Am.  Jour.  PhMtm.  i 
February.  1900.  J 
Syrupus  Pruni  Virginians. 
71 
SYRUPUS  PRUNI  VIRGINIANS. 
By  F.  W.  Haussmann. 
The  original  researches  upon  syrup  of  wild  cherry  were  con- 
ducted with  the  view  of  determining  the  proper  amount  of  glycerin 
to  be  added  to  insure  stability. 
The  quantity  directed  by  the  Pharmacopoeia,  1 5  per  cent,  by  vol- 
ume, appears  to  be  excessive,  and  in  the  course  of  the  various  deter- 
minations it  was  found  that  syrups  containing  10  or  even  5  per 
cent,  of  glycerin,  with  a  corresponding  increase  of  sugar,  possess 
equal  stability  compared  to  the  official  preparation. 
Entire  omission  of  glycerin  is  not  to  be  recommended,  however, 
as  it  undoubtedly  prevents  precipitation  in  both  syrup  and  infusion 
to  a  marked  degree. 
Syrup  of  wild  cherry,  with  glycerin  additions  ranging  from  3  to 
15  per  cent,  by  volume,  will,  however,  invariably  show  a  flocculent 
deposit  on  standing,  but  the  volume  of  the  precipitate  is  consider- 
ably increased  in  specimens  to  which  no  glycerin  has  been  added. 
The  preserving  action  of  the  latter  is  shown  to  advantage  in  wild 
cherry  infusions,  as  simple  aqueous  percolates  deteriorate  more 
rapidly. 
Judging  from  the  results  of  a  number  of  trials,  the  writer  is  con- 
vinced of  the  necessity  of  the  presence  of  glycerin  in  the  syrup. 
The  proper  time  at  which  it  is  to  be  added  received  some  atten- 
tion. 
The  conclusion  to  make  glycerin  a  part  of  the  percolating 
menstruum  was  arrived  at  after  a  number  of  trials. 
This  is  especially  necessary  in  summer,  as  a  slowly  percolating 
infusion,  even  if  allowed  to  drop  upon  glycerin,  will  rapidly  turn 
cloudy. 
The  observation  was  repeatedly  made  in  percolates  from  identical 
specimens  of  bark  that  with  the  increase  of  glycerin  the  infusion 
was  correspondingly  darker. 
If  the  present  official  process  is  to  be  retained,  the  writer  would 
recommend  the  reduction  of  the  amount  of  glycerin  to  one-half, 
75  c.c.  to  1,000  c.c.  of  finished  syrup,  to  make  the  same  a  part  of 
the  menstruum  and  to  increase  the  amount  of  sugar  from  700  to 
750  grammes. 
