308 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
[Am.  Jocr.  Phahm  .. 
\    July  1, 1874. 
The  ingredients  ought  to  be  added  in  the  order  in  which  they 
are  written,  and  the  result  will  be  a  clear  brownish  solution.  You 
will  note  that  the  tincture  of  orange-peel  and  simple  syrup  are  in  the 
proportion  of  the  formerly  officinal  syrup  of  orange-peel. 
The  error  in  the  tincture  of  phosphorus  is  also  in  the  quantity 
contained  in  each  fluidrachm.  The  proportion  of  phosphorus,  accord- 
ing to  the  formula  given,  is  only  one-twentieth  of  a  grain  to  each  flui- 
drachm and  not  one-twelfth  of  a  grain  as  stated.  There  being  twenty  r 
or  nearly  twenty,  drachms  of  fluid  substance,  used  in  the  manipulation 
of  one  grain  of  phosphorus. 
In  connection  with  this  subject  I  desire  to  offer  a  formula  which  I 
have  used  for  some  time,  and  which  I  have  styled  (under  the  present; 
elixir  epidemic)  elixir  of  phosphorus.  It  has  been  satisfactorily  pre- 
scribed by  a  number  of  physicians  in  this  city : 
]^       Phosphorus,        .        .        .        .        gr.  i. 
iEther  sulph.  cone,        .        .        .  f^iiss. 
Alcohol,     .....  fsi. 
Tr.  menth.  pip.,      ....  f^ss. 
Bower's  glycerin,        .    q.  s.  to  make  fsiii. 
The  phosphorus  completely  dissolves  in  the  ether  in  about  twenty- 
four  hours,  care  being  taken  to  introduce  no  water  into  the  ether 
with  the  phosphorus.  After  the  solution  of  the  phosphorus  is  effected, 
the  alcohol  may  be  added,  but  the  glycerin  should  be  added  in  small 
portions,  and  the  mixture  shaken  after  each  addition  and  allowed  to 
stand  until  it  becomes  clear  before  another  portion  of  the  glycerin  is 
introduced. 
A  great  deal  of  care  has  to  be  exercised  in  the  addition  of  the 
glycerin  ;  if  too  much  be  added  at  a  time  it  will  disengage  a  quantity 
of  phosphorus,  which  will  fall  to  the  bottom.  The  essence  of  pep- 
permint may  either  be  added  with  the  alcohol,  or  as  the  last  ingre- 
dient, the  latter  is  preferable,  especially  if  the  preparation  is  not 
made  with  95  per  cent,  alcohol.  Some  apothecaries,  I  believe,  use 
80  per  cent,  alcohol  in  making  it. 
This  preparation  contains  one-twenty-fourth  grain  of  phosphorus 
to  each  fluidrachm,  or  teaspoonful.  It  is  quite  burning  to  the  taste, 
but  can  easily  be  administered  in  a  little  simple  syrup,  when  it  will 
not  be  at  all  unpleasant  to  take.  It  has  quite  a  milky  appearance 
when  mixed  with  syrup,  but  I  do  not  think  the  phosphorus  is  precip- 
itated, at  least  not  rapidly  enough  to  prevent  its  being  taken. 
