358  Preservatives  in  Syrup  of  Iron  Iodide.  {AbSj^5*  S£m' 
to  yield  preparations  of  indefinite  strength.  .  If  a  large  enough  flask 
is  not  at  hand,  vessels  which  are  deep  should  be  employed,  the  object 
being  to  avoid  too  rapid  evaporation  of  water,  as  the  proper  prepa- 
ration of  the  product  requires  several  hours. 
In  view  of  the  above  results  the  Committee  on  National  Formu- 
lary should  revise  the  wording  of  the  directions  for  the  preparation 
of  Vleminckx's  solution,  and  thus  insure  a  uniform  product.  Of 
course  if  thought  necessary  a  standard  could  be  fixed  for  the  prepa- 
ration and  a  method  of  assay  appended. 
I  would  take  this  opportunity  to  acknowledge  my  indebtedness 
to  my  assistant,  J.  H.  Wiener,  Ph.C,  for  assistance  rendered  in  the 
preparation  and  analyses  of  some  of  the  samples. 
A  NOTE  ON  THE  VALUE  OF  PRESERVATIVES  IN 
SYRUP  OF  IRON  IODIDE.1 
By  George  M.  Beringer. 
In  the  U.  S.  P.  8th  Revision,  diluted  hypophosphorous  acid  to 
the  extent  of  20  Cc.  to  1000  Gm.  has  been  added  to  this  syrup  as 
a  preservative.  Several  of  the  foreign  pharmacopoeias  have  used 
organic  acids  for  the  same  purpose,  the  Austrian  Pharmacopoeia 
directing  0.1  per  cent,  of  citric  acid,  the  Swiss  Pharmacopoeia  0.05 
per  cent,  of  citric  acid,  and  the  French  Pharmacopoeia  0.1  per  cent, 
tartaric  acid.  The  German  Pharmacopoeia,  the  British  Pharma- 
copoeia, the  Danish  Pharmacopoeia,  the  Swedish  Pharmacopoeia,  and 
the  Italian  Pharmacopoeia  do  not  direct  any  preservative,  dependence 
being  placed  upon  the  use  of  sufficient  sugar. 
In  order  to  test  out  the  relative  value  of  these  preservatives, 
six  samples  of  syrup  of  iron  iodide  were  prepared  on  October  15, 
1913.  In  all  of  these  the  official  process  and  manipulation  and 
percentage  of  iron  salt  and  sugar  were  carefully  followed.  These 
samples  were  preserved  in  my  laboratory  and  not  exposed  to  direct 
sunlight  for  several  months.  On  December  18th,  their  condition 
was  observed  and  noted.  Subsequently  these  samples  were  filed 
with  Chairman  Remington  and  preserved  in  his  laboratory  with 
the  other  pharmacopoeial  samples  until  a  few  days  ago,  when  I 
obtained  them  for  observation  of  the  further  changes  that  had 
1  Read  at  the  meeting  of  the  New  Jersey  Pharmaceutical  Association, 
Lake  Hopatcong,  June  17,  1914. 
