ON SYRUP OF ASSAFETID.4 • 
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ON SYRUP OF ASSAFETIDA. 
By Richard Peltz. 
(From an Inaugural Essay.) 
Assafetida has long held a high rank as an antispasmodic and 
expectorant, but has not been used as extensively as its virtues 
seem to demand, both on account of its very unpleasant odor 
and acrid bitter taste. It consists chiefly of resin, gum and vola- 
tile oil. 
The Pharmacopoeia of the United States recognises as officinal 
two fluid preparations of assafetida — the tincture and the mix- 
ture. These, although very good preparations, are both objec- 
tionable on account of their unpleasant taste. This, I think, 
could be remedied in part by making a syrup ; with which pur- 
pose I have undertaken a number of experiments, to ascertain 
if a preparation could not be made which would contain in a 
more agreeable form all the medicinal properties of assafetida 
soluble in water. 
Having tried a number of methods I concluded that the fol- 
lowing formula would make the most perfect preparation : 
Take of Assafetida an ounce, 
Boiling water a pint, 
Sugar two pounds. 
Triturate the Assafetida in a mortar with a portion of the boil- 
ing water until an uniform paste is formed, then gradually add 
the remainder of the water, strain and add the sugar, applying 
a gentle heat to dissolve it. 
Much heat should be avoided in forming the syrup, as the 
volatile oil, which is present in considerable proportion in good 
assafetida, (nearly 6 per cent.) a portion of which is dissolved or 
held in suspension by the water, would be dissipated. 
There is an advantage in using boiling water, as it takes up 
more of the gum-resin, which is permanently dissolved or held in 
suspension by the sugar. 
This syrup, when first made, is nearly white, but upon expo- 
sure to light gradually assumes a pinkish tinge. It is of the 
same strength as Mixture of Assafetida of the Pharmacopoeia, 
and owing to its being more pleasant to the taste, might with 
