PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES  OF  TRAVEL. 
215 
and  syrup  kettles,  I  observed  a  quantity  of  sarsaparilla  syrup 
slowly  filtering  through  animal  charcoal,  a  process  which  I  be- 
lieve is  unknown  among  us. 
In  one  of  the  large  jacketted  pans  was  a  mass  of  Iceland 
moss  paste,  a  preparation  very  unlikely  to  be  introduced  into 
an  English  or  American  Hospital.  In  another  was  an  enormous 
quantity  of  simple  cerate  in  process  of  preparation,  from  yellow 
wax  and  olive  oil ;  the  wax  being  previously  strained  and 
run  into  squares,  forms  a  pure  and  smooth  cerate  requiring  no 
straining.  Blistering  plaster  is  supplied  to  the  Hospitals  in  the 
form  of  a  tisane,  ready  spread  for  use  ;  it  contains  the  powdered 
cantharides,  and  has  exactly  the  right  consistence  to  adhere  at 
the  temperature  of  the  body. 
Among  the  more  strictly  chemical  processes,  that  for  pre- 
paring carbonic  acid  water  for  the  Hospitals,  was  among  the  first 
to  arrest  attention  ;  the  gas  is  liberated  in  a  glass  bottle,  from 
which  it  is  discharged  by  a  bent  tube  into  a  common  gas  holder, 
thence  by  force  pumps  it  is  thrown  into  stationary  iron  foun- 
tains partially  filled  by  means  of  another  force  pump,  wTith  water 
or  with  the  medicated  aqueous  liquids  required;  from  these 
fountains  the  surcharged  carbonic  acid  water  is  drawn  off  into 
suitable  bottles,  through  a  bottling  machine,  and  well  corked  for 
distribution  among  the  several  Hospitals  in  which  this  refreshing 
drink,  variously  modified  by  medicinal  agents,  is  quite  an  impor- 
tant article. 
The  apparatus  for  Quevenne's  iron  consists  of  two  mercury 
bottles  placed  in  a  perpendicular  position  in  a  charcoal  furnace, 
the  pipes  from  the  hydrogen  generator  and  for  the  discharge  of 
waste  gas  and  vapor  of  water  being  joined  by  screws  to  the  top 
and  bottom  ;  cix  pounds  is  produced  by  one  charge.  Kermes' 
mineral  was  in  course  of  preparation  by  the  carbonate  of  soda 
process  ;  it  is  one  of  the  leading  articles  of  their  manufacture. 
Fuming  nitric  acid  is  produced  to  supply  their  own  demand, 
being  distilled  in  the  usual  way  by  use  of  a  glass  retort.  Cal- 
cined magnesia  is  produced  from  the  carbonate,  which  they  pre- 
fer to  purchase,  by  disposing  four  or  six  pots,  in  a  common 
furnace,  one  upon  another,  each  nearly  filled,  and  the  upper  ones 
having  small  holes  drilled  in  them.  In  every  process  that  we  ob- 
served, there  was  evidence  of  a  skill  and  neatness  of  manipula- 
