EDITORIAL. 
187 
it  is  uniform  in  morphia  strength,  second,  that  it  contains  only  the  alka- 
loids morphia,  codeia  and  narceia,  combined  with  meconic  (and  perhaps 
thebolactic)  acid.  How  far  the  manufacturers  will  be  able  to  keep  the 
composition  uniform  we  do  not  know.  If  they  can  do  what  they  claim  to 
do,  the  preparation  certainly  merits  attention.  Neither  the  label  nor  the 
accompanying  wrapper  give  the  actual  morphia  strength,  which,  as  it  is 
said  to  be  uniform,  should  be  given.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  a  sub- 
stance so  costly  as  opium  should  be  rendered  yet  more  so  by  making  it  a 
speciality.  In  our  next  we  propose  to  give  some  further  remarks  in  rela- 
tion,to  this  preparation,  meanwhile  hazarding  the  opinion  that,  medicin- 
ally, it  is  not  better  than  the  deodorized  tincture  of  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Sweet  Quinine,  another  novelty,  is,  according  to  the  wrapper,  quinia 
molecules  coated  with  glycyrrhizin.  That  is  to  say,  the  alkaloid  quinia, 
as  precipitated  from  the  sulphate,  intimately  admixed  with  the  sugar  of 
liquorice.  It  follows  that  it  is  necessary  to  avoid  the  use  of  acid  or  spiritu- 
ous solvents  in  connection  with  sweet  quinine,  which  immediately  develop 
the  bitterness,  one  by  salifying  the  alkaloid,  the  other  by  dissolving  it. 
The  quality  of  liquorice  to  mask  the  taste  of  quinine,  aloes,  &c.,  has  long 
been  known  to  some  persons,  and  we  know  one  physician  who  has  long 
prescribed  it  with  this  view.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Harrop,  at  page  117  of  this  number,  is  correct,  that  the  glycyrrhizin  in 
commercial  extract  is  altered  by  heat,  and  that  fluid  extract  of  liquorice 
root  is  better  than  a  solution  of  the  extract  for  mixtures.  We  should 
think  Tilden's  extract  of  liquorice  root,  made  in  vacuo,  would  be  far  su- 
perior to  the  imported  for  this  purpose. 
Go'rden's  *'  Concentrated  Glycerin." — The  manufacturer  of  this  arti- 
cle has  sent  us  a  bottle,  as  a  specimen  of  his  production,  of  the  grade  indi- 
cated by  the  above  name.  It  is  colorless,  has  a  very  slight  odor  only,  and 
is  not  affected  by  oxalate  of  ammonia  or  nitrate  of  silver. 
Its  specific  gravity,  carefully  reduced  to  60*^  F.,  indicated  by  a  good 
Berlin  hydrometer,  is  1*231.  It  is  therefore  not  quite  so  dense  as  the  Phar- 
macopoeia requires,  yet  for  many  purposes  it  will  replace  the  purest  "in- 
odorous glycerin,"  which  he  also  makes.  The  price  of  this  article  is  quoted 
at  35  cents  per  pound  wholesale.  The  multiplied  uses  of  this  most 
valuable  substance  in  pharmacy  and  the  arts  renders  the  reduction  of  its 
price  a  benefit  to  society,  like  that  of  the  artificial  process  for  soda  was 
in  the  soap  manufacture. 
Crew's  Extract  of  Beef. — Our  attention  has  been  called  to  this  new 
variety  of  extract  of  beef,  which  claims  to  be  made  in  vacuo  and  from 
non-gelatinous  portions  of  the  beef,  so  that  it  is  entirely  free  from  gela- 
tine. Its  consistence  is  that  of  thick  honey;  it  is  entirely  and  readily 
soluble  in  cold  water.  It  is  not  coagulated  by  heat,  but  is  precipitated 
by  alcohol  and  by  tannic  acid.    It  is  neatly  put  up  in  porcelain  jars,  two 
4^ 
