^pS'er,11!™" }         Tincture  of  Arnica  Flowers.  427 
The  third  piece  is  the  same  length  and  width  as  the  first.  It  is 
of  an  inch  thick,  and  on  the  underside  there  are  twenty-seven 
knifeblades  %  of  an  inch  apart,  and  a  block  ^  of  an  inch  long  made 
to  fit  in  the  groove  in  the  top  of  the  first  piece,  and  marked  on  the 
edge  the  same  as  piece  No.  I. 
When  parts  one  and  three  are  placed  together  the  knifeblades  fit 
in  the  groove  and  the  marks  on  the  edge  of  each  piece  come 
together  and  form  one  line.  To  operate  the  machine  turn  the  gate 
so  that  the  end  of  the  groove  is  closed  by  it,  then  reverse  the  top- 
piece  so  that  the  block  will  fill  the  groove.  Now,  if  you  wish,  say 
fifteen  powders,  simply  place  the  block-end  at  fifteen,  dump  your 
powder  in  the  groove.  Now  lift  part  three  and  reverse  it  to  proper 
position.  Place  part  three  on  part  one  and  bring  them  together, 
having  previously  distributed  your  powder  papers.  Take  up  the 
divider  and  turn  back  the  gate  on  part  one,  place  the  end  of  the 
divider  over  the  powder  paper  and  slide  part  three  along,  when  the 
powder  will  be  shoved  out  of  the  end  of  part  one  by  the  blade  on 
part  three.  Now  simply  continue  to  move  the  divider  from  paper 
to  paper  and  shoving  the  parts  as  for  the  first  powder  until  all  have 
been  shoved  out,  thus  making  an  even  distribution. 
I  have  the  device  here,  and  any  person  who  desires  can  have  the 
opportunity  of  seeing  how  it  does  its  work. 
In  conclusion  would  say  that  it  is  not  patented  and  any  pharma- 
cist is  at  liberty  to  make  or  have  one  made  for  his  or  her  own  use. 
There  is  a  cut  of  the  device  connected  with  and  made  a  part  of 
this  paper. 
TINCTURE  OF  ARNICA  FLOWERS. 
By  H.  F.  Ruhx. 
The  U.S.P.  directions  read  as  follows  :  "  Pack  the  powder  firmly 
in  a  cylindrical  percolator,  and  gradually  pour  diluted  alcohol  upon 
it  until  1,000  cubic  centimetres  of  tincture  are  obtained."  Macera- 
tion is  not  mentioned. 
Following  these  directions,  even  with  careful  percolation,  always 
yielded  a  light-colored  tincture  (at  the  hands  of  the  writer),  leaving 
the  drug  far  from  being  exhausted.  The  powder,  when  packed  in  a 
percolator,  occupies  perhaps  50  per  cent,  more  space  than  the  volume 
of  the  finished  product.    Because  the  drug  is  so  bulky  is  no  doubt 
