246  Syriipus  Ipecacuanha;,  {'^"^May^issi*'^"*' 
ing  to  the  sides  to  prevent  the  next  pill  from  sticking.  It  takes  but  a 
moment,  and  will  save  much  trouble  to  the  operator. 
Another  use  for  which  I  have  found  it  particularly  serviceable  has 
been  in  making  hand-made  suppositories;  and,  in  connection  with  this 
subject,  I  would  state  that  there  are  certain  mixtures  ordered  occa- 
sionally by  physicians  that  cannot  be  made  well  with  melted  but- 
ter of  cacao  and  moulded.  In  such  cases  I  have  found  it  best  to  make 
them  by  mixing  the  medicinal  ingredient  in  the  mortar  with  the  but- 
ter of  cacao  in  powder,  then,  by  warming  the  pestle  over  a  spirit  lamp 
several  times,  a  degree  of  temperature  is  given  to  the  fat  by  which  it 
becomes  adhesive  enough  to  form  a  mass  which,  with  care,  can  be 
rolled  out  in  the  same  way  that  a  pill  mass  can  in  cylindrical  form,  and 
of  such  length  that  when  divided  into  parts  corresponding  to  the  num- 
ber of  suppositories  wanted,  each  part  should  be  of  such  a  length  and 
size  that  would  be  proper  for  making  a  suppository,  which  can  be  done 
by  carefully  pointing  one  end  by  pressure  and  warmth  of  the  fingers. 
AVhen  the  mass  is  taken  out  of  the  mortar,  before  rolling  the  hands 
are  covered  with  the  French  chalk  powder,  which  prevents  it  stick- 
ing. In  this  manner  suppositories  quite  satisfactory  in  appearance  can 
be  made  in  half  the  time  required  if  moulded  after  the  cacao  butter  is 
melted. 
Syrupus  Ipecacuanhae.  By  Edward  J.  La  wall,  Ph.G. — The 
following  formula  will  yield  a  syrup  which  keeps  unchanged  for  more 
than  a  year.  Moisten  ipecacuanha  in  moderately  fine  powder  ^ii  with 
alcohol  and  pack  firmly  in  a  cylindrical  percolator;  pour  upon  it  two- 
fluidounces  of  alcohol,  and  when  this  has  been  absorbed  8  ounces  of  a 
mixture  of  two  parts  of  alcohol  and  one  of  water;  continue  the  per- 
colation with  diluted  alcohol  until  10  fluidounces  of  tincture  have 
passed,  setting  aside  the  first  two  ounces  so  that  they  may  evaporate 
spontaneously  to  a  syrupy  consistence.  Mix  the  acetic  acid  with  the 
remainder  of  the  percolate,  evaporate  in  a  water-bath,  with  frequent 
stirring,  to  2  J  ounces,  add  to  the  reserved  portion,  mix  the  whole  with 
10  ounces  of  water  and  continue  the  evaporation  until  reduced  to  14 
ounces.  When  cool,  filter  through  paper  and  pass  sufficient  water 
through  the  filter  to  obtain  14  fluidounces,  in  which  dissolve  18  troy- 
ounces  of  sugar  by  agitation;  then  add  4  fluidounces  of  glycerin  and 
sufficient  simple  syrup  to  make  the  whole  measure  32  fluidounces. 
