74S 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
[March 16, 1872. 
in the case of a tincture or syrup. I find, also, that the 
emulsion rather improves by standing, the “cream” be¬ 
coming more homogeneous. 
It is often desirable to administer this oil in quite 
large doses, and it will he found that a mixture of one 
part of an emulsion of the above strength, with three 
parts of syr. wild cherry will give a preparation that is 
rather pleasant than otherwise, both as regards taste 
and odour. 
Actual experiment has demonstrated that this method 
is applicable to all liquids that possess no solvent power 
as regards gum acacia, and that possess a reasonable 
degree of mobility. In accordance with this fact it will 
be found that ether and chloroform, when treated in 
this manner, will yield perfect emulsions, and, as the 
operation is conducted in a close vessel, the loss sus¬ 
tained in the usual process is not incurred. 
The principle upon which this process is based is very 
simple. In the usual mortar process the cohosiveness of 
the intermedium has to be overcome, it being directly 
opposed to the union desired, whereas in the new, the 
same condition of the gum does not occur until after the 
union, being then opposed to their separation .—American 
Journal of Pharmacy. 
FLUID EXTRACT OF VANILLA. 
15Y J. B. MOOBE. 
This preparation, though usually called a fluid extract, 
is in reality only a tincture in the common acceptation 
of the term. The rich and delightfully aromatic qualities 
of vanilla have given to its fluid extract an importance 
and popularity unsurpassed by any other flavouring 
substance. While it is indispensable to the housekeeper 
and confectioner, it is also of importance to the pharma¬ 
cist and perfumer. Alone or associated with other 
flavouring substances, it is often employed by the phar¬ 
macist to conceal or modify the taste and odour of many 
unpleasant remedies. 
In making this fluid extract it is absolutely essential 
to the success of the operation that the vanilla be re¬ 
duced to a fine state of division, and it is in performing 
this operation that the operator encounters the greatest 
difficulty. The peculiarly tough texture of the shell 
not only renders vanilla very difficult to powder, but it 
also offers an obstinate resistance to the action of solvents; 
and unless it is reduced to a sufficiently fine powder, to 
enable the menstruum to exert its full solvent power, it 
cannot be entirely exhausted. 
I have tried during the last few years a variety of 
methods of making this fluid extract, and with variable 
success, until I adopted the following plan, which, having 
been tested by repeated trials with uniform success, I 
deem of sufficient importance to offer to the readers of 
this journal. 
P> Vanilla, 
Sugar, Crushed Loaf, ana 3 viij troy 
Alcohol, 
Water, each, sufficient quantity. 
Slit the pods from end to end with a knife; then take 
them in small bundles, held tightly between the fingers, 
and cut them transversely into very small pieces. Of 
these, beat small portions at a time in an iron mortar, 
with a little of the sugar, until reduced to a damp pow¬ 
der, which must be rubbed with the hand through a 
No. 20 sieve; any coarse particles which will not pass 
through the sieve must be returned to the mortar, and 
with fresh portions of vanilla and sugar, again treated 
as before. This process is to be continued until the 
whole of the vanilla, with the sugar, is reduced to a 
No. 20 powder. This is then to be mixed with 5 pints 
of a menstruum, consisting of 3 parts of alcohol and 1 
part of water, and the mixture introduced into a stone 
jug of the capacity of one gallon, which must be tightly 
corked. The jug is then to be placed in a water-bath, 
resting upon folds of paper, and the mixture digested 
for two hours at a temperature of from 160° to 170°. 
The neck and shoulders of the jug must be kept cool, to- 
prevent the undue expansion of vapour during the di¬ 
gestion. This can easily be done by wrapping around 
the neck and shoulders of the jug an old towel or other 
cloth kept saturated by having cold water squeezed upon 
it from a sponge every fifteen or twenty minutes. If 
the jug is of the capacity directed, this will be found to- 
be often enough to apply the water. The jug should 
also bo removed from the bath after each application of 
the water, and its contents well shaken. In doing this 
it will be well to keep the hand upon the cork to prevent 
its expulsion, and perhaps consequent loss of material. 
When the digestion has been completed, and the mixture 
has cooled, it is to be expressed through muslin. Pack 
the residue, previously rubbed with the hands to a uni¬ 
form condition, firmly in a glass funnel, prepared for 
percolation, and gradually pour upon it first, the ex¬ 
pressed liquid, and when this has all disappeared from 
the surface, continue the percolation with a mixture of 
3 parts of alcohol and 1 part of water until 8 pints of 
percolate are obtained. 
When the pods have been well preserved and are 
very moist, there may sometimes be required a little- 
more sugar than I have directed in the formula to make 
them powder easily. When this is the case, the neces¬ 
sary additional quantity of sugar may be added, which 
will make no important difference beyond rendering the 
preparation a little sweeter, and this is not at all objec¬ 
tionable. But I have generally found the quantity of 
sugar ordered to be sufficient. 
Many substances, such as sand, glass, etc. have been 
suggested as auxiliaries in the process of powdering 
vanilla, and either of these may be employed in the- 
above process, instead of sugar, if preferred by the opera¬ 
tor, and the sugar can be mixed with the powder after¬ 
wards, and dissolved in the menstruum before digestion. 
But I have always had success when using the sugar, 
and prefer it to any other substance. 
A thermometer should he kept in the water-bath 
during the digestion, for the purpose of regulating the 
temperature, which should not be allowed to exceed 170°. 
The elevated temperature at which the digestion is 
conducted very greatly contributes to the ready solution 
of the active constituents of the vanilla; it softens and 
expands the tough particles of shell, and admits of the 
free access of the menstruum (the solvent power of 
which is also greatly heightened by the heat) to all its 
parts. The digestion being performed in a close vessel, 
there is consequently no loss of aroma in the process. 
The above is an expeditious and at the same time- 
efficient method of making this' preparation, and if the 
process is managed with care, it will thoroughly exhaust 
the vanilla. In fact, this is almost accomplished by the 
digestion itself, as is shown by the circumstance that 
the dregs after they are expressed are almost tasteless. 
In the -absence of any recognized standard strength 
for the fluid extract of vanilla, I have, in the above for¬ 
mula, adopted that which is usually employed, namely, 
1 troy ounce of vanilla to 1 pint of menstruum. In pre¬ 
paring it for general use, these proportions are perhaps- 
the best that can be made. 
The alcoholic strength of the menstruum to be em¬ 
ployed in making the fluid extract of vanilla is also not 
a matter of indifference, as upon this depends the colour ■ 
as well as the quality of the finished product. The one 
I have chosen, consisting of 3 parts of alcohol and 1 
part of water, seems to answer the purpose most admi¬ 
rably. Diluted alcohol is not so good a solvent for the 
virtues of vanilla, and it extracts too much colouring- 
matter, rendering the fluid extract too dark, while alco¬ 
hol alone affords a preparation objectionably light in. 
colour, and also makes its manufacture rather more ex¬ 
pensive .—American Journal of Pharmacy. 
