Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ") 
Nov.,  1891.  ; 
BasJiavi  s  Mixture. 
533 
Summary. — Jamaica  ginger  yielded  5  per  cent,  of  oleoresin, 
which  can  be  extracted  with  alcohol,  ether  or  chloroform. 
East  India  ginger  yields  8  per  cent,  of  oleoresin,  which  can  also 
be  extracted  with  the  same  solvents.  The  oleoresin  obtained  rep- 
resents all  the  medicinal  virtues  of  the  drug,  and  consists  of  two 
portions,  a  thick,  viscid  liquid,  which  contains  all  the  pungency  in  a 
high  degree,  and  a  soft,  resinous  solid  free  from  pungency  and  odor. 
The  pungent  portion  is  soluble  in  benzin,  but  cannot  be  extracted 
from  the  drug  with  it. 
This  investigation  would  indicate  that  alcohol  could  be  used 
instead  of  ether  in  preparing  the  official  oleoresin. 
BASHAM'S  MIXTURE. 
By  F.  W.  Haussmann,  Ph.  G. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting  of  the  Phila.  College  of  Pharmacy,  October  20. 
Few  formulas  of  the  present  pharmacopoeia  have  experienced 
as  much  adverse  criticism  from  both  pharmaceutical  and  medical 
standpoints  as  the  Mistura  Ferri  et  Ammonii  Acetatis.  Every 
pharmacist,  in  following  out  the  officinal  method,  has  doubtlessly 
experienced  the  same  result,  namely,  instability  of  the  mixture  and 
gradual  precipitation  of  the  iron  as  oxyacetate.  When  freshly 
prepared,  the  mixture  presents  an  attractive  appearance,  but  on 
standing  several  days,  especially  in  warm  weather,  or  only  partly 
filled  bottles,  the  above  change  takes  place.  It  is  generally  noticed, 
when  bottles  which  contained  it  are  presented  for  renewal,  when 
the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  vial  are  stained  by  the  iron. 
While  recommending  recent  preparation  in  a  number  of  the 
officinal  mixtures,  the  pharmacopoeia  neglects  this  necessary  order 
in  this  instance,  a  rule  which  whenever  possible  should  be  observed. 
The  reason  for  this  decomposition  may  be  found  in  the  insuffi- 
cient amount  of  acetic  acid  ordered,  also  the  general  very  dilute 
condition  of  the  preparation.  While  perhaps  not  often  called  for 
in  some  localities,  in  others  it  is  continually  in  demand,  and  the 
pharmacist,  to  save  both  time  and  labor,  is  compelled  to  keep  a 
supply  on  hand.  It  is  in  such  instances  that  the  above  disadvantage 
is  mainly  felt. 
The  suggestion  has  been  made,  in  the  necessity  of  keeping  a 
"stock"  on  hand,  to  prepare  a  concentrated  mixture,  according  to 
the  pharmacopoeia,  with  the  omission  of  the  50  parts  of  water, 
