on Hoffman's anodyne liquor. 
213 
as well as belladonna, calomel, cicuta, mercurial, and quinine 
suppositories. 
In Gray's "Supplement to the Pharmacopoeia," there is given 
the following formula for a suppository ; taken from the Codex 
Medic. Hambergj 1845. 
p. Aloes £vi. 
Common Salt giss. 
Spanish Soap ^iss. 
Starch ^viii. 
Mix and make into a mass with honey, and then form into cones 
of the required size. 
ON HOFFMAN'S ANODYNE LIQUOR. 
By William Procter, Jr. 
Perhaps in no preparation in general use does the practice of 
manufacturers, and the requirements of pharmacopoeial authori- 
ties, more widely differ than in the Compound Spirit of Ether, 
universally known as Hoffman's Anodyne Liquor. According 
to the United States and London Pharmacopoeias it consists of 
three fluid drachms of heavy oil of wine (Oleum Ethereum, U. S. 
P.) dissolved in a mixture of eight fluid ounces of ether and six- 
teen fluid ounces of alcohol. The Edinburgh Pharmacopoeia has 
only the simple spirit of ether without the oil of wine, whilst the 
Dublin Pharmacopoeia of 18 "0, under the name of Spiritus 
iEthereus Oleosus, gives the following formula, which includes the 
preparation of the oil of wine and its subsequent solution to make 
the anodyne : Mix a pint of alcohol and a pint and a half of 
oil of vitriol in a glass matrass, adapt a Liebig's condenser, and 
by heat distill until a black froth rises. Separate the lighter 
ethereal liquid in the receiver, expose it for 24 hours in a cap- 
sule, wash the residual oil with water, and dissolve it in a mix- 
ture of five fluid ounces of ether and ten fluid ounces of alco- 
hol. In France, Hoffman's anodyne consists of equal parts of 
ether and alcohol without oil of wine. 
Owing to the careless or intentionally mystified manner of ex- 
