Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  1 
Mar.,  1878.  [ 
The  Tinctures  of  the  U.  S.  P. 
106 
NOTE  ON  THE  TINCTURES  OF  THE  U.  S.  P. 
By  Theodore  G.  Davis,  Ph.G. 
From  observation  and  experiment,  I  think  it  would  be  preferable  in 
the  coming  Pharmacopoeia  to  have  officinal  Alcohol  dilutum  containing 
50  per  cent,  of  alcohol,  Alcohol  containing  70  per  cent,  of  anhydrous 
alcohol  and  Alcohol  fortior  as  at  present. 
An  alcohol  of  50  per  cent,  is  preferable  in  most  instances  to  a 
weaker  spirit,  and  could  be  substituted  to  advantage  for  the  present 
diluted  alcohol,  as  in  most  of  the  tinctures  prepared  with  it  there  is  a 
cloudiness  which  becomes  clear  on  the  addition  of  some  alcohol ;  this 
is  particularly  noticeable  in  the  tinctures  of  roots  and  leaves  containing 
resin  and  volatile  oil.  Valerian  is  a  good  example,  and  I  can  corrobo- 
rate in  every  particular  the  facts  set  forth  by  Mr.  George  W.  Ken- 
nedy in  the  February  "  Journal,"  in  the  article  on  Tincture  of  Can- 
tharides. 
Capsicum,  if  the  percolation  is  properly  conducted,  always  precipi- 
tates a  flocculent  matter,  while  floating  on  the  surface  is  a  fatty  sub- 
stance.   This  may  be  remedied  by  a  stronger  menstruum. 
It  is  my  opinion  that  the  tinctures  should  be  more  concentrated,  and 
should  represent  at  least  one  part  of  the  drug  in  four  of  the  finished 
product.  The  menstruum  necessary  to  attain  this  result  is  in  most 
instances  sufficient  to  exhaust  the  drug  if  the  percolation  is  properly- 
conducted,  and  I  have  noticed  frequently  that  the  first  half  of  the 
tinctures  are  void  of  sediment,  which  separates  as  the  weaker  solution 
percolates  into  it.  This  is  notable  in  tinctures  of  the  leaves,  hence  it 
would  seem  that  more  concentrated  preparations  would  be  more  satis- 
factory as  pharmaceutical  preparations,  and  yet  I  do  not  think  there  is 
a  satisfactory  fluid  extract  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  nor  that  there  is  one 
which  represents  one  grain  of  the  drug  in  a  minim  ;  I  do  not  believe 
it  can  be  made.  Some  are  very  nice  when  first  made,  but  precipitate 
the  active  part  (resin  or  tannin),  and  become  comparatively  worthless 
upon  standing,  as  they  must,  on  our  shelves. 
Bridgeton,  N.  J. 
EMPLASTRUM  PICIS  LIQUIDS. 
By  F.  Marion  Murray,  M.D. 
Having  a  call  a  few  days  since  for  a  tar  plaster,  I  searched  several 
books  of  reference  for  some  guide  to  its  preparation,  but  without  avail. 
Being  thrown  upon  my  own  resources,  I  hurriedly  melted  together  2 
