210     ON  SOME  PREPARATIONS  OF  THE  U.  S.  PHARMACOPOEIA. 
mind  that  it  is  only  on  this  condition  that  the  formulas  of  the 
work  can  be  fairly  tested  and  their  merit  determined. 
Aceta  Aeetum  Lobelice.  The  first  notice  of  this  prepara- 
tion will  be  found  at  page  109,  vol.  14th,  of  this  Journal,  July 
1842;  as  there  suggested  the  proportion  is  four  ounces  to  a 
pint  and  a  half.  In  the  Pharmacopoeia  it  is  made  four  ounces 
to  two  pints,  to  correspond  with  the  vinegars  of  Blood-root  and 
of  Squills.  It  is  a  dark  reddish-brown  liquid  with  an  acidulous 
acrid  taste.  The  lobelia  is  directed  to  be  in  moderately  coarse 
powder,  which,  if  uniformly  prepared,  is  the  most  appropriate 
degree  of  division  for  the  menstruum  used. 
Aeetum  Sanguinarice.  Vinegar  of  Blood-root  has  long  been 
known  as  an  unofficinal  popular  preparation  for  ringworm,  es- 
pecially when  a  portion  of  verdigris  is  dissolved  in  it.  The  first 
notice  of  it  in  this  Journal,  is  as  a  basis  for  Syrup  of  Sanguina- 
ria  by  T.  S.  Wiegand,  at  page  108,  vol.  26th,  which  preparation 
is  in  the  ratio  of  4  ounces  to  the  pint.  As  prepared  by  the 
Pharmacopoeia  it  is  two  troy  ounces  to  the  pint  of  diluted  acetic 
acid,  and  has  at  first  a  deep  red  color  which  becomes  lighter 
on  standing,  owing  to  the  deposition  of  coloring  matter,  which 
appears  to  be  independent  of  that  due  to  the  acetate  of  san- 
guinarina. 
Aciium  Hydriodicum  Dilutum.  In  this  process  hydrosulphu- 
ric  acid  gas  is  passed  through  a  mixture  of  powdered  iodine  and 
water,  until  a  clear  solution  is  obtained.  The  direction  to 
treat  thirty  grains  of  iodine  separately  is  to  afford  the  means  of 
getting  the  iodine  into  solution  by  aid  of  a  portion  of  hydriodic 
acid.  When  this  is  not  done,  the  sulphur,  which,  as  it  cedes  its 
hydrogen  to  the  iodine,  separates  at  first  as  a  powder,  assumes 
the  form  of  lumps,  enclosing  portions  of  the  undissolved  iodine, 
which  are  either  overlooked  or  require  to  be  liberated  by 
breaking  down  the  lumps  of  sulphur. 
The  officinal  solution,  though  colorless  when  recent,  becomes 
brown,  from  escape  of  hydrogen  and  the  formation  of  hydriodous 
acid,  by  keeping  in  contact  with  the  air.  Iodine  is  gradually 
deposited  in  crystals,  hence  the  solution,  immediately  after 
being  made  and  yet  warm,  should  be  introduced  in  bottles  which 
it  nearly  fills  and  securely  closed. 
