20 
An  Incompatible  Mixture. 
f  Am.  Jtiur.  I'liarm 
(       Jan.,  188-2, 
and  requires  to  be  shaken  to  diffuse  it,  but  the  mucilage  emulsiHes  the 
oily  sediment  which  would  have  formed  without  its  addition. 
I  next  tried  glycerin,  in  the  expectation  of  having  the  precipitate 
lield  in  solution,  using  IJ  fluidounce  in  place  of  as  much  water  as 
before.  The  sulphate  of  quinine  was  rubbed  with  the  glycerin,  the 
iodide  added,  then  the  tincture  of  cinchona  and  spirit  of  chloroform^ 
lastly,  the  perchloride  of  mercury  dissolved  in  J  ounce  of  distilled 
Avater.  Xo  precipitate  is  formed  except  what  is  immediately  redis- 
solved.  The  mixture  is  only  slightly  opaque,  owing  to  some  of  the 
resinous  matter  of  the  tincture  of  bark  separating.  The  addition  of 
glycerin  answers  better  than  that  of  mucilage,  and  its  sweet  taste 
would  scarcely  be  noticed  in  the  presence  of  spirit  of  chloroform. 
Both  additions  are  so  harmless  that  the  dispenser  would  be  justified  in 
using  either,  letting  the  2^1'escriber  know  he  had  done  so  after wards^ 
supposing  personal  communication  with  him  previously  to  be  impos- 
sible. As  prescribed,  the  two  most  important  ingredients  in  it,  the 
mercury  and  quinine,  are  presented  in  such  a  form  as  to  render  it 
impossible  to  divide  them  into  doses  for  the  patient  to  take.  All  the 
mercury  the  mixture  contains  might  be  poured  into  one  dose  and  prove 
highly  detrimental  or  even  fatal. — Phar.  Jour,  and  Trans.,  Nov.  by 
1881. 
AN  INCOMPATIBLE.  MIXTURE. 
By  a.  W.  Gerrard,  F.C.8. 
Read  at  the  Evening  Meeting  of  the  Pharniaceutieal  Society^  Nov.  2,  1881. 
Nearly  two  years  ago  I  was  informed  by  a  gentleman  who  had  been 
staying  at  Hastings  that  a  prescription  dispensed  for  him  in  that  town, 
and  which  was  colorless  when  freshly  prepared,  became  almost  black 
after  standing  a  week  or  two.  The  ingredients  were,  so  far  as  he 
(30uld  remember,  as  follows : 
R    Sodte  salicylat.,  ....    gr.  xv 
Bpt.  pether.  nitros.,  .  .  '  .  it^xv 
Aqufe  cam  ph.,  .  .  .  •  .^i 
The  combination  is  evidently  one  which  might  readily  suggest  itself 
to  any  prescriber  as  well  suited  for  a  rheumatic  aifection,  and  not 
likely  to  go  wrong  as  regards  compatibility. 
An  explanation  of  the  occurrence  being  asked,  I  could  not  give  one, 
but  promised  to  give  the  matter  my  attention. 
