Am'octuri884 arm' }     Precipitate  from  Tincture  of  Sanguinaria.  505 
of  the  writer,  a  formula  differing  as  slightly  from  the  one  already  in 
use  as  is  possible  is  to  be  preferred,  and  it  is  the  object  of  this  essay  to 
furnish  one  which  will  produce  a  preparation  free  from  precipitate  and 
yet  differ  so  slightly  in  taste  and  odor  from  the  officinal  one  as  to  suit 
the  most  fastidious.  This  is  accomplished  by  the  addition  of  one 
ounce  (15  parts)  of  glycerin  to  each  pint  (200  parts)  of  the  infusion. 
According  to  this  formula  a  preparation  was  made  which  showed  no 
indication  of  any  precipitation  after  a  period  of  three  weeks.  The 
change  of  taste  produced  by  the  presence  of  the  glycerin  is  slight  and 
of  such  a  nature  as  to  render  the  preparation  more  agreeable  than  here- 
tofore, and  no  exceptions  to  the  use  of  it  could  justly  be  taken  on  these 
grounds,  nor  could  any  objectionable  therapeutic  effect  possibly  arise 
from  its  presence. 
In  the  course  of  experiment  an  infusion  was  made  to  which  a  small 
quantity  of  solution  of  potash  was  added  with  a  view  of  preventing 
precipitation.  As  far  as  this  object  was  concerned  it  was  quite  success- 
ful, but  objections  to  its  use  arise  from  the  fact  that  a  deep  red  color 
and  a  decided  saponaceous  taste  are  imparted  to  the  liquid,  effects 
which  are  objectionable. 
THE  PRECIPITATE  FROM  THE  TINCTURE  OF  SAN- 
GUINARIA. 
By  William  John  McConn,  Ph.G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
Having  observed  that  in  quite  a  short  time,  precipitation  takes  place 
in  the  Tincture  of  Sanguinaria,  and  unable  to  find  from  the  various 
works  I  have  consulted  that  the  nature  of  this  precipitate  has  been 
determined  ;l  I  have  undertaken  its  investigation,  with  a  view  of 
suggesting  some  means  of  preventing  it.  It  is  deposited  on  the  sides 
and  bottom  of  the  shop  tincture  bottle,  and  is  not  perceptibly  removed 
by  the  most  violent  agitation.  It  is  of  granular  appearance  and 
brownish-black  color ;  when  collected  and  dried  it  is  in  the  form  of  a 
smooth  powder  of  a  reddish-brown  color  leaving  a  yellowish-brown 
stain  on  the  skin,  without  perceptible  odor  and  of  slightly  acrid  taste ; 
when  seen  under  the  microscope,  it  has  the  appearance  of  being  massed 
with  a  rough  somewhat  granular  surface. 
1  Mr  F.  L.  Slocum  determined  the  presence  of  sanguinarine  in  this  pre- 
cipitate ;  see  Am.  Jour  Phar.,  1881,  p.  277. 
