AMFebyiim2RM"}     Process  for  Preparing  Emulsions,  etc.  61 
in  acidulated  solution  dissolve  60  grs.  of  coagulated  albumen  in  four  to 
six  hours  would  correspond  to  half  an  ounce  of  human  gastric  juice. 
No  doubt  the  beneficial  effect  of  pepsin  has  its  limits.  Several  grains 
of  the  purified  pepsin,  of  which  one  grain  dissolves  500  grs.  of  albumen 
in  six  hours,  might  do  more  harm  in  the  human  stomach  than  good,  and 
might  even  do  positive  injury. 
But,  in  this  essay,  I  have  given  only  facts  based  on  chemical  ex- 
periments ;  to  make  use  of  these  facts  for  therapeutical  and  physi- 
ological purposes,  I  leave  to  physicians. 
Louisville,  Ky.,  January,  1872. 
IMPROVED     PROCESS    FOR     PREPARING     EMULSIONS  OF 
LIGHTER  VOLATILE  OILS,  ETC. 
By  J.  Winchell  Forbes.  * 
Of  all  the  processes  incident  to  extemporaneous  pharmacy  there  is, 
perhaps,  no  one  so  vexatious  and  tiresome  as  the  preparation  of  an 
emulsion,  especially  one  containing  chloroform,  ether,  or  one  of  the 
lighter  volatile  oils,  and  any  improvement  upon  the  usual  "  elbow 
grease"  method  will,  I  am  confident,  meet  with  a  hearty  welcome 
from  every  practical  apothecary. 
The  advent  of  a  recipe  for  a  turpentine  emulsion  at  the  very  last 
moment  of  a  hard  day's  work,  set  the  wits  of  the  writer  at  work  to 
devise  some  practical  method  of  avoiding  the  labor  and  expenditure 
of  time  incident  to  such  prescriptions,  and  the  following  process  is 
the  result : 
In  order  to  illustrate,  let  us  imagine  the  following  recipe  handed 
to  an  apothecary  for  preparation. 
*  ^.    01  Terebinth. 
Mucil.  Acaciae  aa  3j. 
M. 
ft.  Emulsio  S.A. 
"  Secundum  artem."    Very  good,  and  what  is  the  law  of  the  art  ? 
In  the  articles  upon  Mixtures  in  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory,  it  is  di- 
rected that  when  gum  acacia  is  specified  as  the  intermedium  of  an 
emulsion,  it  shall  be  brought  "previously  "  into  the  form  of  U.  S.  P. 
Mucilage. 
At  the  risk  of  being  considered  presumptuous,  I  take  the  liberty 
of  flatly  contradicting  this  direction — wilfully  disregarding  the  "  pre- 
viously "  and  proceeding  as  follows : 
