204 
Mel  Eosce. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     May  1, 1872. 
The  subject  became  interesting,  and  I  examined  it  with  a  view  to 
the  discovery  of  the  source  of  the  difficulty,  and,  if  practicable,  a 
means  whereby  to  improve  the  preparation. 
My  conclusions  were  these  : — 
First,  that  honey,  by  reason  of  its  tendency  to  deposit,  its  ever- 
varying  and  uncertain  composition,  was  most  likely  the  cause  of  the 
trouble.  Second,  that  the  process  for  the  extraction  and  preservation 
of  the  medicinal  virtues  of  the  rose,  affords  ample  room  for  improve- 
ment. 
To  obviate  the  inconvenience  arising  from  the  presence  of  honey,  I 
have  prepared  and  used  with  great  satisfaction  a  fluid  extract  of  rose, 
to  which  honey  is  added  in  proper  proportion,  at  the  time  when  wanted 
for  use.  I  desire  to  call  special  attention  to  this  extract,  for  reasons 
given  further  on. 
The  following  is  the  formula  which  is  the  most  satisfactory  of  seve- 
ral that  I  have  tried  : — 
Red  Rose,  No.  60,       ...  ^ij. 
Stronger  Alcohol,    ....  f^v. 
Glycerin  Cone,         ....  f^ivss. 
Diluted  Alcohol,     ....  q.  s. 
Moisten  the  powder  with  q.  s.  of  the  strong  alcohol,  pack  it  moder- 
ately in  a  small  glass  funnel,  and  gradually  pour  upon  it  the  remain- 
der of  the  stronger  alcohol. 
When  it  has  disappeared  from  the  surface,  gradually  pour  on  a 
mixture  consisting  of  five  and  a  half  fl.  oz.  of  diluted  alcohol  and  a 
half  fl.  oz.  of  glycerin,  and  when  it  has  passed  from  the  surface,  con- 
tinue with  diluted  alcohol  until  twelve  fl.  oz.  of  percolate  have  been 
obtained. 
To  the  first  four  fl.  oz.  add  a  half  fl.  oz.  of  glycerin,  and  set  aside 
to  evaporate  spontaneously  to  two  fl.  oz.  To  the  remainder  add  two 
fl.  oz.  of  glycerin,  and  evaporate  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  at  a  tem- 
perature not  exceeding  140°  Fah.,  to  such  an  extent  that,  when  add- 
ed to  the  reserved  portion  and  the  remainder  of  the  glycerin,  the 
whole  will  weigh  seven  troy  ounces. 
In  the  above  will  be  noticed  my  deviations  from  the  "officinal," 
which,  since  the  result  has  been  so  very  satisfactory,  I  consider  im- 
provements. 
Strong  alcohol  is  used  as  the  first  portion  of  the  menstruum  be- 
cause it  is  a  better  solvent  for  the  volatile  ingredient,  and  it  evapo- 
