336  Elixirs  of  the  National  Formulary.  {AmjS™i£8.arm* 
Primarily,  it  should  be  said  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  writers 
there  are  too  many  formulas  for  elixirs  contained  in  this  book,  which 
is  now  a  standard  Formulary  for  the  United  States,  there  being 
eighty-eight  formulas  in  all. 
For  instance  there  are  five  formulas  for  bromides ;  i.  e.y  simple 
solutions  of  the  individual  bromide  in  a  sufficient  amount  of  aromatic 
elixir.  In  the  first  place  the,  23  or  25  per  cent,  of  alcohol  present 
is  directly  antagonistic  to  the  effect  of  the  sedative;  and  secondly, 
why  should  a  simple  formula  of  this  character  be  given  when  a 
physician  could  far  better  select  his  own  dose  of  bromide  or  medi- 
cament and  the  vehicle  which  he  desires  to  carry  it  ? 
This  latter  criticism  may  be  applied  to  the  following  elixirs, 
although  the  several  formulas,  from  a  pharmaceutical  standpoint, 
are  satisfactory : 
Elixir  of  ammonium  bromide,  calcium  bromide,  lithium  bromide, 
lithium  citrate,  lithium  salicylate,  potassium  acetate,  potassium  bro- 
mide, sodium  bromide,  sodium  hypophosphite,  and  sodium  salicylate, 
while  the  list  might  be  further  extended. 
There  is  no  criticism  to  be  made  upon  the  following  additional 
formulas;  they  are  pharmaceutically  satisfactory: 
Elixir  of  ammonium  valerianate  (the  title  should  be  "  valerate") ; 
ammonium  valerianate  and  quinine  ;  bismuth  ;  buchu  ;  compound 
buchu  ;  compound  cathartic  ;  compound  chloroform  ;  cinchona  and 
iron  ;  cinchona,  iron,  bismuth  and  strychnine;  cinchona,  iron  and  bis- 
muth; cinchona,  iron  and  calcium  lactophosphate ;  cinchona,  iron  and 
strychnine;  coca  andguarana;  compound  digestive;  eucalyptus;  iron 
pyrophosphate  ;  iron  hypophosphite  ;  iron  phosphate  ;  gentian  ; 
gentian  and  iron  chloride ;  gentian  and  iron  phosphate ;  glycyr- 
rhiza  ;  guarana  ;  hypophosphites  ;  pepsin  ;  pepsin  and  bismuth  ; 
compound  tar;  pilocarpus;  potassium  acetate;  hops;  pepsin  and 
iron  ;  quinine  valerianate  (valerate);  rhubarb  ;  strychnine  valerianate 
(valerate). 
The  following  criticisms  are  offered  with  the  hope  that  they  may 
call  attention  to  difficulties,  and,  if  the  elixir  is  retained  in  the  next 
edition  of  the  National  Formulary,  maybe  made  more  satisfactory: 
ELIXIRS. 
Salicylic  Acid, — The  salicylic  acid  dissolves  very  slowly  and  with 
great  difficulty.    It  contains  50  per  cent,  of  glycerin  and  is  really  a 
