April 13, 1872.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS 
825 
colour to it. The total absence of catyx, ovary, and 
even style, renders it impossible to express an opinion 
as to the genus from which this so-called saffron 
may have been derived. It is unquestionably a new 
claimant for public favour as a dye-stuff, its un¬ 
sightly appearance probably interfering with its suc¬ 
cessful introduction. It is too dark coloured and 
too coarse in its structure to be used as a sophistica¬ 
tion of, or substitution for true saffron. 
As far as my experience extends, the article which 
last winter (1870-71) was in the American market 
under the name of African saffron, was Carthamus, 
while about the same time a small lot of (probably) 
scrophulariaceous flowers were offered in the London 
market under the same name .—American Journal of 
Pharmacy. 
THE CLARIFICATION OF SYRUPS BY PAPER 
PULP.* 
BY M. MAGNES-LAHEXS. 
The method proposed by M. Desmarest, and mentioned 
in the French Codex, of using finely-divided unsized 
paper and a woollen strainer for the clarification of 
syrups, has not met with much acceptance among phar¬ 
maceutists. This result, the author thinks, arises partly 
from the absence of any detailed description of the 
process, and partly from the difficulties which, at first 
sight, appear to endanger its successful accomplishment. 
With the object of completing the description already 
given, by indicating the points of detail to be attended 
to in order to attain a satisfactory result, the author has 
made many experiments, leading him to the opinion 
that when the numerous advantages of this process are 
better known, it will bo recognized to be one of great 
value to the pharmaceutist. The object to be attained 
in effecting clarification by this method is the uniform 
deposition of the paper pulp, previously diffused through 
the syrup, upon the sides of the filter, forming a kind of 
felting through which the syrup is passed. The condi¬ 
tions under which this is best accomplished, the author 
considers to be as follows:— 
First, as to the paper. This should be unsized, white, 
and of good quality. It should he reduced to a paste 
by shaking it vigorously in a bottle with a part of the 
vehicle which forms the base of the syrup. 
The filter is best made of the material called swans- 
down, and in shape like an inverted sugar-loaf. Its 
capacity should be about one-thii'd of the syrup intended 
to be strained; for instance, a filter of one litre is 
suitable for three litres of syrup. The quantity of 
paper inquired for the felting of a filter of this size is 
thi'ee grams; it will be seen, therefore,, that a litre of 
syrup requii-es a gram of paper for its clarification. 
The temperature at which the syrup is best suited for 
clarification the author considers to be from 35° C. to 40° 
C. (95° F. to 104° F.) When cold the syrup runs too 
slowly; besides the difficulty met with in dissolving 
the quantity of sugar in the proportion of vehicle some¬ 
times ordered. When raised, to a higher temperature, 
especially if it appx*oach 100° C., the syrup passes 
through too rapidly, and the felting does not act uni¬ 
formly and well. 
These conditions being complied with, the operation 
may be commenced by pouring the syrup, through 
which the paper pulp has been previously well diffused, 
rapidly into the filter, in such a manner as to fill it as 
soon as possible, and then to keep it constantly full 
xmtil thei'e is no more syrup to poxir in. When the 
greater part of the syrup has passed through, and but 
little remains in the filter, the felting caused by the 
deposition of the small particles of paper on the inside of 
the filter from the syrup in passing thi'ough will have been 
* Journal de I’harmaeie ct do Chimie [4], vol. xv. p. 140. 
grams. 
» 
99 
effected. The syrup is then passed through a second 
time, still keeping the filter full as before, and if the 
operation be carefully carried out, the result will leave 
nothing to be desired. In pouring the syrup into the 
filter, the stream should be directed towards the centi’e, 
and not on the sides, to avoid disturbing the felting. 
The author next discusses the advantages of this 
method compared with clarification by albumen or by 
filtering through paper. He states that where simple 
syrup is clarified by white of egg, a part of the albumen 
and the whole of the soda is retained in the syrup, and 
he is of opinion that the albumen, being very unstable in 
its nature, may sometimes be prejudicial to the preserva¬ 
tion of the syrup, while the soda, although present in a 
very minute proportion, can exercise an injurious 
influence on some of the chemical compounds contained 
in medicines where the simple syrup is used. This 
result is avoided in the paper-paste process, and the 
product is found to have a clearer and more agreeable 
flavour. With the same quality of sugar the syrup clarified 
bv albumen is more coloured than that for which paper 
paste is used; the process too requires more time and 
care, is more expensive, and in consequence of. the 
abundant scum, the wasteis greater. Another point claimed 
is that, as it is not necessary by the paper-pulp process 
to raise the temperature beyond 40 G., thei'e is no diffi- 
cxdty in maintaining the proper consistence of the syrup. 
So satisfactory has the authoi’ found this method that 
he has adopted it for some time in his pharmacy to the 
exclusion of the others; preparing by it a syrup which 
he uses for sweetening medicines, and as a basis for the 
medicated syrups. His formula is as follows : 
Powdered loaf sugar .. • • 20,000 
Water . 10 > 500 
White filter-paper .. .... . 
The sugar on being placed in a deep, wide pan, the 
water, in which the paper has previously been divided, 
is added. The pan is then placed on a stove and heated, 
stirrino- all the while, until the syrup has attained a 
temperature of from 35° C. to 40° C. (95° F to 104° F.) 
and the sugar is thoroughly dissol\od. It is thon 
poured into a filter of eight or nine liti'os capacity, and 
the operation carried out as befoi’e described. The 
pi’oduct obtained is of great clearness, the density being 
35 Beaume (sp. gr. 1'321). After the syrup ceases to 
run, the filter will still retain about 500 grams.. By 
washing it with a little lukewarm watei, pressing it 
strongly, bringing the liquoi' to a syrupy consistence, then 
adding a little paper and again filtering through a small 
filter, the greater part of this may be recovered. 
Among the numerous syrups of the Irench Codex, 
there are a few which are ordered to be filtered through 
paper filters. The author states that an equally satis¬ 
factory product may be obtained by Desmarest s process, 
while the time occupied is considerably less. One litie 
of syrup, sp. gr. 1*321, filtered through a large paper 
filter under the most favourable conditions would 
require at least sixteen hours, while the same quantity 
might be clarified in two hours with a swansdown filter 
and a proper proportion of paper pulp. <ma y. wii 
regard to medicated syrups, M. Magnes-Lahens refers to 
the objection he has before indicated to the use of albumen 
for clarification, and points out the danger of the 
principles to which such syrups owe them medicinal 
properties undergoing change^at^the 
“TundS a variable proportion (tag™o t 
lactucarinm as much as one-seven h of the who e) o the 
active principle is taken up l>y the albumen in «b" t 
and therefore entirely lost He expre-e. » hope that 
no pharmaceutist will he led to neg ec 1 ~ 
account of the difficulties.that, n.PP^ 11 ^’ 1 
he is sure that all these difficultieswillvanish at. toe 
first attempt, it care be taken m ,,, ^ 
tions given The process may also be used m the filtia 
tion of oxymels, etc. 
