348  Glycerole  of  Assdfcetida.  {^AuTi^" 
water.  To  these  solutions  were  now  added  different  acids,  and  the 
following  results  obtained  :  Mineral  acids  gave  in  both  solutions  im- 
mediately a  precipitate.  By  the  addition  of  organic  acids,  such  as 
acetic,  lactic  and  citric,  both  solutions  kept  clear,  but  after  a  lapse  of 
several  hours  the  pure  water  solutions  became  milky,  and  by  longer 
standing  deposited  a  white  precipitate,  while  in  the  solutions  contain- 
ing glycerin,  an  opalescence  did  not  show  itself  before  24  hours. 
Judging  that  a  small  quantity  of  organic  acid,  sufficient  to  dissolve 
the  pepsin,  would  not  give  even  an  opalescence  in  a  solution  of  am- 
monio-citrate  of  bismuth  containing  glycerin,  I  thought  that  a  gly- 
cerole could  be  made  containing  pepsin  as  well  as  bismuth,  etc.  ;  but 
by  mixing  the  pepsin  solution  with  the  solution  of  the  bismuth  salt, 
the  pepsin  was  precipitated  in  the  same  characteristic  form  as  it  is; 
precipitated  from  its  solutions  by  chloride  of  sodium. 
Having  at  first  intended  to  make  the  glycerole  contain  in  the  pint 
128  grains  ammonio-citrate  of  bismuth,  256  grains  of  saccharated 
pepsin  (respectively  1  and  2  grains  to  the  fluid-drachm),  1  fluid-drachm 
of  lactic  acid,  8  fluid-ounces  glycerin,  and  8  ounces  of  water,  I  thought 
that  by  making  it  only  half  as  strong  in  bismuth  and  pepsin  it  might 
answer,  but  the  pepsin  was  in  this  instance  also  precipitated.  The 
ingredients  were  put  together  in  four  different  ways,  but  in  all  with 
the  same  result. 
This  negative  result  proves  clearly  that  the  pepsin  is  precipitated 
from  its  solution  by  the  bismuth  salt,  and  as  I  have  proven  in  my 
essay  (Feb.,  1872),  that  a  watery  solution  of  pepsin  is  precipitated 
by  chloride  of  sodium  in  the  same  way  as  an  acidulated  one,  we  must 
infer'that  the  bismuth  salt  acts  the  same,  and  that  therefore  the  elixir 
of  pepsin  and  bismuth,  as  it  was  made,  cannot  contain  any  pepsin. 
Abstracting,  therefore,  from  the  alcohol,  and  not  speaking  of  the 
neutral  or  alkaline  solution,  the  elixir  of  pepsin  and  bismuth  is  an  in- 
congruity, and  when  patients  have  derived  any  benefit  from  it,  it  was 
from  the  bismuth  it  contains  and  the  stimulating  effect  of  the  spirits, 
but  surely  not  from  the  pepsin,  as  it  does  not  contain  any  pepsin. 
Louisville,  Ky.,  July  1st,  1872. 
GLYCEROLE  OF  ASSAF(ETIDA. 
By  Alonzo  Robbins. 
B.       Assafcetida,       .       .       .       .       .  gij. 
Glycerin,  q.  s.,  ft.,  f .  Jviii. 
Select  the  best  assafcetida  and  cut  it  quite  fine ;  put  it  into  an 
