296 
TINCTURA  CINCHONA  FERRATA. 
as  above;  two  ounces,  on  being  evaporated  to  dryness,  ignited  and 
treated  as  in  the  former  examples,  yielded  .5  grain  of  sesquioxide 
of  iron,  indicating  1.33  grain  of  the  citrate  in  the  two  ounces,  or 
just  two-thirds  of  a  grain  to  each  ounce. 
Not  being  satisfied  with  this  tincture,  I  was  induced  to  examine 
the  preparation  as  made  by  Mr.  Samuel  Simes  of  this  city,  which 
I  understand  has  been  extensively  prescribed,  and  which  purports 
to  contain  two  grs.  of  citrate  of  iron  to  the  ounce. 
This  preparation  was  similar  in  appearance  to  Huxham's  tinc- 
ture, and  possessed  a  slight  odor  of  brandy,  as  though  partly  made 
with  that  menstruum.  The  addition  of  solution  of  chloride  of  iron 
caused  a  deep  black  color,  and  solution  of  gelatine  a  copious  floc- 
culent  precipitate,  thus  showing  that  the  tincture  had  not  been  de- 
prived of  its  tannin  ;  on  the  addition  of  infusion  of  galls,  a  copious 
muddy  precipitate  was  thrown  down,  which,  after  standing  for 
some  hours,  became  somewhat  darker,  but  not  nearly  so  dark  as 
the  color  produced  on  adding  infusion  of  galls  to  a  solution  of  am- 
monio-citrate  of  iron,  \  grain  to  the  ounce.  From  this  experiment 
it  was  suspected  to  be,  like  the  former  preparation,  deficient  in 
iron;  accordingly,  two  ounces  of  the  tincture  was  evaporated  to 
dryness  and  treated  precisely  as  the  tincture  in  the  preceding  ex- 
periment. The  amount  of  sesquioxide  obtained  was  less  than  three- 
tenths  of  a  grain,  thus  indicating  that  each  ounce  of  the  tincture 
contained  less  than  half  a  grain  either  of  the  citrate  or  ammonio- 
citrate  of  iron,  whichever  salt  may  have  been  used. 
The  conclusion  to  be  derived  from  these  results  is,  that  the  tinc- 
ture, as  at  present  prepared,  is  very  inefficient  as  regards  the  iron 
ingredient,  (and  if  more  iron  be  added  the  tincture  becomes  inky 
in  its  character,)  and  theoretically  must  be  inferior  to  the  ordinary 
Huxham's  tincture,  where  the  effect  of  cinchona  is  desirable. 
The  citrate  of  iron  and  quinine  is  a  much  more  elegant  and  sci- 
entific preparation,  possessing  all  the  properties  which  this  tinc- 
ture might  be  expected  to  possess,  besides  the  advantage  that  it 
may  be  given  in  pill,  powder  or  solution. 
