512  American  Pharmaceutical  Association.  {^"^'olT'-mb^^' 
arsenites,  salicylates  and  monobromated  camphor  ;  and  tincture  of  annatto 
which  gives  an  amber  tint,  is  regarded  as  suitable  for  the  various  combi- 
nations of  lithium,  bismusth,  pepsin  and  strychnine,  while  elixirs  contain- 
ing cinchona  alkaloids  are  preferably  colored  with  caramel. 
Elixir  of  Calhaya  with  Iron  Salts,  by  E.  Booking,  Wheeling.  A  mixture 
of  elixir  of  calisaya  with  citrate  of  iron  and  quinine  is  not  uiifrequently 
prescribed  and  as  dispensed  by  different  pharmacists  varies  in  color  and 
appearance.  The  author  tinds  this  to  be  due  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
elixir  is  prepared,  some  using  alkaloids  for  this  purpose,  others  calisaya 
bark,  red  bark,  or  inferior  grades  of  cinchona,  the  absence  or  presence  of 
tannin,  and  in  the  latter  case  the  varying  proportions  of  cinchotannic  acid, 
causing  the  difference  in  color  after  the  addition  of  iron  salts.  The  adoption 
•of  a  formula  by  the  U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia,  of  elixir  of  calisaya  is  recom- 
mended. 
Quinine  in  Elixirs,  by  Jos.  Fell,  Cleveland.  By  the  use  of  quinine 
hydrochlorate  in  the  place  of  quinine  sulphate,  most  of  the  difficulties  are 
avoided  which  are  usually  experienced  in  the  preparation  of  compound 
elixirs  of  quinine,  such  as  the  elixir  of  quinine,  strychnine  and  phosphate 
of  iron.  A  solution  of  this  salt,  sufficient  for  one  pint  of  the  elixir  named 
may  be  prepared  by  dissolving  140  grains  of  quinine  sulphate  in  four  fluid- 
ounces  of  hot  alcohol,  adding  a  solution  of  18  or  20  grains  of  sodium  chlo- 
ride in  one  drachm  of  water,  and  decanting  or  filtering  from  the  precipi- 
tated sodium  suli)hate. 
Preservation  of  Mucilage  of  Acacia,  by  Tlios.  W.  Watkins,  Olyphant. 
Comparative  exi)eriments  made  with  tolu  balsam,  oil  of  eucalyptus  and  oil 
of  gaultheria  show  that  the  latter  has  the  greatest  preservative  properties. 
The  proportions  used  w^ere  oil  of  gaultheria,  15  minims ;  calcium  phosphate 
sufficient,  water  eight  ounces,  acacia  four  ounces.  Other  articles,  like 
syrup  of  acacia,  simple  syrup  and  lard  may  possibly  be  preserved  by  the 
addition  of  the  same  oil. 
Inffcted  Solutions,  by  Dr.  R.  G.  Eccles,  Brooklyn.  The  cryptogamous 
growth  observed  in  many  solutions  after  having  been  kept  for  some  time  is 
discussed  in  a  lengthy  paper.  Regarding  the  effect  of  these  plants  upon 
health,  it  is  contended  that  wiiile  they  may  not  be  the  cause  of  disease,  their 
irritating  presence  may  aggravate  the  suffering.  They  may  be  removed  by 
Pasteur's  filter  of  unglazed  porcelain,  but  not  by  other  kinds  of  filters.  The 
question  as  to  whether  these  plants  are  algge  or  fungi  has  not  been  com- 
pletely settled ;  their  structure  and  final  development  are  in  favor  of  the 
former  view.  They  do  not  appear  to  be  ferments;  but  in  some  solutions 
putrefactive  bacteria  are  developed.  Diluted  phosphoric  acid,  thus  infected, 
after  forty  days,  had  not  decreased  in  specific  gravity  or  in  neutralizing 
power.  These  plants  evidently  live  upon  the  carbonic  acid  and  ammonia, 
derived  from  the  air  or  dissolved  in  the  liquid,  and  their  filamentous 
sheaths  are  composed  of  cellulose.  The  plants  are  killed  by  a  boiling 
temperature,  and  of  the  antiseptics  tried,  mercuric  chloride  was  found  to 
be  the  best,  and  about  forty  times  stronger  in  its  action  than  salicylic  or 
benzoic  acid,  each  of  which  acted  as  a  preservative  in  dilutions  of  1  :  2,000, 
or  2,500  or  3,000.  The  paper  was  accompanied  by  a  number  of  microscopic 
drawings. 
