166  Notes  on  Proteid  Iron  Solutions.       {Am April,' imrm* 
LIQUOR  FERRI  PEPTONATI  CUM  MANGANO. 
When  made  according  to  the  present  formula,  with  the  materials 
obtainable  on  the  market,  the  National  Formulary  preparation  may- 
be described  thus : 
A  dark  brown  sluggish  liquid,  with  a  most  offensive  odor,  not 
unlike  a  mixture  of  ammonia  and  putrefied  beef  extract.  Taste 
alkaline,  saline  and  nauseating.  It  deposits  after  a  time  a  dirty 
white  sediment,  which  soon  covers  the  bottom  of  the  vessel. 
The  finished  product  contains  about  *I5  per  cent,  iron,  -145  per 
cent,  or  less  manganese,  and  -234  per  cent,  ammonium  hydroxide, 
the  latter  serving  the  sole  purpose  of  developing  more  offensive 
odors. 
I  have  prepared  four  samples,  in  each  case  using  different  samples 
of  peptonized  iron,  the  finished  products  being  almost  identical. 
The  trouble  with  this  preparation  lies  principally  with  the  pepton- 
ized iron  and  ammonium  hydroxide,  although  there  is  room  for 
improvement  elsewhere. 
Of  six  samples  of  peptonized  iron  examined,  the  products  of  the 
principal  manufacturers  of  pharmaceutical  chemicals,  all  showed 
that  putrefaction  was  in  progress.  Of  seven  examined  for  iron  con- 
tent, only  one  showed  over  5  per  cent.  Fe2Os  (3  5  per  cent.  Fe),  and 
this  one  sample  has  not  yet  been  on  the  market  under  the  name 
of  peptonized  iron  or  iron  peptonate. 
At  the  time  this  work  was  started,  but  two  samples  of  iron  pep- 
tonate and  none  of  soluble  manganese  citrate  were  obtainable  on  the 
Chicago  market. 
After  some  time  I  succeeded  in  collecting  some  direct  from  the 
manufacturers,  seven  samples  of  peptonized  iron  and  two  of  soluble 
manganese  citrate. 
These  two  samples  of  soluble  manganese  citrate,  although  bearing 
the  same  title,  are  entirely  different  substances. 
(1)  A  light  red-brown  powder  with  a  strong  odor  of  acetamide 
and  ammonia.  It  is  a  manganese-ammonium  citrate  containing 
about  18  per  cent,  manganese.  Incompletely  soluble  in  water,  but 
solution  is  rendered  clear  by  standing  for  some  time  with  a  slight 
excess  of  ammonia. 
(2)  Pearl-colored  scales  (evidently  made  after  the  formula  of 
F.  B.  Power,  Proceedings  A.Ph.A.,  1902,937).    Contains  13-5  per 
