444  Cold  Process  for  Syrups.  { Amsl°^\lXm' 
1.  The  percolator  used  should  be  cylindrical  or  semi  cylindrical,  and 
cone-shaped  as  it  nears  the  lower  orifice. 
2.  The  sugar  must  be  coarse,  else  it  forms  into  a  compact  mass, 
which  the  liquid  cannot  permeate. 
3.  The  sponge  must  be  introduced  with  care.  If  pressed  too 
tightly  in  it  will  effectually  stop  the  process  ;  if  too  loosely,  the  liquid 
will  pass  too  rapidly  and  will,  in  consequence,  be  weak  and  turbid  (not 
properly  filtered). 
The  simple  syrup  produced  by  this  process  will  be  clear  and  trans- 
parent, of  an  unvarying  consistency,  and  will  not  crystallize,  simply 
because  the  water,  when  saturated,  is  of  the  same  temperature  as  the 
surrounding  air  ;  and  in  like  manner  you  may  prepare  the  other 
officinal  syrups.  Obtain  a  menstruum  by  following  the  directions  laid 
down  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and  lastly,  instead  of  "  dissolving  the  sugar 
by  means  of  a  gentle  heat,"  introduce  it  into  a  suitable  percolator  and 
pour  the  liquid  upon  it,  merely  observing  the  directions  for  preparing 
simple  syrup. 
Of  all  the  officinal  syrups,  the  compound  syrup  of  squill,  on  account 
of  its  liability  to  fermentation,  is  probably  the  most  troublesome.  Let 
the  seneka  and  squill  be  exhausted  and  a  menstruum  prepared  after 
the  manner  laid  down  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  ;  in  this  carefully  prepared 
liquid  let  the  sugar  be  dissolved  by  percolation  ;  afterwards  dissolve  the 
tartrate  of  antimony  and  potassium  in  a  small  quantity  of  boiling 
distilled  water,  and  add  to  the  syrup.  The  result  is  a  clear,  thick, 
light-brown  syrup,  which  I  have  never  known  to  spoil.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  months  there  will  occur  a  flocculent  deposit  which  may  be 
removed  by  straining. 
To  improve  the  appearance  of  syrup  of  rhubarb  I  add  to  the  fluid 
extract  twenty  grains  of  carbonate  of  potassium,  dissolved  in  a  small 
quantity  of  distilled  water,  and  afterwards  sufficient  simple  syrup  to 
make  up  the  measure  of  one  pint.  The  potassa  dissolves  the  resinous 
matter  in  the  fluid  extract  of  rhubarb,  and  the  result  is  a  clear  and 
highly-colored  syrup. 
The  officinal  process  for  syrup  of  orange-peel,  I  consider,  gives  us  quite 
an  inferior  preparation.  Heat  is  applied  (and  not  always  carefully)  to 
evaporate  the  tincture  and  finally  to  dissolve  the  sugar,  and  the  result 
generally  is  to  destroy  the  delicate  flavor  which  we  prize,  and  which 
makes  it  so  popular  as  an  excipient.   I  find  the  following  process  gives 
