512 
SPIRIT  OF  LAVENDER  COMPOUND. 
with  but  very  little,  if  any,  of  its  peculiar  irritant  taste.  It  was 
not  precipitated  by  sub-acetate  of  lead,  but  readily  gave  evidence 
of  sugar.  The  result,  though  too  hastily  obtained  to  be  relied 
upon,  seems  to  indicate  that  polygalic  acid  does  not  readily  pass 
parchment  paper.  W.  P.,  Jr. 
SPIRIT  OF  LAVENDER  COMPOUND. 
By  William  B.  Thompson. 
I  have  been  in  the  habit  of  preparing  the  Compound  Spirit  of 
Lavender  by  a  process  somewhat  different  from  that  of  the 
U.  S.  Pharmacopoeia.  My  formula  obviates  the  process  of  per- 
colation, and  affords  a  more  elegant,  and  at  the  same  time  an 
equally  efficient  preparation,  without  material  modification  of  the 
officinal  formula.  If  the  employment  of  cinnamon  and  cloves  in 
substance  was  with  a  view  to  securing  astringency,  then  my  pro- 
cess may  be  at  fault ;  but  I  have  always  regarded  the  prepara- 
tion as  simply  carminative,  and  knew  that  the  respective  oils 
would  supply  this  property  equally  well,  at  least,  if  not  better. 
I  avoid  also  the  use  of  red  saunders,  which  every  one  knows  is 
prone  to  deposit,  and  is  certainly  a  nuisance  as  a  coloring  agent 
in  any  pharmaceutical  preparation  designed  to  be  finished.  I 
append  the  formula,  which  yields  a  transparent,  richly-colored 
tincture : — 
Take  of  Alcohol  6  pints. 
Oil  of  Lavend.  Flos.,  f^i. 
Oil  of  Rosemary,  f^ii. 
Oil  of  Cinnamon,  f^ss. 
Oil  of  Cloves,  10  drops. 
Water,  2  pints. 
Cochineal,  giiss. 
Dissolve  the  oils  in  the  alcohol,  and  to  the  solution  add  the  wa- 
ter, in  small  portions,  mixing  thoroughly;  finally  add  the  cochi- 
neal, and  after  twenty-four  or  forty-eight  hours,  filter. 
Philadelphia,  October  7,  1867. 
Note. — We  print  the  communication  of  Mr.  Thompson,  but 
must  accompany  it  with  a  few  words  of  comment.  The  fact  that 
compound  spirit  of  lavender  is  used  as  an  ingredient  in  Liquor 
