Am.  Jour.  Pharm.) 
Jan.,  1878.  J 
Glycerin  in  Pharmacy, 
21 
capacity  ;  cork  tightly,  and  allow  it  to  stand  for  four  days,  with  occa- 
sional agitation  ;  then  place  it  upon  a  filter,  in  a  funnel,  and  allow  the 
first  added  menstruum  to  filter  through  ;  mix  the  remaining  stronger 
alcohol  with  one  pint  of  alcohol,  and  gradually  pour  upon  the  myrrh, 
adding  sufficient  alcohol  to  obtain  two  pints  of  tincture. 
Maceration  followed  by  percolation  produces  a  much  finer  tincture 
than  direct  percolation  ;  in  all  tinctures  for  which  glycerin  is  used  I 
endeavor  to  keep  them  of  full  alcoholic  strength  of  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Glycerin  has  another  very  desirable  effect  in  resinous  tinctures,  as  it 
prevents  the  accumulation  of  resin  about  the  stopper  and  lip  of  the 
bottle,  and  will  prevent  the  stopper  from  becoming  fastened ;  also 
"  the  drop  "  that  falls  on  the  outside  of  the  bottle,  from  time  to  time, 
can  be  easily  removed  with  a  dampened  cloth  ;  for  these  advantages 
alone  it  would  more  than  compensate  for  the  amount  of  alcohol  neces- 
sarily used  to  cleanse  the  bottles  containing  such  tinctures.  Glycerin 
was  recommended  in  compound  tincture  of  cinchona  as  early  as  1872.1 
In  the  officinal  wines  it  may  be  used  with  advantage  also.  Wine  of 
ergot,  of  superior  quality,  possessing  a  stronger  odor  and  a  richer  color 
than  the  officinal,  is  made  as  follows : 
Take  of  Ergot,  in  moderately  fine  powder,        .  .  ^iv 
Glycerin,  concentrated,  .  .  .  3iss 
Sherry  wine,  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Mix  the  glycerin  with  five  ounces  of  sherry  wine,  moisten  the  pow- 
der with  this  ;  place  in  a  close  vessel  and  let  stand  four  days  ;  then 
transfer  to  a  funnel  or  percolator  ;  press  firmly  and  gradually  ;  pour 
sherry  wine  upon  it  until  two  pints  of  filtered  liquid  are  obtained.  This 
method  is  to  be  preferred  to  making  this  preparation  from  the  fluid 
extract,  and  would  suggest  that  wine  of  ipecac  be  made  in  a  similar 
manner,  and  that  glycerin  be  used  in  the  remaining  wines. 
In  the  preparation  of  solid  extracts  a  small  proportion  has  been 
recommended  to  be  added,  after  evaporation  to  the  proper  consistence, 
to  give  them  a  plastic  firmness,  which  is  at  times  very  desirable,  and 
also  prevents  moulding.2 
As  an  excipient,  in  pill  masses,  its  virtues  are  too  well  known  to 
need  repetition  here. 
It  may  be  substituted  for  honey  in  compound  tincture  of  cardamom, 
1{'Drug.  Circular,"  1872,  p.  96.      2 "  Drug.  Circular,"  1872,  p.  139. 
