24 
Tinctures  of  Potent  Remedies. 
f  A.m.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\     January,  1903. 
Tincture  of  Digitalis.— There  is  nothing  distinctive  about  this 
preparation  with  the  possible  exception  of  marked  increase  in  the 
alcohol  strength  of  the  required  menstruum,  the  U.S.P.  directing  a 
50  per  cent,  dilute  alcohol,  while  the  international  standard  formula 
requires  a  70  per  cent,  alcohol.  Digitalis  leaves  lost  on  drying  5 
per  cent,  of  their  total  weight.  The  menstruum,  followed  by  drying 
the  residue,  extracted  a  total  of  44  grammes,  or  a  net  loss  of  ex- 
tractive of  39  grammes  to  each  100  of  the  drug.  One  thousand 
grammes  of  the  resulting  tincture  measured  1,107  c-c->  while  1  litre 
weighed  905  grammes,  at  25 0  C.  The  average  dose  of  the  inter- 
national tincture  would  be  from  0-30  to  2-00,  instead  of  from  0  20 
to  1-50  c.c,  for  the  present  U.S.P.  preparation. 
lincture  of  Hyoscyamus. — This  is  another  preparation  that  differs 
little  in  appearance  from  the  present  U.S.P.  tincture,  though  about 
one-third  weaker  in  drug  content.  The  powdered  leaves  lost  6  per 
cent,  on  drying.  The  gross  loss  oi  extractive  was  37-5  grammes, 
and  the  net  loss  31-5  grammes  for  each  100  of  air-dry  drug.  One 
thousand  grammes  of  the  tincture  measured  1,102  c.c,  while  1  litre, 
at  25 0  C,  weighed  902  grammes.  The  average  dose  would  be  from 
I-OO  to  4-00  c.c.  instead  of  from  0  60  to  3-00  as  given  for  the  present 
U.S.P.  tincture. 
Tincture  of  Iodine. — This  is  another  preparation  that  would  be 
slightly  increased  in  strength.  This  increase  would  be  of  compara- 
tively little  importance,  however,  as  the  tincture  is  seldom  given 
internally.  It  is  well  known  that  all  tinctures  of  iodine  '  change 
more  or  less  rapidly,  the  rate  of  decomposition  apparently  depend- 
ing on  the  temperature  at  which  the  preparation  is  kept  rather  than 
on  the  chemic  effect  of  any  actinic  rays  of  light.  This  being 
acknowledged,  this  preparation  should  be  directed  to  be  prepared 
extemporaneously,  or  at  least  it  should  be  made  in  small  quantities. 
For  this,  a  small  circulatory  apparatus  of  glass  can  be  extemporized, 
by  means  of  which  the  preparation  can  readily  be  made  in  from  a 
half  to  one  hour  without  shaking,  or  any  further  trouble  than  pour- 
ing the  alcohol  into  a  wide-mouthed  bottle,  and  putting  the  iodine 
into  a  test  tube  perforated  at  the  lower  end,  so  as  to  allow  free  cir- 
culation of  the  solvent.  By  means  of  such  a  circulatory  apparatus 
a  10-per  cent,  tincture  is  as  readily  made  as  one  containing  but  7  or 
even  5  parts  in  a  100.  One  thousand  grammes  of  the  international 
tincture  of  iodine  measure  1,160  c.c,  while  1  litre  at  25 0  C,  weighs 
