150 
NEW PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS. 
sample to produce the therapeutic effect of another. Obvi¬ 
ously, this identical variation of strength must ensue with 
the pharmacopceial preparations of colchicum, whatever the 
care or skill of the pharmaceutist. To remedy these evils, 
Mr. Bastick has pursued a system very different from that 
generally laid down in our pharmacopoeias in the manufacture 
of most of its preparations. To illustrate his plan by an 
example, we will take the tincture of hyoscyamus. Now it 
is admitted, on all hands, that the efficacy of hyoscyamus 
depends on the presence of an alkaloid, hyoscyamine, in the 
plant. As the leaves of this plant contain an ever-variable 
quantity of hyoscyamine, it is manifestly impossible to pre¬ 
pare tincture of hyoscyamus of uniform strength ; but if we 
first extract the hyoscyamine from the leaves, we can easily 
make a solution of this alkaloid, of constant strength. This 
is the outline of Mr. Bastick’s method for manufacturing the 
liquors submitted to our notice. At present, he has only 
manufactured three of these preparations, namely, Liquor 
Hyoscyaminae, Liquor Colchicinae, and Liquor Smilacinae; 
but it is evident that the series is capable of great extension. 
Mr. Bastick informs us that these liquors correspond in 
strength with the best samples that can be made of tincture 
of hyoscyamus, vinum colchici, and ext. sarsae fluid. 
The idea of employing the active principle of colchicum 
and hyoscyamus in medicine is not new; for Liebig and the 
late Dr. Gregory threw out the suggestion some years ago 
to the profession ; but the credit of bringing this idea into a 
practical shape is certainly due to Mr. Bastick. Moreover, 
we understand that, by improvements devised by him for 
eliminating the alkaloids, he is enabled to obtain these costly 
medicines at such a price that expense will prove no barrier 
to their general use in those cases where such considerations 
must be taken into account. 
We may add that Mr. Bastick’s new liquors are quite 
different from any preparations that have heretofore come 
under our observation, and are certainly very elegant, being 
almost entirely free from taste and odour; and those who 
have tried them pronounce them to be the most reliable 
remedial agents with which pharmaceutical science has 
furnished us for combating disease.— The Lancet . 
