170 
Benzoic  Acid  in  Pharmacy. 
{Am.  Jour  Phtrm. 
April,  1878. 
In  extemporaneous  pharmacy  it  is  often  more  important  that  the 
diluent  in  mixtures  should  play  the  part  of  an  antiseptic  than  that  of  a 
mere  flavoring  ingredient,  for  it  is  a  fact  well  known  to  all  observing 
pharmacists  that  many  of  the  mixtures,  emulsions,  etc.,  dispensed  by 
them  must  become  unfit  for  use,  especially  in  the  summer  months, 
before  all  is  taken  by  the  patient.  In  dispensing  such  mixtures,  benzoic 
acid  water  may  well  replace  water  or  the  medicated  waters.  I  have 
substituted  benzoic  acid  water  for  water  with  great  satisfaction  in  pre- 
paring solution  of  citrate  of  magnesium,  mucilage  and  syrup  of  gum 
arabic,  Jacksons'  Pectoral  Syrup,  and  many  other  officinal  and  unoffici- 
nal  preparations  which  I  need  not  enumerate. 
The  present  formula  is  a  most  expeditious  method  of  preparing 
syrup  ipecac,  but  this  is  all  that  can  be  said  in  its  praise.  It  should  be 
changed  or  else  that  for  the  fluid  extract  so  modified  as  to  yield  a  hand- 
some preparation  when  mixed  with  syrup.  By  adding  two  fluidounces 
of  the  fluid  extract  to  one  pint  of  benzoic  acid  water,  filtering  upon 
twenty-six  troy6unces  of  sugar,  and  making  two  pints  of  syrup  when 
cold,  a  beautiful,  and  permanent  preparation  is  the  result. 
There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  fact  that  benzoic  acid  contributes  to 
the  preservation  of  cerates,  ointments  and  all  unctuous  substances,  but 
whether  or  not  the  difficulty  of  stability  is  entirely  overcome  by  its 
use,  and  the  smallest  quantity  necessary  to  accomplish  it,  I  am  not 
prepared  to  say.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  addition  of  five  per  cent, 
of  powdered  benzoin  to  powdered  ergot  will  preserve  without  alteration 
its  physical  and  medicinal  properties.  Acting  upon  this  suggestion,  I 
added  two  grains  of  benzoic  acid,  dissolved  in  a  few  drops  of  acohol,  to 
one  ounce  of  powdered  ergot,  mixed  thoroughly  and  spread  the  powder 
on  a  sheet  of  paper  an  hour  or  two  to  allow  evaporation  of  the  alcohol 
before  bottling.  Sufficient  time  has  not  yet  elapsed  to  say  whether  or 
not  the  ergot  is  thoroughly  protected  by  this  treatment,  but  from  its 
present  condition  there  is  no  doubt  that  deterioration  is  at  least  greatly 
retarded. 
The  instability  of  sweetmeats,  preserves,  marmalades,  etc.,  is  annu- 
ally a  source  of  much  annoyance  to  housekeepers.  If  sugar  enough 
is  added  to  prevent  change  during  the  summer  months,  when  the  jar  is 
opened  in  December,  they  find  a  mass  of  candied  fruit ;  while,  if  to 
prevent  this  trouble,  a  smaller  quantity  of  sugar  is  used  a  few  weeks  of 
hot  weather  will  produce  lively  fermentation.     Four  grains  of  benzoic 
