2 ON MERCURIAL PREPARATIONS. 
poeia of the United States, was found to contain forty-three 
per cent, of mercury. 
4th. Ointment procured from Adamson & Olliff, manu- 
factured by George C. Close, at the same time as the last 
specimen, and said by him to be ointment of his usual 
commercial strength, was found to contain thirty per cent, 
of mercury. 
5th. Ointment procured from Olcott, M'Kesson & Co., 
manufactured by Southwick & Prior, of this city, was 
found to contain twenty-one per cent, of mercury. 
The specific gravities of samples similar to the above, 
and indeed said to be taken from the same pots, were 
ascertained, at a temperature of forty degrees of Fahren- 
heit, in water. They were found to range from 1238 to 
1900, agreeing very nearly with the relative per centages 
of mercury obtained by analysis from the different speci- 
mens of ointment. 
It having been suggested by one of your committee, that 
the strength of ointment in the same jar might vary, by the 
general settling of the mercury, at the instance of Professor 
Reid three specimens were examined, samples being taken, 
by means of a butter-tryer, from the only three full jars to 
which your committee had convenient access. The instru- 
ment being passed from top to bottom, brought out a 
column of equal dimensions ; this was divided into three 
equal parts, and each being separately examined, afforded 
the results expressed in table JNo. 2. 
From the tendency of the mercurial ointment to settle, 
it would appear desirable that the vender, before dispensing 
it, should mix it again thoroughly from the bottom. 
Eleven specimens of the blue pill mass were examined, 
and the following results obtained : — 
No. 1. A specimen obtained from Rushton & Co., said to 
be manufactured by Mander, Weaver &; Mander, contained 
thirty-two per cent, of mercury. 
2. A specimen obtained from James S. Aspinwall, said 
