FL.  EXT.  OF  LIQUORICE-ROOT  AN  EXCIPIENT  FOR  QUINIA.  117 
fully  managed,  will  represent  about  thirty  grains  of  tar,  the  dose 
of  which  is  from  a  dessert  to  a  tablespoonful. 
The  glycerate  may  be  made,  and  I  think  almost  equally  well, 
without  alcohol,  by  replacing  that  liquid  with  glycerin.  When 
made  in  this  way,  the  preparation  deposits  less  resinous  matter, 
as  glycerin  takes  up  less  of  that  substance,  yet  the  odor  and 
taste  of  the  tar  is  nearly  as  strong  as  when  alcohol  is  employed 
in  its  manufacture. 
PhiladelpJda,  February,  1869. 
ON  THE  FLUID  ^^XTRACT  OF  LIQUORICE  ROOT  AS  AN 
EXCIPIENT  FOR  QUINIA. 
By  Joseph  Harrop. 
In  the  November  number  of  the  "  Journal  "  (1868),  I  noticed 
a  communication  on  syrup  of  chocolate  as  a  vehicle  for  quinjne, 
by  the  use  of  which  it  appears  the  taste  of  quinine  is  entirely 
avoided.  There  is  at  least  one  objection  to  the  use  of  the  prepara- 
tion referred  to,  the  time  and  pains  necessary  to  prepare  it. 
This  might  not  be  an  objection  to  some  apothecaries,  but  to  the 
majority  I  think  it  would  be.  The  writer  also  mentions  its 
liability  to  ferment,  which  would  be  another  objection. 
After  reading  the  article  referred  to,  I  remembered  having 
on  several  occasions  added  as  an  adjuvant  powdered  extract  of 
liquorice,  as  per  prescription,  to  quinine  mixtures,  but  which  as 
far  as  I  could  judge,  did  not  much  conceal  the  bitter  taste  of  the 
medicine.  About  the  same  time  I  had  occasion  to  take  some 
quinine,  and  on  looking  around  for  something  to  overcome  its 
bitterness,  I  tried  the  fluid-extract  of  liquorice-root,  which  I 
thought  would  at  least  be  nicer  than  the  powdered  extract,  when 
I  found  it  to  completely  conceal  the  taste. 
The  inference  then  may  be  that  the  glycyrrhizin,  said  to  be 
the  source  of  the  sweet  taste  in  the  root,  and  described  as  a 
transparent  yellow  gelatinous  substance,  overcome  the  bitterness 
of  the  quinine,  and  that  the  principle  is,  in  part,  destroyed  or 
impaired  by  the  process  of  manufacture  in  producing  the  com- 
mercial extract. 
Might  not  the  fluid-extract  or  a  concentrated  tincture  be  used 
