Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
April,  1890.  J 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
171 
Purification  and  Preservation  of  Lard. — James  L.  Demoville, 
Ph.G.,  finds  the  alum  process  for  purifying  lard  all  that  can  be 
desired.  The  lard  is  melted,  a  little  powdered  alum  being  stirred 
in then  strained,  cooled,  and  upon  an  inclined  slab  rubbed  briskly 
with  a  muller,  while  a  stream  of  water  is  allowed  to  trickle  over  it. 
For  preserving  the  lard  experiments  were  made,  besides  with 
benzoin,  with  balm  of  Gilead  buds,  storax,  salicylic  acid,  turpentine 
and  tolu.  The  best  results  were  obtained  by  using  one  per  cent,  of 
balsam  of  tolu ;  the  lard  was  white,  kept  well  and  had  its  peculiar 
odor  well  masked  by  the  slight  but  pleasant  odor  of  the  balsam. 
Fluid  Extract  of  Wild  Cherry. — After  making  a  number  of  experi- 
ments with  this  fluid  extract,  Michael  J.  Rourke,  Ph.G.,  recommends 
the  following  process  as  yielding  an  elegant  preparation  :  Moisten 
wild  cherry  bark  in  No.  50  powder,  200  gm.,  with  a  mixture  of 
glycerin  20  gm.,  syrup  60  gm.  and  diluted  alcohol  40  gm.;  pack 
loosely  in  a  glass  percolator  and  set  aside  for  three  days.  Now, 
pack  very  tightly  and  pour  enough  diluted  alcohol  upon  the  mate- 
rial, to  thoroughly  saturate  the  powder  and  leave  a  stratum  above  ; 
again  macerate  for  three  days,  and  then  allow  percolation  to  proceed 
until  200  ccm.  of  liquid  have  been  obtained.  By  proceeding  as 
indicated  the  virtues  of  the  drug  are  exhausted,  and  the  percolate 
obtained  afterwards  merely  contains  a  little  coloring  matter  and  a 
very  small  quantity  of  bitter  principle. 
Fluid  Extract  of  Guarana. — In  the  experience  of  Rob.  P.  Black- 
burn,Ph.G.,  this  fluid  extract,  as  made  by  the  process  of  the  U.  S. 
Pharmacopoeia,  deposits  a  rather  large  precipitate  within  a  few 
months.  The  amount  of  precipitate  is  materially  decreased  by  using 
a  menstruum  composed  of  alcohol  and  water  in  the  proportion  of  4 
to  1  measure,  with  sufficient  glycerin  added  so  that  2  oz.  of  it  will 
be  contained  in  a  pint  of  the  fluid  extract. 
Quebracho  Preparations. — Leon  S.  Risley,  Ph.G.,  suggests  several 
galenical  preparations  of  quebracho  bark,  viz  : 
Extractum  Quebracho  fluidum. — Quebracho  bark  in  No.  30 
powder  16  oz. ;  alcohol  9  fl.oz.  ;  water  5  fl.  oz.,  and  glycerin  2  fl.  oz. 
Proceed  by  the  pharmacopoeial  process  for  similar  preparations. 
Elixir  Quebracho. — Fluid  extract  of  quebracho,  1  fl.  oz. ;  magne- 
sium carbonate,  2  drachms;  mix  thoroughly,  then  add  aromatic 
spirit  (Nat.  Formulary),  180  minims,  tincture  of  vanilla  120  minims, 
syrup  I  fl.  oz.,  and  aromatic  elixir  sufficient  for  1  pint. 
