378 
Pharmaceutical  Associations. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
July,  1890. 
when  dispensed.  A  question  as  to  the  use  of  compound  infusion  of  gentian 
elicited  the  information  that  its  use  is  rather  local,  apparently  confined  to  the 
section  of  Pennsylvania  east  of  the  Alleghenies,  and  that  in  some  localities, 
particularly  in  the  western  section  of  the  state,  it  is  very  rarely  prescribed. 
The  use  of  cottojiseed  oil  for  preparing  cold  cream  was  the  subject  of  a 
paper  by  W.  L.  Cliffe.  The  following  formula  is  given  in  parts  by  weight  and 
in  approximately  definite  weights  :  Cotton  seed  oil,  500  parts  (15  oz.)  ;  sperma- 
ceti, 120  parts  (3  ^  oz.)  ;  white  wax,  120  parts  (3^  oz.)  ;  oil  of  lavendar  flow- 
ers, 1  part  (12  drops)  ;  rose  water,  259  parts  (7  oz).  Cotton  seed  oil  being  some- 
what of  a  drying  nature,  it  was  questioned  whether  it  was  as  well  adapted  for 
cold  cream  as  the  non-drying  almond  oil.  Attention  was  called  to  the  fact  that 
the  expressed  oils  of  peach  and  apricot  kernels  are  sometimes  sold  as  almond 
oil,  and  that  the}-  are  closely  analogous  to  the  latter,  but  may  be  distinguished 
from  it  by  producing  a  reddish  color  on  being  warmed  with  diluted  nitric  acid. 
Cascara  Cordial.  The  following  formula  was  furnished  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Redsecker  :  Prepare  an  elixir  from  aromatic  spirit  (Nat.  Formulary)  4  fl.  0%.  ; 
syrup,  8  fl.  oz.  ;  orange  flower  water,  and  water,  of  each  2  fl.  oz.  Mix,  filter 
through  talcum,  and  to  12  fl.  oz.  of  the  filtrate  add  4  fl.  oz.  of  tasteless  fluid 
extract  of  cascara  sagrada  (prepared  with  the  aid  of  magnesia).  The  prepara- 
tion is  a  pleasant  and  efficient  laxative.  The  question  being  asked  whether  the 
extract  made  with  magnesia  would  not  lose  its  purgative  properties,  a  conclu- 
sive answer  could  apparently  not  be  given. 
Comparative  test  of  pepsins  was  the  title  of  a  paper  read  by  Mr.  W.  L. 
Turner.  The  author  procured  six  brands  of  pepsin  and  digested  15  milligrams 
of  each  for  seven  hours  at  a  temperature  of  1050  F.  With  80  gm.  of  hard- 
boiled  albumen  previously  passed  through  a  No.  30  wire  sieve,  with  100  cc.  of 
a  1  per  cent,  diluted  hydrochloric  acid.  After  setting  aside  for  ten  hours  the 
liquid  was  filtered  from  the  undissolved  albumen  and  the  amount  of  dissolved 
peptone  was  obtained  b}'  evaporation  and  drying.  It  was  ascertained  that  100 
parts  of  dried  albumen  would  yield  214  parts  of  dried  peptone,  and  upon  this 
basis  was  calculated  the  proportion  of  albumen  dissolved,  and  the  real  value  of 
each  brand  as  compared  with  the  price  of  the  one  having  yielded  the  best 
results,  which  was  Lehn  and  Fink's  scale  pepsin  (No.  2  of  the  following  table)  : 
No.  1    Digested     1833    Parts  Albumen.    Cost  $1.25    Pr.  oz.    Value  $0 
1930  1. 00 
1793  "  "  "  -75 
1485  "  "  "  1.25 
1071  "  "  "  1.40 
966  "  "  "  .50 
Syrup  of  Citric  Acid,  U.  S.  P.,  changing  in  odor  and  taste  when  kept  on 
hand,  Mr.  J.  W.  L,andis  recommended  it  to  be  prepared  extemporaneously,  by 
mixing  simple  syrup  with  the  requisite  amount  of  concentrated  solution  of 
citric  acid  and  of  spirit  of  lemon  ;  the  citric  acid  solution  is  to  be  kept  in  small 
vials  in  a  cool  place.  This  method  is  frequently  followed,  particularly  for 
lemon  syrup  used  for  soda  water. 
The  Production  of  Oil  of  Pennyroyal  was  discussed  in  a  paper  by  Mr.  J.  F. 
Patton.  The  oil  is  distilled  in  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Missouri,  Illinois  and 
more  extensively  in  Southern  and  Eastern  Ohio.    Guernsey  Co.,  O.,  has 
