390 
EDITORIAL. 
Linimentum  Succini  compositum.  Preparation. — Take  of  oil  of  Stillingise 
(an  alcoholic  oleo-resinous  extract),  rectified  oil  of  Amber,  each  a  fluid 
ounce.  Oil  of  Lobelia  (ethereal  extract)  three  fluid  drachms ;  olive  oil  two 
fluid  ounces.    Mix  together." 
This  preparation  is  used  in  "  chronic  asthma,  croup,  cholera,  epilepsy, 
sciatica,"  and  other  spasmodic  affections,  and  is  said  to  act  efficiently. 
"Lotio  Hydrastis  composita.  Preparation. — Take  of  strong  decoctions 
of  Green  Tea,  and  Golden  Seal,  [Hydrastis]  each  one  pint;  Sulphate  of  Zinc, 
Gunpowder,  dried  Sulphate  of  Iron,  each  two  drachms.  Mix  the  two 
decoctions,  add  the  remainder  of  the  articles  and  agitate  briskly.  After 
solution  and  decomposition  have  ceased,  decant  the  supernatant  liquid ." 
Used  "as  a  collyrium  in  chronic  ophthalmic  diseases/'  and  "  in  all 
chronic  diseases  of  mucous  surfaces." 
"Mistura  Chenopodii  composita.  Preparation. — Take  of  Castor  oil,  one 
fluid  ounce;  Wormseed  oil,  Anise  oil  and  Tincture  of  Myrrh,  of  each 
a  fluidrachm.  Mix.  This  is  pronounced  to  be  an  excellent  vermifuge, 
resembling  Fahnestock's,  which  the  author  says  is  said  to  be  composed  of 
"Castor  oil,  one  fluid  ounce;  oil  of  Wormseed,  one  fluid  ounce;  oil  of 
Anise,  half  a  fluid  ounce  ;  Tincture  of  Myrrh,  half  a  fluidrachm  ;  oil  of 
Turpentine,  10 minims;  Croton  oil,  one  minim.  Mix.  Dose  a  teaspoonful 
for  an  adult  every  2  hours,  to  be  continued  for  ten  or  twelve  hours." 
As  a  result  of  ignoring  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  the  author  has  supplant- 
ed the  beautiful  officinal  process  of  Dr.  Staples,  for  Morphia,  by  that  of  the 
Dublin  Pharmacopoeia,  after  Gregory  and  Robertson. 
The  chapters  on  pills,  powders  and  syrups,  embrace  many  compounds 
peculiar  to  the  Eclectics.  Among  the  syrups,  that  for  Wild  Cherry  Bark 
is  made  by  digesting  5  oz.  of  the  coarsely  powdered  bark  (contained  in  a 
muslin  bag)  in  Oj.  of  hot  simple  syrup,  for  twenty-four  hours,  when  it  is 
expressed  and  strained. 
The  chapters  on  quinia,  soda  and  strychnia  are  sufficiently  full.  Among 
the  preparations  of  quinia  are  Tartrate  of  Quinia  and  Tartrate  of  Quinia 
and  Salicin.  (H  At  page  200,  our  author  admits  Salicin  to  be,  as  it  un- 
doubtedly is,  a  neutral  principle — as  well  might  we  call  Syrup  of  Citrate 
of  Iron  a  solution  of  Ferri  et  Sacchari  Citras. 
In  the  general  remarks  on  Tinctures,  the  author,  at  page  1292,  ventures 
the  opinion  that  "  If  all  tinctures  were  prepared  and  dispensed,  not  ac- 
cording to  the  amount  of  drug  exhausted  in  them,  but  according  to  the 
sp.  grav.  of  the  solvent  employed  in  making  them,  and  the  density  of  the 
resulting  tinctures,  there  would  be  more  uniformity  of  strength  among 
this  class  of  preparations  than  at  present,  and  by  means  of  a  hydrometer 
every  druggist  could  keep  his  tinctures  of  the  officinal  strength."  To 
prove  how  erroneous  this  conclusion  is,  it  is  only  necessary  to  remind  Dr. 
King  that  the  medical  value  of  drugs,  as  opium,  barks  podophyllum,  etc., 
depends  on  the  per  centage  of  their  active  principles,  and  that  many  of 
