NOTES ON THE BRITISH PHARMACOPCEIA. 
731 
Extr. SarscB Liquidum. —In this preparation f 5 i equals two drams of the 
root. In the decoction f gi equals one dram of the root. Would it not be better 
to make f 5 i of the liquid extract equal to 5 ! of the root and f ^i of the decoc¬ 
tion ? "Would it not also be desirable to make officinal the “ liq. sarsse co.” of 
which there is probably a hundred times as much used as of any other prepara¬ 
tion of sarsaparilla ? Also, would it not be better to use dried licorice root in these 
preparations rather than the fresh, which is not always to be had in good con¬ 
dition ? 
Extr. Color. Co. —Would not this be both more uniform and more conve¬ 
nient—if evaporated to dryness and powdered,—a proceeding which is largely 
adopted in practice, and which is sanctioned in the case of the extr. of aloes, 
and of logwood ? 
Ess. Anisi., Ess. Mentlice, Spir. Mentlice. —Is there any good ground for 
altering the strength of the essences of anise and mint? The strength at pre¬ 
sent in use, and which has been in use for many years, though only recently 
made oflicinal, appears perfectly convenient and well understood. The dose of 
the altered form is surely over-stated. What is a dose of the oil of mint ? 
Under ess. menthse it is ^ of 10 to 20 minims, i.e. 2 to 4 minims of the oil. 
Under spir. menthse it is of 30 to 60 minims, i.e. ^ to of a minim of the 
oil. 
Ferri Sulphas Granulata. —Is not pure sulphate of iron in crystals more 
desirable than this fancy article ? 
Liq. Ammonice Acetatis. —I am glad to see this preparation in something 
like its old form. The proof copy of the work contained also a formula for hq. 
ammonise acetatis fortior, of about five times the strength of the present, ■which 
is now erased. Would it, not have been useful to give a formula for a strong 
solution, f 5 i of which would equal f §i of the present ? Such a solution is in 
common use, and keeps better than the weaker preparation. 
Mist. Creta5, Mist. Guaiac. —The object of the gum arabic in these prepa¬ 
rations is no doubt to prevent the rapid subsidence of the powders, but the 
quantity ordered is much too small to be efficacious. A better form is to use 
gum tragacanth, a small quantity of which is much more effectual, say— 
Take of Chalk ^ ounce. 
Sugar ounce. 
Powd. gum tragacanth 20 grains. 
Rub together and add gradually— 
Cinnamon water 8 ounces. 
Mixtures made according to this form settle more slowly and are more readily 
remixed by agitation. 
Mist. Semite Co. —It is convenient to have this mixture made in the propor¬ 
tion of 5 ounces of sulphate of magnesia in a pint, as the quantity in each 
draught is then more easily regulated, thus— 
The draughts . . f 5 ! . . f §iss . . f 511 
Contain .... 5^^ * * * * 0 ^^ 
Pil. Coloc. Co. —Might not the sulphate of potash be advantageously changed 
for soap, to promote the solution of the scammony and aloes ? 
Pil. Assafoetidss Co. —The myrrh does not readily combine with the other 
gums by fusion unless first powdered. If we are supposed to use our discretion 
in a case of this kind, are we also to be allowed to dry and powder, or to melt 
and strain the assafoetida and galbanum ? They so generally contain impurities 
which unfit them for use without some such preparation, and are so much in¬ 
jured by the ordinary processes of preparation, from the loss of volatile oil, that 
an improvement in the process seems desirable. Assafcetida and galbanum may 
