’ for Dec. 6 ; the ‘ Leavenworth Medical Herald and 
Journal of Pharmacy’ for December ; the ‘Druggists’ Cir¬ 
cular ’ for December. 
Ccrropnktttc. 
*#* No notice can be taken of anonymous communica¬ 
tions. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenti¬ 
cated by the name and address of the writer ; not necessarily 
for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith. 
Difficulties in Dispensing. 
Sir,—I had hoped to spend my time to-day more plea¬ 
santly, if not more profitably, than in reading and replying 
to the communications of your three correspondents; but, 
as this is pre-eminently the day of “peace and goodwill to 
man,” I will accept their good will, and endeavour to for¬ 
get anything that may have seemed to have an opposite 
tendency. 
Mr. Clark objects that in my paper I did not “assert the 
principle that the prescriber should bo communicated with 
where possible.” I did not for the very obvious reason that 
the subject of my paper not being “mistakes in prescribing,” 
but “ difficulties in dispensing,” that question was not within 
its scope; and also because I considered the principle to be 
so generally acknowledged, I really did not think any allusion 
to it necessary. 
Next, with regard to the disputed question of an excessive 
quantity of essential oils in pills, I think there can be no 
doubt that they are frequently ordered at random, without 
the prescriber having the least idea that the quantity pre¬ 
scribed cannot be got in by fair means ; and, being very often 
merely flavouring ingredients, it does not weigh very heavily 
on my conscience to leave out the excess, rather than to in¬ 
crease the bulk of the pill by the addition of tragacanth, or 
to alter its chemical constitution bv the addition of magnesia: 
•/ O J 
and I think we ought to be quite as mindful what we add as 
what we subtract. Let it, however, be clearly understood 
that I protest as strongly as any one against any omission of, 
or tampering with, any active or really important ingredient. 
With regard to the more personal part of this controversy, 
if I have said anything to wound the feelings of any one, I am 
sorry to have done so. I never like to see personalities intro¬ 
duced into a discussion of this nature, but think that we ought 
always to try and give people credit for good intentions at 
least, and not too hastily condemn in strong terms what wo 
do not altogether approve of, remembering there may be 
something we know not of that may give a totally different 
complexion to the matter. I believe we are all agreed 
that the intentions of the prescriber should be carried out as 
far as possible, though we may differ somewhat as to the 
mode of doing so. 
W. Wilkinson. 
Cheetham Hill, Dec. 25th, 1871. 
Syeup of Tolu. 
Sir,—Many of your readers may be glad to know of an¬ 
other use to which the waste resin of the syr. tolu process may 
be put. As Mr. Haselden has observed, the balsam of tolu 
is not exhausted by the boiling with water in such quantity 
as is directed by the Pharmacopoeia, and I have used the 
residue for benzoating fats used in the preparation of 
pomades, etc., with very good results. Lard, etc., is thus 
preserved from rancidity, and the citrine perfumes are in 
great measure preserved from change; besides which, the 
odour of the balsam communicated to the pomade forms a 
good basis for the perfume. 
24, High Street, Strooi, J. Knowles. 
December 14 th, 1871. 
P.S.—It communicates a slight greenish colour to colour¬ 
less fat. 
Sir,—A difference of opinion seems to exist as to the pro¬ 
per method of preparing this adjunct to “ elegant pharmacy.” 
Mr. Haselden states that if the liquid be filtered whilst hot, 
the syrup w r ould contain resinous matter and cinnamic acid 
“ which might induce, and has been known to do so, the very 
irritation or tickling about the fauces which it was intended to 
allay.” It will occur to any practical chemist and druggist 
that the ordinary syrup of balsam (formerly Syr. Tolutani, 
Ph. Loud.) is made by adding about 3j Tr. Tolu to 2 simple 
syrup, which remedy is much in request for the tickling 
