224 
PHARMACEUTICAL NOTICES. 
preparation as will interfere with its value. It is well to 
recollect that in the evaporation of diluted alcohol, the water 
as well as the alcohol passes off, and that the evaporation of 4 
pints of a tincture to 2 pints does not remove all the alcohol. 
Tincture of Aconite root. Mr. Coggeshall, in common with some 
others, believes that Fleming's Tincture (16 ounces of root to Oiss. 
of alcohol) is to be preferred. As three different revising commit- 
tees in as many countries, with that formula in view, have, however, 
adopted the proportion of six ounces to 16 fluid ounces, we cannot 
see why objection should be urged. If in special cases a stronger 
tincture is needed, make it, but when the officinal formula is 
adequate in nineteen cases out of twenty, let us not meddle with it. 
Besides, w T e are apt to speak of saturated tinctures without being 
aware of the limit to the solvent power of menstrua. The obser- 
vations of M. Personne (American Jour. Pharm. vol. xviii, pages 
21 and 108,) are well worth perusal ; and a priori we do not believe 
that the most skilful manipulator in New York or Philadelphia 
can extract the whole of the activity of 16 oz. aconite root with 
1| pints of alcohol, allowing him sufficient of the menstruum in 
addition to displace out a pint and a half of tincture. 
Compound Tincture of Cardamom is objected to by Mr. 
Coggeshall because it is stronger of cardamom than the London 
formula, previously in use. If this tincture is merely used as a color- 
ing agent ^prescriptions to please the fancy, the objection holds 
good, but as it was introduced chiefly for its carminative qualities, 
the increased force communicated by the cardamom is advan- 
tageous. 
Pilules Ferri Composite^. By Benjamin Canavan. The author 
considers the officinal directions insufficient to develope the 
chemical changes evidently desired in the construction of the for- 
mula, viz. the formation of proto-carbonate of iron. He suggests 
that " the only way by which the pill ought or can be prepared, 
is by triturating separately and to solution the two salts in the 
necessary quantity of syrup, mixing, and again triturating until 
perfect decomposition is induced, and by incorporating the myrrh, 
form into a mass without delay." This suggestion is a decided 
improvement on the officinal direction. In our own experience we 
have arrived at a simular result, by reducing the two salts and the 
myrrh, in tears, separately to powder, then triturating the sulphate 
