EXAMINATION  OF  BASSORAH  GALLS. 
tempt  the  preparation  of  a  saceharated  alcoholic  extract  of  ipe- 
cacuanha, which  should  be  of  uniform  strength,  perfectly  soluble 
and  also  agreeable  to  take.  The  following  is  the  formula:  R. 
Had.  ipecac,  ifiv.,  bruise  to  a  coarse  powder,  and  macerate  for 
thirty  days  in  f^xvi.  of  diluted  alcohol,  shaking  it  occasionally, 
then  filter  and  express.  The  tincture  thus  formed  is  to  be  eva- 
porated to  gij.  with  which  mix  sacch.  albi  ^viij.,  then  triturate 
in  a  stone  mortar  until  it  is  entirely  dry. 
The  extract,  as  above  prepared,  has  the  peculiar  odor  and 
taste  of  ipecac;  it  is  of  a  brownish-yellow  color,  and  is  soluble  in 
water,  alcohol,  ether,  mucilage  of  acacise,  &c. ;  in  fact,  in  all  the 
solutions  with  which  ipecac,  is  usually  combined.  The  dose  re- 
quired to  be  exhibited  is  the  same  as  of  the  genuine  powdered 
root. 
From  the  more  agreeable  taste  of  this  article,  and  its  complete 
solubility  in  fluids,  those  physicians  who  have  tried  it  have  given 
it  the  decided  preference  over  every  other  preparation  of  this 
valuable  drug ;  and  more  especially  in  prescribing  for  children, 
for  whom  its  sweet  taste  adapts  it,  as  an  excellent  form  for  com- 
bination with  other  remedies,  to  be  given  in  powders. 
The  success  attending  the  administration  of  this  extract,  by 
the  physicians  of  Kings  County  Hospital  (in  which  institution  it 
was  first  prepared  and  brought  into  notice),  and  others  of  the 
same  profession  in  various  parts  of  the  said  county,  has  induced 
us  to  publish  this  paper,  in  order  that  physicians  generally  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  testing  its  great  superiority  over  the 
common  forms  of  ipecac,  at  present  in  use.— New  York  Joum. 
of  Medicine,  March,  1854.  ' 
EXAMINATION  OF  BASSORAH  GALLS. 
By  Dr.  L.  F.  Blet. 
.   The  author  has  examined  the  so-called  Bassorah  galls.  They 
were  treated  consecutively  with  alcoholic  ether,  cold  water  and 
hot  water. 
The  galls  lost  12  per  cent,  of  water  in  drying.  The  alcoholic 
etherial  extract  left  a  residue  equal  to  17  per  cent,  on  the 
weight  of  the  galls,  of  which  water  dissolved  14  per  cent.  The 
portion  which  was  not  soluble  in  water  was  shaken  in  ether, 
