346  The  Use  of  Glycerin  in  Fluid  Extracts.  { Amj^,rif7^ 
I  found  the  latter  to  better  possess  the  properties  of  a  suspending 
medium  than  any  other,  the  mixture  with  it  retaining  its  homogeneous- 
ness  almost  indefinitely,  besides  it  has  the  advantage  of  having  some 
similar  properties  to  the  turpentine,  and  would  be  a  valuable  adjunct  as 
well  as  a  useful  addition  in  many  cases.  The  smallest  proportion  that  I 
have  found  to  answer  is  10  grains  of  soap,  I  ounce  of  oil,  to  any  quan- 
tity of  water  ;  the  soap  is  to  be  put  into  a  round  bottomed  mortar,  the 
oil  added  by  degrees  with  continual  trituration  ;  when  well  mixed  transfer 
to  a  bottle,  add  half  an  ounce  of  water,  shake  vigorously,  add  a  little 
more  water,  shake  again,  and  the  emulsion  is  made,  is  very  white,  and 
will  not  separate  on  the  addition  of  a  gallon  or  more  of  water.  The 
soap  should  be  perfectly  dry  and  in  very  fine  powder,  otherwise  it  will 
not  do  as  well  ;  it  is  obvious  that  any  other  volatile  oil  can  be  treated  in 
the  same  manner,  and  will  afford  equally  good  results. 
Ne-xv  Orleans  y  June  ioth,  1877. 
THE  USE  OF  GLYCERIN  IN  FLUID  EXTRACTS. 
By  John  Wesley  Lehman,  Ph.G. 
[From  an  Inaugural  Essay.) 
A  number  of  experiments  were  made  with  officinal  and  unofficinal 
fluid  extracts,  with  the  view  of  determining  the  preservative  qualities 
of  glycerin  in  this  class  of  preparations.     The  results  obtained  may  be 
tabulated  as  follows  : 
Stramonium, 
Valeriana, 
Zingiber, 
Remarks. 
Dark  reddish-brown,  after  2  weeks  mud- 
dy; filtered,  became  again  turbid. 
Of  lighter  color;  remained  clear. 
Gelatinized  in  4  weeks. 
Alcohol  2  p.,  water  &  glycerin  each  1  p.,    Did  not  gelatinize  ;  slight  precipitate. 
Alcohol  3  p.,  glyceric  1  p.,  Dense  precipitate  in  5  days. 
Officinal,  Dark  and  clear ;  slight  precipitate  in  two 
weeks. 
Dil.  alcohol  3  p.,  glycerin  1  p.,  "  " 
Officinal,  "  " 
"  Brown-red ;  clear. 
Officinal,  Soon  turbid,  and  considerable  precipitate. 
Water  8  fl.  oz..  afterwards  glycerin  and  Slight  precipitate  after  4  weeks, 
dilute  alcohol  equal  p., 
Fluid  Extract  of  Menstruum. 
Aconite  root,  Alcohol  3  p.,  glycerin  1  p  , 
"       "  Alcohol, 
Asclepias  tuberosa,    Dil.  alcohol  3  p.,  glycerin 
Buchu, 
Conium  (leaves  ?), 
Digitalis, 
Ergot, 
Grindelia  robusta, 
Hyoscyamus, 
Krameria, 
Primus  Virginiana, 
Officinal, 
Alcohol  3  p.,  glycerin  1  p., 
Alcohol  8  p.,  glycerin  1  p., 
Officinal, 
Alcohol,  with  small  prop,  of  glycerin, 
Dark  and  clear;  slight  prec.  on  standing, 
Remains  clear. 
Very   muddy   in   two   weeks ;  filtered, 
muddy  again  in  one  week. 
Slight  precpitate  in  two  weeks  ;  filtered, 
very  slight  change  afterwards. 
Remains  clear. 
Precipitated  some  in  5  days. 
The  author  concludes  that  the  use  of  glycerin  in  fluid  extracts. of 
astringent  drugs  adds  much  to  the  beauty  and  stability  of  the  prepara- 
