Am.  Jour.  Pharm- 
Dec,  1887. 
Linseed  Oil. 
601 
liquid,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  difference  between  the  desired 
specific  gravity  and  that  of  the  water  to  be  mixed  with  it. 
There  is  nothing  more  unsightly  in  the  shop  of  a  pharmacist  than  a 
bottle  containing  a  liquid  with  a  bulky  precipitate.  ]Sot  only  is  the 
appearance  objectionable,  but  possibly  the  precipitated  matter  may 
contain  the  very  substance  which  should  be  held  in  solution.  In  order 
to  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  formula  for  fluid  extract  of  burdock,  it  will 
be  found  necessary  to  take  into  consideration  the  principal  constituents 
of  the  root.  By  comparing  the  color  and  properties  of  the  three 
preparations,  the  first  one,  in  which  diluted  alcohol  as  the  menstruum 
was  used,  is  by  far  superior  to  the  others.  The  liquid  is  clear,  and 
possesses  the  full  properties  of  the  drug. 
There  has  been  some  demand  created  for  this  fluid  extract,  and  it  is 
sold  largely  in  some  sections.  The  dispensing  pharmacist  can  very 
easily  make  it  himself,  and  thus  be  not  only  sure  of  the  quality,  but 
also  affect  a  saving  in  the  cost.  The  root  is  now  obtainable,  costing 
about  15  or  20  cents  per  pound. 
LINSEED  OIL. 
Read  at  the  Philadelphia  Meeting,  November  15, 1887. 
By  Feank  X.  Moekk,  Ph.G. 
Contribution  from  the  Chemical  Laboratory  of  the  Philadelphia  College  of 
Pharmacy.  • 
The  interest  which  the  subject  of  this  paper  excited  at  the  last  Phar- 
maceutical Meeting,  led  me  to  make  some  experiments  with  oils  ex- 
tracted from  the  ground  seed  by  means  of  carbon  disulphide  and  light 
petroleum  ether.  Ground  flaxseed  was  purchased  from  a  reliable 
firm  in  this  city  and  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  oil  by  extraction 
with  the  above  solvents. 
Ten  gm.  were  placed  in  a  continuous  extraction  apparatus  and  ex- 
hausted with  light  petroleum  ether  (boiling  point  below  45°  C.) ;  the 
solution,  on  evaporation,  left  the  oil — amounting  to  33.80  per  cent. — 
of  a  greenish-brown  color,  slight  acid  reaction,  which  is  imparted  to 
water  on  shaking,  pleasant  sweet  taste.  It  is  completely  soluble  in  small 
quantities  of  carbon  disulphide.  In  absolute  alcohol  it  not  only  dis- 
solves in  five  parts  by  weight,  but  mixes  in  all  proportions.  With  an 
equal  volume  of  95  per  cent,  alcohol  it  forms  a  clear  solution;  on  ad- 
