546 
FORMULAE  FOR  THE  FLUID  EXTRACTS. 
Remarks — This  preparation  is  intended  to  facilitate  the  dis- 
pensing of  extract  of  liquorice  in  cough  mixtures.  As  usually 
prescribed  by  physicians,  the  insoluble  sediment  is  contained  in 
the  mixtures,  and  always  gives  them  an  unsightly  appearance. 
Each  fluid  ounce  represents  half  an  ounce  of  the  extract,  and 
more  than  an  ounce  of  the  root.  This  preparation  keeps  pretty 
well,  except  in  hot  weather,  but  it  is  better  not  to  make  it  in 
large  quantity.    If  too  long  kept,  carbonic  acid  is  eliminated. 
EXTRACTUM  PRUNI  VIRGINIANS  FLUIDUM. 
Take  of  Wild  Cherry  Bark,  in  powder,  No.  60,  16  ounces,  Troy. 
Sweet  Almonds,  2  « 
Sugar,  in  powder,  12  « 
Alcohol,  .835, 
Water  of  each,  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Moisten  the  bark  with  four  fluid  ounces  of  alcohol,  pack  it 
in  a  percolator,  cover  it  with  a  disc  of  cloth,  and  pour  on  alco- 
hol until  three  pints  have  slowly  passed.  By  means  of  a  dis- 
tillatory apparatus,  regain  two  pints  and  a  half  of  the  alcohol. 
Mix  the  residue  with  half  a  pint  of  water,  and  evaporate  it  to 
half  a  pint,  or  until  the  alcohol  is  dissipated.  Beat  the  almonds, 
without  blanching,  to  a  smooth  paste  with  four  fluid  ounces  of 
water,  mix  this  with  the  extractive  solution  in  a  well  stoppered 
bottle,  and  agitate  occasionally  for  24  hours.  The  contents  of 
the  bottle  are  then  thrown  on  a  cloth  filter,  strongly  and  quick- 
ly expressed,  and  if  the  expressed  liquid  does  not  measure  12 
fluid  ounces,  add  water  to  the  residue  and  again  express  till  suffi- 
cient is  obtained.  Having  placed  the  sugar  in  a  bottle  marked 
for  a  pint,  filter  the  expressed  liquid  from  a  close  funnel  into 
the  bottle,  which  should  be  occasionally  agitated,  until,  when 
the  liquid  has  passed,  and  the  sugar  is  all  dissolved,  the  fluid 
extract  shall  measure  a  pint. 
Remarks. — The  propriety  of  doubling  the  strength  of  this 
fluid  extract,  in  obedience  to  the  rule  adopted  of  making  all 
fluid  extracts  an  ounce  to  the  fluid  ounce,  may  well  be  doubted, 
as  it  reduces  the  dose  to  half  a  teaspoonful,  and  requires  very 
careful  manipulation  to  retain  all  the  virtues  of  the  bark  in  so 
small  a  space.  Nevertheless  the  product  obtained,  like  that  of 
the  original  formula,  (Amer.  Jour.  Pharm.  1856,)  well  repre- 
sents the  drug,  and  deserves  a  place  among  the  fluid  extracts 
worthy  of  adoption. 
