436 PREVENTION OF MISTAKES AND ACCIDENTAL POISONING. 
I propose to groove the stopper at opposite sides and then tie it into the 
bottle; the liquid leaves the bottle by the one groove and the air enters by the 
other; a little japanned tin cap, to fit over the stopper and neck of the bottle, is 
required to exclude the dust. 
I will just give a few hints for doing this neatly; those who do not need 
them will, I have no doubt, excuse them, and to those who do I need not 
apologize. Place the stopper on a bench with one of the flat sides of the upper 
part resting upon a flat piece of wood of sufficient thickness to steady it, and 
hold it firmly between the fore-finger and thumb, then with a rat’s-tail file 
dipped in turpentine, carefully make a groove on the crown of the arch; when 
this is done, turn the stopper over, and with a three-sided file make a smaller 
groove exactly opposite the first: the size of these grooves can only be deter¬ 
mined by experiment, and it should be such as will permit a free, though not 
too free, escape of the contents : to use a familiar expression, it should allow a 
stream to run u as thick as a straw.” When the grooves are made, the bottle 
should be filled, as the stopper will be a fixture; then place the stopper in the 
bottle with the smaller groove, cut by the three-sided file, exactly over the 
centre of the label: the reason for this is obvious; we pour from that side of 
the neck opposite the label, that it may not be injured by any of the liquid 
which may run down. The next thing to be done is to tie down the stopper, 
and this should be accomplished in such a manner, that the string cannot come 
off by accident; the string should not pass over the top of the stopper, but over 
the shoulder on either side, and then by u bracing the braces ” with another bit 
of string, the stopper is made quite secure. Care must be taken that the string 
is not in the way of pouring out. 
While writing, may I ask whether there would be any objection to the fol¬ 
lowing plan for making Liquor Ferri Perchoridi? The object aimed at in the 
process of the Pharmacopoeia appears to be to ensure a certain quantity of iron 
in a given bulk of the preparation, and this is done by starting with a definite 
substance, namely, iron in its elementary state ; but the result of the process is 
not altogether satisfactory. Would it not be better to dissolve the iron in sul¬ 
phuric Acid, then convert it into persulphate in the usual way with nitric 
Acid, and precipitate the peroxide with ammonia; this, having been carefully 
washed and drained, to be added to the whole of the hydrochloric acid, and 
evaporated to the proper bulk. No appreciable loss of iron takes place if due 
care be used in the washing. I cannot see what objection there can be to this 
process, if hydrochloric acid of proper strength be employed. A weaker acid 
would not contain sufficient HC1 to convert all the Fe 2 0 3 into Fe 2 Cl 3 , and, 
although a clear solution might be obtained, it would be because hydrated 
peroxide of iron is soluble in solution of Fe 2 Cl 3 . The extra trouble would not 
be worth consideration, if a perfectly satisfactory result were arrived at. I 
have tried the plan, and it appears to leave nothing to be desired, but I have 
not yet had time to examine it carefully, nor to test its keeping qualities when 
not tincture. 
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 
Sydenham , December 23,1864. T. H. Holloway. 
A SIMPLE AND PRACTICABLE SUGGESTION FOR PREVENT¬ 
ING MISTAKES AND ACCIDENTAL POISONING. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. 
Sir,—The numerous suggestions for preventing accidental poisoning recorded 
from time to time in your Journal, for the most part appeal to the senses of 
