"^"^Mar  ^i88>^™' }  Compouud  SoluHon  of  the  Hypophosphites.  121 
The  extreme  solubility  of  the  hypophosphites  is  another  important 
point  in  their  favor ;  all  the  alkaline  and  earthy  salts  of  hypophos- 
phorous  acid  being  readily  soluble  in  water,  while  the  corresponding 
salts  of  phosphoric  acid  are  nearly  all  insoluble  in  that  menstruum, 
requiring  the  addition  of  a  strong  acid  to  effect  solution.  In  fact 
doubts  have  been  expressed  as  to  whether  the  phosphates  are  assimi- 
lated in  the  system  at  all,  or  whether  the  benefit  derived  from  their 
use  does  not  depend  upon  the  action  of  the  bases  alone. 
For  many  years  a  preparation  of  hypophosphites  has  been  before 
the  profession,  and  latterly  another  preparation  has  been  introduced 
from  the  other  side  of  the  Atlantic,  but  neither  of  these  gives  the 
proportionate  amount  of  hypophosphites  in  solution,  consequently 
prescribers  are  working  in  the  dark,  while  both  are  very  expensive 
preparations,  and,  therefore,  not  suitable  for  general  use. 
A  much  more  satisfactory  preparation  than  these  is  that  recom- 
mended by  Dr.  Frederick  Churchill,  of  the  Victoria  Hospital  for 
Children,  London.  The  formula  of  this  preparation  he  published  in 
an  article  communicated  to  the  "  British  Medical  Journal "  for  March 
27,  1880. 
Having  been  desired  to  make  a  quantity  of  this  preparation  and 
seeing  the  interest  taken  in  the  administration  of  hypophosphites  at 
the  present  time,  I  have  thought  that  the  subject  would  not  be  an 
unsuitable  one  to  bring  before  you  for  discussion. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  bases  entering  into  the  formula,  which 
I  shall  now  give  you,  are  similar  to  those  of  Parrish^s  sjrup,  with  the 
exception  of  the  magnesium  salt,  the  author  of  the  formula  substituting 
this  for  the  potassium  salt,  owing  to  some  objections  which  attend  the 
administration  of  the  latter  : 
Grains  in  100 
minims. 
Grs.  in  11. 
5i. 
Ferrous  Hypophosphite  (FeOPHA+BH-.O) 
2-77 
1-6 
Calcium  Hypophosphite  (Ca.,PH.30.J  . 
3-5 
2- 
8odium  Hypophosphite  (NaPH202+H20) 
3-5 
2- 
Magnesium  Hypophosphite  (MgPH^O.H-eH.O) 
1-99 
1-1 
Hypophosphorous  acid  (HjPO.J 
1-66 
Water           .            •            .            .  . 
86-58 
100-00 
6-7  grs. 
mixed  salts. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  formula?  for  the  ferrous,  calcium  and 
