152  Compound  Spirit  of  Cinnamon. 
COMPOUND  SPIRIT  OF  CINNAMON. 
To  the  Editor  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy: 
Not  unfreqnently  we  receive  prescriptions  containing  unofBcinal  pre- 
parationSj  for  which  can  be  fonnd  no  standard  formulae  in  any  of  the 
recognized  works  on  pharmacy.  Are  we  not  fully  justified  in  forming 
such  combination  as  we  think  proper,  notwithstanding  it  might  differ 
somewhat  from  that  intended  by  the  physician? 
I  received  the  following  prescription  : 
R    Bismutlii  subcarb.,  .  .  .  f^ii 
Spir.  cinnamomi  comp.,  .  .  f^ss 
Aquae  camph.,        .  .  .  .  f^iii 
M. 
I  adopted  the  following  formula : 
8pir.  lavand.  comp,,  .  .  .    Oi,  or  (5ss) 
Olei  cinnamomi,  .  .  .         f^i,  or  ( TTLii).  Mix. 
From  an  unofficinal  standpoint  the  compound  spirit  of  lavender  is 
already  a  compound  of  cinnamon,  and  the  addition  of  the  oil  of  cin- 
namon gives  prominence  to  that  drug  in  the  form  of  a  spirit. 
Very  Pespectfully,  Allen  Schryock,  Ph.G. 
Philacleli^hia,  March  4,  1881. 
Remaeks  by  the  Editor. — Although  we  condemn  the  practice  of 
some  physicians  of  unnecessarily  ordering  unofficinal  preparations,  the 
composition  of  which  is  frequently  unknown  to  them,  we  cannot 
approve  of  pharmacists  furnishing,  in  doubtful  cases,  preparations 
which  may  not  have  been  intended  by  the  physician;  if  the  latter  be 
accessible,  he  should  be  consulted.  In  the  case  cited  by  our  corres- 
pondent the  spirit  seems  to  have  l)een  merely  intended  to  serve  as  a 
vehicle,  in  which  case  a  change  in  its  composition  would  be  of  very 
little  moment,  except  as  far  as  appearance  and  taste  are  influenced. 
Formerly  most  European  pharmacopoeias  contained  an  Aqua  cinna- 
momi vinosa,  which  was  prepared  by  macerating  cinnamon  in  wine  and 
distilling  a  definite  quantity ;  the  product  was  also  known  as  sjnritus 
cinnarnomi,  and  since  some  formulas  directed  the  addition  of  another 
aromatic,  like  melissa,  etc.,  the  liquid  was  in  fact  a  compound  spirit. 
The  wine  has  now  been  discarded,  and  is  replaced  by  alcohol  in  such  a 
proportion  that  from  12  to  14,  or  15,  per  cent,  of  it  are  contained  in 
the  distillate.  In  France,  however,  a  compound  spirit  of  cinnamon  is 
still  in  use,  and  designated  alcoolat  de  cannelle  compose ,  known  also  as 
