182 
THE   OFFICINAL  FLUID  EXTRACTS. 
to  make  three  parts  of  its  fluid  extract,  operating  by  direct  per- 
colation by  the  officinal  directions,  and  using  only  the  first  liquid 
that  passes,  but  modifying  the  manner  of  proceeding,  in  some 
cases,  so  as  to  insure  the  maximum  solvent  effect  from  the  men- 
struum. This  suggestion  of  Dr.  Squibb  was  before  referred  to 
at  page  405,  vol.  xxxvi.  of  this  Journal.  Since  that  time,  he 
has  added  further  to  the  evidence  in  favor  of  such  a  plan  by 
careful  examinations  of  the  products  and  residues.  The  paper 
and  process  of  N.  Spencer  Thomas,  given  in  our  March  number, 
shows  that  this  subject  is  engaging  other  minds  ;  and  more  re- 
cently, in  reply  to  a  letter  referring  to  this  subject,  we  received 
the  following  reply : 
Extract  from  a  letter  from  Br.  U.  B.  Squibb  of  Brooklyn. 
"  Yours  of  the  9th  came  duly,  and  I  am  glad  the  spirit  moved  you  to 
write,  even  infrequent  as  it  is,  since  it  stirs  me  up  to  find  time  to  reply,  I 
do  feel  a  very  great  interest  in  the  extracts  and  fluid  extracts,  and  have  a 
strong  conviction  that  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Committee  of  Revision  to  meet 
and  adopt  some  plan  whereby  these  preparations  may  be  saved  to  the 
medical  profession.  If  that  Committee  lets  the  present  officinal  formulas 
stand  till  the  revision  in  1870,  not  only  the  formulas  will  be  dead  letters, 
but  the  value  of  the  preparations  will  be  sacrificed  in  their  popular  use. 
I  believe  that  even  now  few  use  the  officinal  processes,  and  those  who  do 
cannot  sell  the  articles  they  make  in  consequence  of  the  enormous  cost. 
I  am  willing  to  work  in  the  matter,  but  not  independently  of,  much  less 
against,  the  Pharmacopoeia ;  and  Taylor's  timely  suggestion  [at  Cincin- 
nati] that  the  publication  of  my  advice  and  experiments  might  tend  to 
weaken  the  influence  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  saved  me  from  doing  some- 
thing very  much  like  what  I  have  since  criticized  Maisch  for, — only  that  I 
trust  I  should  never  have  advised  the  adoption  of  my  views  in  practice 
until  justified  and  authorized  by  the  Committee  of  Revision.  I  feel  sure 
that  a  practical  plan  could  be  obtained,  by  a  little  labor,  whereby  prepara- 
tions of  the  same  practical  value  could  be  obtained  with  the  use  of  less 
than  half  the  [quantity  of]  menstruum,  and  yet  with  the  sacrifice  of  a 
comparatively  insignificant  portion  of  the  drug  ;  but  am  also  equally  well 
convinced  that  no  general  rule  like  the  present  one  can  effect  this  result. 
Each  drug  must  be  worked  out  by  itself,  and  this  done,  the  process  will 
be  found  simple  and  easy.  With  regard  to  N.  Spencer  Thomas'  plan,  it 
is  no  news  to  say  that  it  is  a  good  one  for  some  drugs,  as  senna,  bella- 
donna, aconite,  etc.,  but  for  others,  such  as  rhubarb,  colchicum  seed,  nux 
vomica,  jalap,  etc.,  it  is  very  imperfect,  if  not  impracticable;  and  as  to  its 
being  patentable,  even  as  a  novel  adaptation  of  a  new  purpose,  I  do  not  for 
