THE 
AMERICAN  JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY. 
SEPTExMBER,  1869v 
ON  A  NEW  AND  SIMPLE  PROCESS  FOR  FLO-ID  RXTRACT3, 
BY  WHICH  ANY  DRIJG  MAY  BE  EXHAUSTED  BY 
PERCOLATION  AND  WITHOUT  HEAT. 
By  Si-MUfiL  Campbell,  of  Philadelphia. 
The  subject  of  fluid  extracts  is  one  that  has  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  most  eminent  men  of  our  profession^  and  has 
called  forth  numerous  essays^  elaborate  and  seemingly  un- 
answerable in  their  arguments  and  forms.  Messrs.  Graham^ 
Squibb  and  Procter^  than  whom  we  have  no  better  authorities 
at  the  present  tirne^  have  each  in  their  turn  advanced  their 
views  on  the  subjects  of  percolation  and  menstruums  required 
to  form  perfect  fluid  extracts,  and  no  doubt  have  given  to 
the  medical  world  a  beautiful  and  substantial  theory  ;  and  yet 
if  any  one  will  take  the  time  and  trouble  to  perform  the  simple 
experiments  suggested  in  this  paper,  he  will  find  that,  in  follow* 
ing  too  closely  the  suggestions  of  our  teachers,  we  have  over* 
looked  the  simple  and  yet,  in  my  opinion,  the  most  important 
step  to  successful  percolation,  viz.,  maceration.  Holding  a 
prominent  position  in  an  establishment  where  all  the  officinal 
preparations  are  prepared  largely,  I  was  induced  to  try  and  see 
whether  the  problem  could  be  solved  whereby,  in  making  fluid 
extracts,  heat  could  be  avoided,  and  whether  the  great  waste  or 
use  of  alcohol  could  be  dispensed  with  in  their  preparation,  and, 
to  my  satisfaction,  I  have  had  no  difficulty  whatever  in  thoroughly 
exhausting  any  substance  of  any  character  with  the  proper  men* 
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