PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
107 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
By  Albert  E.  Ebert. 
Bi- Bromide  of  Mercury. — Having  lately  had  some  demand 
for  bi-bromide  of  mercury,  and  not  being  able  to  obtain  the  salt 
in  market,  it  became  necessary  to  prepare  it.    After  many  trials 
with  different  formulas  which  were  at  command  I  devised  the 
following  process,  which  recommends  itself  for  simplicity  and 
cheapness,  and  which  enables  the  dispensing  pharmacist  to  make 
it  expeditiously,  should  occasion  require  it. 
Take  of  Bromide  of  Potassium  240  grains. 
Solution  of  Nitrate  of  Mercury  (XL  S.  P.)  510  grains, 
or  5ss. 
Distilled  Water  a  sufficient  quantity. 
'  Dissolve  the  bromide  of  potassium  in  two  fluidounces  of  water, 
and  add,  with  stirring,  the  solution  of  nitrate  of  mercury.  Set 
it  by  for  a  few  minutes,  so  that  the  precipitate  may  subside. 
Pour  off  the  supernatant  liquid,  and  wash  the  precipitate  with 
water  until  the  presence  of  nitrate  of  potassa  in  the  washings  is 
no  longer  indicated  by  appropriate  tests.  (This  is  best  deter- 
mined by  boiling  a  portion  of  the  washings,  previously  treated 
with  a  few  drops  of  pure  sulphuric  acid,  and  rendered  slightly 
blue  with  sulphate  of  indigo.  If  the  color  remains,  no  nitric  acid 
is  present.)  Transfer  the  still  moist  precipitate  to  a  glass  flask, 
add  twelve  fluidounces  of  distilled  water,  and  heat  to  the  boiling 
point,  or  until  the  precipitate  is  dissolved.  Now  pour  the  solu- 
tion, while  "Still  hot,  on  a  paper  filter,  and  set  the  filtrate  aside 
to  crystallize.  Lastly,  drain  the  crystals,  and  dry  them  on 
bibulous  paper.  It  is  sparingly  soluble  in  cold  water,  requiring 
240  to  250  parts  for  solution  (Storer's  Diet.) ;  while  at  the  boil- 
ing point  it  is  dissolved  by  25  parts  of  water.  It  is  quite  soluble 
in  glycerin  and  oil  of  turpentine,  and  very  soluble  in  alcohol 
and  ether.  The  dose  is  similar  to  that  of  corrosive  chloride  of 
mercury,  from  -j\  to  J  of  a  grain. 
Wheat  Phosphates. — A  dietetic  preparation  under  this  name 
was  brought  to  the  notice  of  the  medical  profession  by  Dr.  Til- 
burn  Fox  (Med.  Times  and  Graz.,  March,  1866).  In  the  paper 
alluded  to  the  author  says  :  "  The  various  forms  of  infants'  food 
