ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OF  UVA  URSI. 
mi 
Take  of  Pure  Crystallized  Protosulphate  of 
Iron,  5j  oz.  troy. 
"      Muriatic  Acid,  a  sufficient  quantity; 
"  Alcohol,  commercial,  95  p.  c,  half  a  pint. 
Convert  the  protosulphate  of  iron  into  sesquioxide,  in  the  manner 
directed  in  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia  ;  having  carefully  washed 
it,  allow  it  to  settle  for  at  least  24  hours,  then  draw  off  with  a 
syphon  as  much  of  the  water  as  possible,  place  the  oxide  in  a 
glass  or  porcelain  dish,  and  gradually  add  muriatic  acid  until 
the  whole  of  the  oxide  is  dissolved.  The  solution  at  this  stage 
has  a  ruby  red  color.  Next  apply  heat  to  the  dish  and  continue 
the  addition  of  acid  until  the  liquid  assumes  a  reddish  brown  color, 
care  being  taken  not  to  add  an  excess,  then  evaporate  the  solu- 
tion to  eight  fluid  ounces,  pour  in  the  alcohol  and  filter.  This 
tincture  is  weaker  in  alcohol^than  that  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  and 
yields  upon  precipitation  with  ammonia,  45  grains  of  dry  ses- 
quioxide to  the  fluid  ounce. 
Baltimore,  May,  1857. 
ON  FLUID  EXTRACT  OP  UYA  URSI. 
By  John  M.  Maisch. 
A  physician  desired  a  liquid  preparation  of  uva  ursi  which 
should  contain  all  the  active  principles  of  those  leaves  in  a  con- 
centrated form.  No  formula  for  a  fluid  extract  of  uva  ursi  having 
as  yet  been  published,  I  attempted  to  devise  one,  and  offer  the 
following  process,  together  with  the  reasons  that  led  to  its 
adoption. 
The  leaves  of  uva  ursi  owe  their  astringency  to  tannic  and 
gallic  acids ;  their  diuretic  properties  are  principally  ascribed  to 
the  ursin  of  J.  C.  C.  Hughes,  and  may  partly  be  due  to  the  salts 
they  contain,  which,  according  to  Meissner,  consist  chiefly  of 
malates  and  citrates  ;  and  their  bitterness  rests  in  an  extractive- 
matter  from  which  Kawalier  separated  his  arhutin.  All  these 
substances  are  soluble  in  water  and  alcohol,  and  are  to  be  ob- 
tained in  a  solution  which  shall  represent  the  medicinal  virtues 
of  the  leaves.  The  crystallized  substance,  discovered  by  H. 
Trommsdorff,  (Archiv  d.  Pharm.,  lxxx.  278,)  to  which  he  has 
