EDITORIAL. 
381 
Some  Peculiarities  of  tiie  British  Pharmacopoeia.— Tn  our  lust 
number  we  noticed  some  points  in  this  new  work,  and  now  propose  to  re- 
fer succinctly  to  some  other  preparations  : — 
Anvmonice  Benzoas  made  by  direct  combination  with  three  fluidounces 
of  solution  of  ammonia,  two  ounces  of  Benzoic  acid,  and  eight  fluid- 
ounces  of  distilled  water.     Evaporate  and  crystallize. 
Ammo  nice  Phosphas  is  directed  to  be  made  by  saturating  diluted  phos- 
phoric acid  with  solution  of  ammonia  !  Why  so  expensive  a  process 
should  have  been  chosen  we  cannot  divine.  The  usual  process  in  this 
country  is,  to  saturate  super  phosphate  of  lime  obtained  from  bone 
ash,  by  the  action  of  oil  of  vitriol,  as  in  the  process  for  phosphate  of  soda, 
with  caibonate  of  ommonia  (see  page  10,  vol.  xviii.  of  this  Journal). 
The  same  process  is  in  the  British  Pharmacopoeia  for  phosphate  of  soda. 
An'imonium  Sulphuralum  is  made  with  liquor  sodsc  in  place  of  liquor 
potassa). 
Atropia  is  made  by  the  process  of  Mein,  so  far  as  the  precipitation  with 
carbonate  of  potassa,  when  the  alkaloid  is  extracted  by  agitating  the  alka- 
line mixture  with  chloroform.  The  impure  atropia  obtained  by  evaporat- 
ing the  chloroform  is  purifi;d  by  solution  in  spirit,  digestion  with  animal 
charcoal,  evaporating  and  crystallizing. 
Argenti  oxidum  is  prepared  with  lime  water  instead  of  potassa,  seventy 
fluidounces  to  decompose  half  an  ounce  of  nitrate  of  silver. 
Beberice  sulphas  is  made  from  l»eheru  bark,  by  a  process  analogous  to 
that  of  sulphate  of  quinia,  except  that  the  product  being  uncrystallizable 
and  extract  like,  is  obtained  in  scales,  by  evaporation  on  glass  plates. 
DigitaUnum.    M.  Henry's  process  is  given  for  this  substance. 
Emp.  Stponis  is  made  by  the  following  process  : — Six  ounces  of  pow- 
dered white  Castile  soap,  one  ounce  of  powdered  resin,  and  thirty-six 
ounces  of  lead  plaster  are  used.  The  first  two  ingredients  are  liquified 
(by  heat?)  and  added  to  the  plaster,  previously  melted  ;  then,  constantly 
stiri-insr,  evaporate  to  the  proper  consistence.  Now,  if  heat  alone  is  used 
to  liquify  the  soap  and  resin,  what  is  there  to  evaporate  ?  If  it  is  intend* 
ed  to  add  water,  why  is  it  not  stated  ?  This  is  certainly  a  defect  in  the 
process,  ex«  ept  to  adepts  familiar  with  the  preparation  of  this  plaster. 
Extracts. — A  marked  contrast  between  the  manner  of  making  these 
preparations  in  our  own  and  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  is  apparent  in 
the  slight  use  of  alcohol  and  of  the  process  of  percolation.  Ex'ract  of 
Chamomile  is  made  with  water,  adding  fifteen  minims  of  the  volatile  oil 
for  a  pound  of  the  flowers,  at  the  end  of  the  process  !  Extract  of  Cohimbo 
is  made  by  percolation  with  proof  spirit.  Liquid  Exiract  of  Yellow 
Bxrk  is  m  ide  by  maceration  and  percolation  with  fifteen  pints  of  water  to 
one  pound  of  bark,  evaporated  to  three  fluidounces,  to  which  one  ounce  of 
alcohol  is  added  for  preservation. 
Liquid  Exiract  of  Ergot  is  made  by  treating  the  ergot  by  percolation 
