NOTE  ON  CHEAP  GLYCERIN. 
809 
a  panacea  for  all  diseases,  internally  and  externally.  Then  the 
Elixirium  sacrum,  now  Tinctura  rhei  et  aloes  ;  the  Hiera  Picra ; 
the  Elixirium  Paregoricum  of  Am.  Disp.,  1820 ;  the  Linimentum 
saponis  camphoratum,  according  to  Gray's  Supplement  of  Lon- 
don Pharmacop.;  the  Laudanum,  of  London  Pharm.,  IT 20  ; 
Sydenham  s  Tincture  of  Opium,  genuine  formula ;  the  Vinum 
Phei,  according  to  Gray's  Suppl.;  the  Tinctura  Rhei,  of  London 
Pharm.,  1788.  All  these  preparations  originally  contained  saf- 
fron, which  in  course  of  time  was  left  out,  as  the  formulae  were 
changed  more  and  more.  Others  retained  the  saffron,  as  our 
Tinctura  Aloes  et  Myrrha>,  or  the  old  Elixirium  proprietatis  Pa- 
ra, col  si  ;  Pilulce  Aloes  et  Myrrhce,  or  Rufus'  Pills ;  Tinctura  cin- 
chonas co.,  or  Huxham's  Elixir ;  Acetum  Opii,  or  Quakers'  Black 
Drops.  But  even  with  these  it  is  only  a  matter  of  time.  Such 
therapeutists  as  Alexander,  Orfila  and  Murray  have  proved  by 
experiments  that  Crocus  has  but  little  activity,  and  the  U.  S. 
Dispensatory  itself  does  not  consider  it  a  medicinal  agent  in  its 
preparations.  To-day  it  is  but  a  mistaken  reverence  for  ancient 
formulae,  a  fear  of  lifting  the  veil  of  mysticism.  I  do  not  mean 
to  say  that  we  shall  not  respect  the  Pharmacopoeia,  or  that  we 
shall  do  as  we  please,  or  as  we  individually  think  more  proper ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  Pharmacopoeia  shall  and  must  be  our  rule, 
our  guide  in  pharmaceutical  business,  and  we  must  adhere  to  it 
in  our  preparations  until  a  change  is  made.  And  here  allow  me 
to  testify  my  high  appreciation  of  the  principles  inculcated  in 
the  excellent  essay  of  Mr.  Mill,  our  Secretary,  published  in  the 
Proceed.  Am.  Ph.  Ass.  1865,  in  which  he  recommends  the  ut- 
most fidelity  to  our  national  Pharmacopoeia.  It  is  an  essay  fall 
of  ideas  which  every  young  pharmacist  in  particular  should  ob- 
serve and  study,  But,  on  the  other  hand,  the  right  of  criticism, 
this  solemn  right  must  not  be  denied  to  us,  especially  in  regard 
to  the  Pharmacopoeia.  Each  member  should  feel  himself  obliged 
to  speak  frankly  about  everything  concerning  the  pharmaceuti- 
cal business.    Bisputando  discitur. 
NOTE  ON  CHEAP  GLYCERIN. 
By  J.  M.  Maisch. 
After  my  paper  "on  tests  for  the  purity  of  glycerin  "  had 
appeared  in  the  March  number,  several  friends  called  my  atten- 
