360  Irish  Moss  a  Substitute  for  Acacia.  {Am^ri^arm- 
Huested  (Pharm.  Journ.,  July  16,  1881,  p.  49)  records  similar  exper- 
ience. In  a  case  where  the  small  particles  in  suspension  would  not  be 
objectionable,  a  fairly  presentable  product  may  be  obtained  by  using 
muslin  or  calico  as  the  straining  material,  and  gently  stirring  or  press- 
ing. For  emulsions  this  serves  admirably.  In  a  clear  mixture,  how- 
ever, the  particles  become  objectionably  evident  when  the  mucilage  is 
diluted.  To  obtain  a  clear  preparation  Mr.  Huested  recommends 
that  the  mucilage  while  hot  should  be  poured  into  a  flannel  filtering- 
bag  and  allowed  to  drain  through,  no  pressure  or  stirring  being  em- 
ployed. Proceeding  in  a  similar  way  I  failed  to  get  satisfactory  re- 
sults. I  could  neither  get  the  mucilage  to  run  through  reasonably 
rapidly  nor  obtain  it  so  clear  as  I  desired.  It  may  be  that  Mr.  Hues- 
ted's  manipulation  is  superior  to  mine,  or  his  mucilage  was  not  so 
clear  as  that  which  I  have  now  succeeded  in  preparing.  After  many 
failures,  the  details  of  which  I  need  not  give,  I  found  that  by  using  a 
hot  water  funnel  and  straining  the  mucilage  through  absorbent  cotton 
wool  supported  on  muslin,  a  preparation  clear  enough  for  all  but  ex- 
ceptional purposes  could  be  obtained  with  comparatively  little  diffi- 
culty. If  a  perfectly  water-clear  preparation  be  required,  it  may  be 
obtained  by  making  a  weak  mucilage,  filtering  it  clear,  and  then  evap- 
orating to  the  thickness  required.  If  a  clear  jelly  were  wanted  this 
would  be  the  only  way  to  prepare  it,  because  a  decoction  of  this  con- 
sistence could  not  be  strained,  even  when  kept  hot,  in  anything  like  a 
reasonable  time,  if  at  all. 
A  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  moss,  washed  free  from  dust  and  sand, 
soaked  in  24  ozs.  of  cold  water  for  an  hour  or  so,  boiled  gently  for  five 
minutes  or  heated  on  a  water-bath  for  double  the  time,  and  strained  in 
the  manner  I  have  described,  yields  about  18  ozs.  of  mucilage  closely 
resembling  in  appearance  and  viscosity  the  acacia  preparation,  and  pos- 
sessing as  little  taste. 
I  have  observed  that  the  clear  mucilage  has  less  taste, — "  flavor  " 
perhaps  I  should  say, — than  that  which  has  not  been  freed  from  in- 
soluble particles. 
A  quarter  of  an  ounce  macerated  in  4  ozs.  of  cold  water  for  twenty- 
four  hours,  or  longer,  gives  a  mucilage  such  as  that  to  which  I  have 
already  made  reference. 
Specimens  of  these  and  of  some  other  strengths  are  on  the  table. 
I  have  observed  variations  in  the  results  from  different  parcels  of 
the  moss. 
