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PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTICES. 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTICES. 
By  the  Editor. 
From  time  to  time,  in  the  experience  of  a  regular  pharmaceu- 
tical establishment  furnished  to  meet  the  ordinary  demands  of 
the  medical  profession,  there  are  substances  or  preparations  called 
for  which  are  not  in  store,  and  have  either  to  be  procured  or 
made.  It  is  well  when  the  pharmaceutist  can  fabricate  them 
from  his  stock,  and  he  often  may,  by  practical  familiarity  with 
the  principles  involved  in  pharmaceutical  manufacturing.  For 
instance  a  fluid  extract  of  a  substance  is  prescribed,  of  which 
a  solid  extract  is  in  the  store.  By  knowing  the  relation  which 
this  extract  bears  to  the  substance  yielding  it,  the  apothecary 
may  convert  such  extract  into  fluid  extract  by  the  proper  men- 
struum and  preservative  agent.  We  give  below  formulse  for 
several  preparations,  which  have  been  recently  prescribed  in  this 
city. 
JExtr actum  Jalap  x  Fluidum. 
In  making  a  formula  for  this  preparation  it  is  necessary  to 
use  a  menstruum  that  will  dissolve  the  resin  upon  which  its  ac- 
tivity is  to  depend,  and  the  liquid  which  is  to  remain  in  the  pre- 
paration, should  possess  the  same  solvent  powers.  Moreover,  in 
reference  to  strength,  it  is  best  to  take  that  of  the  fluid  extract 
of  rhubarb  and  of  senna  as  the  type — ounce  to  the  fluid  ounce. 
Hence  it  must  be  at  least  partially  an  alcoholic  fluid  extract,  and 
not  a  saccharine  one,  as  in  the  case  of  rhubarb.  The  following 
is  the  formula  ;  viz  : — 
Take  of  Jalap,  of  good  quality,  sixteen  ounces  (Troy.) 
Sugar  eight  ounces. 
Carbonate  of  Potassa   half  an  ounce. 
Alcohol, 
Water,  of  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Reduce  the  Jalap  to  coarse  powder,  pour  on  it  one  pint  of  a 
mixture  of  two  parts  of  alcohol  and  one  water,  and  allow  it  to 
stand  twenty-four  hours.  Then  introduce  it  into  a  percolator 
and  pour  ordinary  diluted  alcohol  slowly  on  until  half  a  gallon 
of  liquid  has  passed.  Evaporate  this  in  a  water  bath,  or  still, 
till  reduced  to  one  half,  then  add  the  sugar  and  carbonate  of 
