PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES. 
219 
PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES. 
Being extracts from various articles in the Neio York Journal of Pharmacy, 
with comments, by the Editor. 
Stramonium ointment, by Eugene Dupuy. The author notices 
the new formula (Pharm. 1850,) for this preparation, and con- 
siders it objectionable on the ground of its not possessing the 
green color of the old ointment by infusion. He proposes to 
remedy this difficulty by the following process, viz : 
" Take of Stramonium leaves half a pound 
Alcohol 95° a sufficient quantity 
Prepared Lard fourteen ounces. 
Moisten the leaves previously reduced to coarse powder, with 
sufficient alcohol, in a tight vessel having a suitable cover ; melt 
the lard in a pan three times in capacity to the bulk of the lard, 
and stir in gradually the prepared Stramonium ; keep the mix- 
ture in a warm place for five hours, stirring occasionally, till the 
alcohol has disappeared from the ointment, which may be ascer- 
tained by applying a lighted match to the surface of the warm 
ointment after stirring and then filter hot. Thus prepared the 
ointment has a handsome green color, and according to Mr. D. 
is a reliable preparation. 
The objection to the officinal formula on the score of color 
is hardly valid, and if it was so, it would be better to color 
it when desirable with alcoholic extract of grass, than to substitute 
a preparation which will constantly vary in strength and ap- 
pearance with the age of the leaves. The officinal extract of 
stramonium is easily incorporated with lard, and produces a brown 
colored ointment, of comparatively uniform strength. 
On Blistering Cerate, by Eugene Dupuy. " I have been for 
many years in the habit of preparing a plaster which, I think, has 
some advantages over our officinal cerate, because it fixes the 
volatilizable principle, and at the same time rather increases than 
diminishes its energy. 
" To the officinal plastic mixture in which the powdered can- 
tharides have been gradually incorporated, I add about five per 
cent of a mixture containing equal parts of strong acetic acid, 
(prepared by the distillation of the acetate of copper or lead) 
and pulverized camphor. The acetic acid transforms the can- 
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