-Am.  Jour.  Pharm  ) 
Sept.,  1881.  r 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
453 
parations  of  this  character  having  come  largely  into  use,  it  may 
possibly  interest  some  of  the  readers  of  this  journal  if  a  formula  is 
given  by  wliich  such  can  be  economically  made. 
The  chief  difficulty  generally  met  with  by  those  pharmacists  who 
attempt  to  make  such  articles  is  owing  to  the  fact  that  sufficient  care 
is  not  exercised  in  thoroughly  drying  each  of  the  ingredients  used, 
separately,  before  mixing  them,  so  as  to  prevent  any  chemical  combi- 
nation from  taking  place  when  packed  in  bottles ;  when  this  occurs, 
instead  of  the  mixture  remaining  in  the  form  of  a  powder  it  becomes 
a  solid  mass  that  renders  the  compound  unsalable.  The  articles  used 
should  be  spread  upon  shallow  trays  and  left  in  a  drying  closet  for 
about  two  or  three  days,  at  a  temperature  between  90°  and  120°F., 
then,  when  perfectly  free  from  moisture,  should  be  triturated  sepa- 
rately in  a  mortar  and  passed  through  a  sieve  (No.  40)  and  all  the 
ingredients  thoroughly  mixed.  The  compound  should  be  put  up  in 
well-stoppered  bottles,  and  as  thus  prepared  will  keep  for  any  length 
of  time.  The  effervescing  mixture  as  made  by  the  following  formula 
will  be  found  to  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  a  very  popular  proprie- 
:tary  article  both  in  taste  and  effect. 
B    Potassii  et  sodii  tartrat.,  .  .  5  lb.  10  oz. 
Sodii  bicarbonatis,     .  .  .      2  lb.  14  oz. 
Acidi  tartarici,     .  .  .  2  lb.  82^  oz. 
Magnesii  sulphatis,    .  .  .       1  lb.  9  oz. 
The  quantities  here  named  are  in  avoirdupois  weight. 
Palatable  Laxative  Lozenges  can  readily  be  prepared  by  the  follow- 
ing method : 
After  having  washed  some  dried  prunes  (a  pound,  for  instance), 
place  them  in  a  saucepan  over  a  dull  fire  or  on  a  sand-bath,  Avith  just 
sufficient  water  to  nearly  cover  them  ;  when  they  have  boiled  long 
enough  to  become  quite  soft,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  water  has 
been  evaporated,  allow  them  to  cool  and  rub  them  in  a  large  mortar, 
so  as  to  crush  the  fruit,  but  not  the  kernels.  Transfer  them  to  a 
coarse  straining  cloth  and  squeeze  the  pulp  through  it.  This  should 
be  about  the  consistence  of  honey  in  the  winter.  If  not,  it  can  be 
made  so  by  evaporating  it  over  a  water-bath.  This  makes  the  excipi- 
-ent  to  form  the  mass  witli  the  following  ingredients  out  of  which  the 
lozenges  can  be  made,  namely,  with  the  compound  liquorice  powder  of 
the  German  Pharmacopoeia,  the  formula  of  which  has  been  published 
in  this  journal,  1872,  p.  292,  and  381 ;  1876,  p.  138. 
