424 
Sodio- Bismuth  Tartrate  and  Pepsin. 
km.  Jour.  Pharm^ 
Sept.,  1885. 
that  a  concentrated  and  decidedly  acidulous  but,  above  all,  permanent 
solution  of  bismuth  and  pepsin  can  be  produced. 
When  the  composition  of  the  normal  bismuth  tartrate  and  the  nor- 
mal sodio-bismuth  tartrate  have  been  determined,  and  either  of  these 
salts  can  be  readily  procured  in  the  open  market,  the  production  of 
bismuth  and  pepsin  solutions  will  be  greatly  facilitated  and  simplified. 
In  the  meantime  the  preliminary  preparation  of  the  bismuth  tartrate 
must  constitute  part  of  the  process. 
The  writer  believes  that  an  elixir  will  be  the  most  acceptable  form, 
and  that  it  should  possess  the  concentration  which  the  prevalent  doses 
of  the  compounds  of  the  market  indicate;  that  is,  one  teaspoonful  of 
the  elixir  should  contain  an  average  dose  of  each  ingredient. 
In  the  formula  which  the  writer  proposes,  orange  flower  water  is 
used,  as  this  is  more  durable  and  acceptable  than  the  aromatic  jumble 
that  is  generally  employed.  Glycerin  is  used  instead  of  sugar,  since 
it  is  presumed  to  aid  in  retaining  the  activity  of  the  pepsin.  Alcohol 
is  added  to  keep  the  proportion  of  glycerin  at  a  minimum.  The  pre- 
paration is  compounded  with  strychnine,  as  this  form  is  by  far  the  best 
known  and  most  popular.  The  preparation  is  adjusted  by  volume, 
and  each  teaspoonful  represents  about  eight  grains  of  saccharated 
pepsin,  the  equivalent  of  one  grain  of  bismuth  citrate,  and  about  one- 
sixty-foiirth  of  a  grain  of  strychnine.    The  formula  is  as  follows: 
Pepsin,  saccharated   100  grams. 
Bismuth  subnitrate   10'5  " 
Strychnine   '21  " 
Chlorhydric  acid,  dihited   12  5  f.  grams. 
Alcohol   50  " 
Glycerin   200  " 
Orange  flower  water   200  " 
Nitric  acid  
Tartaric  acid  
Sodium  bicarbonate  
Water   of  each  sufficient  to  make  800  fluidgrams. 
Mix  the  bismuth  subnitrate  with  40  fluidgrams  of  water,  and  grad^ 
ually  add  nitric  acid,  with  constant  stirring,  until  a  clear  solution  is 
obtained.  To  this  now  add  7'65  grams  of  tartaric  acid  and  80  fluid- 
grams  of  water.  The  solution  is  then  treated  with  sodium  bicarbonate 
until  about  three-fourths  of  the  nitric  acid  is  neutralized.  The  crys- 
talline magma  of  bismuth  tartrate  is  now  poured  upon  a  plain  filter 
and  washed  with  water  till  practically  free  from  nitric  acid.  Now 
