340         Improved  Acetone  Cantharidal  Collodion.  {Am,Jui?;iP908arilJ' 
to  be  sugar,  and  a  simple  investigation  of  this  precipitate  proved  such 
to  be  the  case.  The  crystals  were  entirely  soluble  in  a  small  quantity 
of  water,  and  were  sweet  to  the  taste,  forming  a  syrupy-like  solu- 
tion. The  elixir  contains  about  40  per  cent,  of  alcohol,  which  is 
necessary  for  the  solution  of  the  terpin  hydrate.  Doubtless  the 
amount  of  syrup  will  have  to  be  reduced. 
Of  the  eighty-eight  elixirs  of  the  N.F.,  the  following  eleven  have 
not  been  prepared  ;  all  of  the  others  are  displayed : 
Elixir  of  hops;  phosphorus;  phosphorus  and  nux  vomica ;  com- 
pound  cascara  sagrada  ;  rhubarb  and  magnesium  acetate  ;  compound 
stillingia;  turnera;  compound  viburnum  opulus ;  viburnum  pruni- 
folium ;  malt  and  iron  ;  and  zinc  valerianate  (valerate). 
IMPROVED  ACETONE  CANTHARIDAL  COLLODION. 
By  George  M.  Beringer. 
The  active  principle  in  cantharides  is  present  partly  in  a  free  or 
uncombined  state  and  partly  as  a  salt  in  combination  with  the  nat- 
ural acid  as  cantharidate.  The  cantharidate  is  insoluble  in  chloro- 
form and  ether,  and  most  of  the  ordinary  solvents  in  which  canthar- 
idin  is  soluble,  and  which  are  used  in  making  the  pharmaceutical 
preparations. 
Analyses  published  by  N.  Dietrich  1  and  Boudin  2  show  that  the 
combined  cantharidin  amounts  to  from  10  to  20  per  cent,  of  the 
active  constituent  of  the  beetle. 
In  the  official  process  for  cantharidal  collodion  the  powdered  drug 
is  percolated  with  chloroform  and  so  only  the  free  cantharidin  is 
extracted  and  varying  proportions  of  the  drug  activity  is  discarded 
with  the  marc. 
As  long  ago  as  1852,  Prof.  Wm.  Procter,  Jr.,3  pointed  out  that 
acetone  was  an  excellent  solvent  for  cantharidin  and  this  has  since 
been  confirmed  by  a  number  of  investigators.  Schmidt 4  gives  the 
solubility  of  cantharidin  in  acetone  as  1  in  38,  in  chloroform  1  in  66, 
1  Pharm.  Centralh.,  42,674,  Year  Book  of  Pharmacy,  1902,  p.  169. 
2  Journ.  de  Pharm.  et  de  Chemie,  1888 — 18,391. 
3  Amer.  Jour,  of  Pharmacy,  1889,  p.  264. 
4  Pharmaceutische  Chemie,  9—1874. 
