tyson’s process for blue pill. 
21 
from the root of C. lancifolia ” which is really a very interesting new variety 
of the C. Pitayensis —the Pitaya roja of commerce. 
THE PHARMACOPOEIA PEOCESS EOE CITRATE OE IRON AND 
QUININE. 
TO THE EDITOR OE THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—Having unsuccessfully tried to prepare gome “ Citrate of Iron and 
Quinine” according to the process described in the new British Pharmaco¬ 
poeia, and having, after repeated trials, come to the conclusion that the pro¬ 
cess was a fallacious one, allow me to ask you the favour of publishing in 
the next ‘ Pharmaceutical Journal ’ the following receipt of mine, which not 
only gives an elegant preparation, but also a product similar in every respect 
to that found in commerce. 
I am, Sir, yours obediently, 
Mauritius , May Gth, 1864. E. Fleurot, M.P.S. 
Ferri et Quinlze Citras. 
Take sjp fluid ounces of a saturated solution of citrate of peroxide of iron,* 
made of such a strength that this quantity shall exactly represent six drachms 
of the anhydrous salt. 
To such a solution, heated b} r the water-bath, add one drachm of citric acid 
previously dissolved in one ounce of distilled water, and immediately after¬ 
wards add at once the quantity of quinia freshly precipitated by solution of 
ammonia from two drachms of disulphate of quinia. Continue the applica¬ 
tion of heat, and stir the mixture constantly until all the quinia is dissolved. 
Solution of ammonia (P.L.) is then added drop by drop in sufficient quantity 
(about 2 fi. o z.) until the desired yellowish-green colour is obtained. The 
mixture must be stirred up briskly after the addition of each drop of ammonia. 
Great care should be taken not to add an excess of solution of ammonia ; 
the solution must, on the contrary, be slightly acid to litmus paper. The 
liquid is then left to evaporate on the water-bath until it acquires a syrupy 
consistence, when it is spread with a brush on glass plates, and placed in a 
stove to scale. 
Note. —It sometimes happens that the solution of the salt in water has a 
milky appearance; this shows that there was not a sufficient quantity of 
citric acid in the preparation; it is obvious, then, to try a little of it previous 
to its concentration. For this purpose, take a small quantity of the liquid, 
dry it on a glass plate, and examine the salt as to its solubility and transpa¬ 
rence. If, on dissolving the salt in water, the solution is not found to be 
quite clear, add to the preparation, while it is on the water-bath, a few grains 
of powdered citric acid, and repeat the process of drying, etc. etc., until 
you obtain a perfectly transparent solution. 
TYSON’S PEOCESS FOE BLUE PILL. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—In reading over Dr. Attfield’s lecture, contained in the last number of 
your Journal, I perceive that he quotes, approvingly, from Tyson, a process for 
* The saturated solution of citrate of peroxide of iron is made by saturating at the heat 
of the water-bath a solution of citric acid with freshly-prepared hydrated sesquioxide of 
iron, until no more oxide is dissolved in the solution of citric acid. The excess of oxide of iron 
is then removed by filtration, and the liquid evaporated to such a strength that every fluid 
ounce must represent one drachm of anhydrous citrate of iron. 
