Am.  Jour.  Pharra.  1 
Sept.,  1889.  J 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
467* 
grains  powdered  gum  arabic  and  5  grains  benzoic  acid  in  2  oz.  gly- 
cerin and  adding  4  oz.  commercial  glucose. 
Excipient  for  Pills  of  Potassium  permanganate. — A  slight  modifica- 
tion of  Mr.  Martindale's  excipient  (see  Am.  Jottk.  Phak.,  1884,  p. 
436;  1886,  p.  337)  is  suggested  by  Gideon  H.  Macon,  Ph.  G.,  substi- 
tuting spermaceti  for  paraffin.  The  proportions  are,  soft  paraffin  2 
parts,  spermaceti  1  part,  and  kaolin  3  parts. 
Tinctura  Gentianw  composita,  U.  S.  P.,  is  recommended  by  Oliver 
B.  Jacobs,  Ph.  G.,  to  be  prepared  with  a  menstruum  of  alcohol  3  parts 
and  water  1  part,  when  it  will  remain  permanently  clear.  Using 
alcohol  2  parts  to  water  1  part,  the  tincture  showed  a  slight  precipi- 
tate in  two  weeks.  Made  with  strong  alcohol,  the  tincture  was  less 
bitter  in  taste  and  contained  about  3*12  per  cent,  of  solid  matter,  while 
the  tincture  made  with  the  menstruum  suggested  yielded  5  per  cent, 
of  extract. 
Blackberry  brandy,  as  met  with  in  commerce,  varies  considerably  in 
appearance  and  composition.  John  P.  Kelly,  Ph.  G.,  procured  from 
manufacturers  four  formulas  for  the  preparation  of  blackberry  brandy, 
which  are  as  follows : 
1.  Fluid  extract  of  blackberry  bark,  2  parts;  syrup,  2  parlk; 
whiskey,  4  parts. 
2.  Blackberry  juice  and  brandy,  equal  parts. 
3.  Blackberry  root,  cinnamon,  cloves,  glycerin  and  brandy;  no 
proportions  given. 
4.  Blackberry  juice,  syrup,  spices,  New  England  rum ;  no  propor- 
tions given. 
Four  samples,  procured  respectively  from  the  states  of  New  York, 
New  Jersey,  Kentucky  and  Pennsylvania  were  examined,  with  the 
following  results : 
1.  1*022  specific  gravity  ;  15  per  cent,  (weight)  alcohol ;  19  residue. 
2.  1-013     "  "        29      "  "  "  17 
3.  1103     "  "        25      "  "  "        35  " 
4.  1-033     "  "        13      "  "  "  20 
The  "residue"  was  obtained  by  evaporation  on  a  water-bath  (tem- 
perature not  given)  until  it  ceased  to  lose  weight;  it  appeared  to  con- 
tain considerable  glucose  and  glycerin.  The  four  samples  produced 
dark  blue  precipitates  with  lead  acetate,  due  to  the  presence  of  tannin 
and  coloring  matter ;  they  possessed  more  of  the  characters  of  fruit- 
wines  than  of  brandy. 
