Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  ) 
July  1.  1874.  J 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
307 
In  testing  for  morphia,  the  solution  must  be  neutral  or  alkaline ; 
excess  of  chlorine  must  be  avoided,  and  no  substance  should  be  pre- 
sent which  will  give  a  red  color  with  alkalies. 
New  York,  June,  1874.  / 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
By  G.  J.  Luhn. 
On  pages  150  and  154  of  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  there 
appear  two  errors,  one  in  the  formula  given  for  syrup  of  croton  chloral 
hydrate,  and  the  other,  in  the  formula  for  tincture  of  phosphorus, 
which  it  would  be  well  to  correct. 
In  order  to  give  two  grains  of  croton  chloral  hydrate  in  each  flui- 
drachm,  the  formula  published  ought  to  read  as  follows  : 
Croton  chloral  hydrate,  96  grains  (instead  of  64  grs.). 
Pure  glycerin,  .  .  \  fluid  ounce. 
Hot  distilled  water,  .       .    1J  fluid  ounce. 
Simple  syrup,       .  .         4  fluid  ounces. 
The  formula,  as  it  stands,  with  64  grains  of  croton  chloral  hydrate  to 
the  six  ounce  mixture,  would  make  each  fluidrachm  contain  only  one 
and  a  third  grains.  It  seems  strange  that,  in  every  republication  of 
this  article,  and  I  have  three  now  in  my  possession,  this  error  should 
not  have  been  noticed  before.* 
I  find  the  following  preparation,  containing  two  grains  of  croton 
chloral  hydrate  to  each  fluidrachm,  can  be  easily  made  in  a  very  short 
time,  and  I  think  will  keep  well.  It  is  so  readily  made,  however, 
that  there  is  no  neccessity  for  keeping  it  on  hand : 
Croton  chloral  hydrate,        .        .        24  grains. 
Tincture  orange-peel,       ...      1  fluidrachm. 
Glycerin,     \  each,  2  fluidrachms. 
Water,  j 
Simple  syrup,         ....      7  a 
*  Both  formulas  referred  to  above  give  the  quantities  in  the  weight  (not  in 
measure)  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia ;  converted  into  the  equivalent  meas- 
ure, the  formula  for  syrup  of  croton  chloral  hydrate  will  be  found  to  yield 
4  fluid  ounces,  7  fluidrachms,  10  minims  ;  and  the  formula  for  tincture  of  phos- 
phorus 18  fluidrachms,  42  minims,  if  evaporation  is  totally  prevented.— Ed. 
Am.  Journ.  Pharm. 
