WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES,  ETC. 
369 
luting  both  liquids  by  the  continued  addition  of  water,  until  the 
coloring  matter  of  the  paper  ceased  to  be  affected.  This  con- 
trast showed  the  Althea  paper  to  be  much  superior  to  the  tur- 
meric paper,  quite  equal  to  the  blue  and  the  red  Litmus,  and 
although  not  quite  as  sensitive  as  the  grey  Litmus  paper,  yet 
differing  in  so  slight  a  degree,  that  for  all  ordinary  purposes  it 
will  answer  as  well. 
As  there  is  generally  more  or  less  of  the  colored  liquid  left 
after  preparing  the  test  paper,  I  have  made  it  available  for  ex- 
periments on  the  Lecture-table  by  adding  to  every  twelve  fluid 
ounces,  one  fluid  ounce  of  strong  sulphuric  acid,  sp.  gr.,  1-80. 
When  required  for  use  in  place  of  Tinct.  of  Litmus,  a  small  bulk 
can  be  diluted  to  the  proper  shade  of  color,  and  then  neutral- 
ized with  a  few  drops  of  Aq.  Ammon.  How  long  this  acidu- 
lated infusion  will  keep  unchanged,  I  am  not  able  to  say;  have 
had  it  on  hand  three  weeks  without  alteration.  In  fact  it  is  so 
readily  made,  there  is  but  little  inducement  to  prepare  it  in 
quantity.  If  it  should  be  preferred  in  that  form  I  have  no  doubt 
a  permanent  alcoholic  tincture  could  be  made  with  the  coloring 
principle  of  the  Althea  as  readily  as  with  that  of  the  Litmus. — 
Journ.  and  Trans.  Md.  Coll.  JPharm,  June,  1859. 
WEIGHTS  AND  MEASURES  PROPOSED  TO  BE  USED  IN  THE 
NATIONAL  PHARMACOPOEIA. 
By  Mr.  P.  Squire. 
The  Government  having  enacted  that  the  Medical  Council 
shall  decide  upon  the  true  Weights  and  Measures  that  are  to  be 
used  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  it  is  most  important  that  each  system 
should  be  well  examined  before  making  choice  of  the  one  to  be 
used  for  medicine. 
As  I  have  paid  some  attention  to  the  subject,  I  will  state  the 
conclusions  at  which  I  have  arrived. 
I  will  begin  by  mentioning  what  I  think  serious  objections  to 
the  Avoirdupois  system. 
That  it  was  not  framed  for  weighing  medicine  its  lowest  di- 
vision being  a  drachm,  the  sixteenth  part  of  an  ounce. 
That  the  pound  weight  does  not  accord  with  the  pint  measure. 
