Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
August,  1908.  J 
Beef,  Wine  and  Iron. 
357 
Although  the  first  four  preparations  were  not  made  according  to 
the  Formulary  as  regards  the  removal  of  the  alcohol,  the  composi- 
tion would  not  be  materially  affected  save  in  the  case  of  the  alcohol 
content,  which  we  find  to  be  very  high,  ranging  from  23  82  to  27-18, 
against  19  50  in  No.  5.  The  influence  of  the  form  of  iron  used  is 
very  marked.  Where  filtration  is  practiced  and  the  tincture  is  used, 
the  iron  falls  from  0-123  to  001 1  per  cent.,  a  loss  of  91  per  cent.; 
where  the  citrate  of  iron  is  used,  filtration  causes  only  a  slight  de- 
crease in  iron,  from  0121  to  0107  per  cent.  In  No.  5,  where  the 
tincture  was  also  used  followed  by  filtration,  the  low  iron  percentage 
of  No.  2  is  confirmed ;  the  500  c.c.  of  the  preparation  originally 
contained  0-631  gramme  of  metallic  iron;  while  it  actually  con- 
tains, after  filtration,  only  0-123  gramme,  a  loss  of  80  per  cent. 
Filtration  likewise  causes  a  decrease  in  ash  of  from  I  I 13  to  0-723 
per  cent.,  a  loss  of  35  per  cent.  The  higher  ash  in  No.  5  is  due  to 
the  presence  of  a  large  excess  of  sodium  chloride  in  the  meat  extract 
used,  a  characteristic  of  most  commercial  extracts. 
In  the  case  of  the  nitrogen,  where  the  tincture  is  used,  filtration 
causes  a  reduction  from  0-250  to  0-178  per  cent.,  a  loss  of  29  per 
cent. ;  where  the  citrate  is  used  the  nitrogen  loss  is  negligible.  In 
No.  5  the  amount  of  nitrogen  added  in  the  form  of  meat  extract 
was  1534  grammes;  the  first  filtration  removed  0168  gramme, 
and  the  second  0-274  gramme,  a  total  of  0-442  gramme,  or,  again, 
29  per  cent,  of  the  total  nitrogen. 
The  ammonia  determination  shows  mere  traces  where  the  tinc- 
ture was  used,  and  as  much  as  o  066  per  cent,  where  the  citrate  was 
used,  incidentally  showing  that  this  determination  gives  valuable 
evidence  as  to  the  form  of  iron  used. 
The  above  facts  show  that  the  procedure  of  the  Formulary 
results  in  a  loss  of  29  per  cent,  of  the  nitrogen,  35  per  cent,  of  the 
ash  and  gi  per  cent,  of  the  iron.  The  substitution  of  citrate  of  iron 
and  ammonia  for  the  tincture  of  citro-chloride  of  iron,  even  when 
double  filtration  is  practiced,  prevents  these  losses  almost  entirely, 
besides  furnishing  a  brighter  and  more  attractive  preparation. 
Ninety-two  samples  collected  from  the  stock  of  Connecticut 
druggists  were  analyzed.  Tests  were  made  for  specific  gravity, 
alcohol,  extract,  ash,  iron,  nitrogen  and  ammonia.  While  a  great 
part  of  the  beef,  wine  and  iron  on  the  market  is  made  by  the  large 
wholesale  drug  houses,  nearly  every  druggist  puts  out  a  brand 
