210 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTICES. 
influence  of  acetate  of  iron.  In  a  recent  operation  with  ten 
pounds  of  ammoniac  of  good  quality,  in  tears,  the  drug  wa3 
coarsely  bruised,  put  in  a  two-and-a-half  gallon  porcelain  dish, 
and  mixed  with  a  gallon  of  diluted  acetic  acid.  The  vessel  was 
put  in  a  warm  place,  where  it  acquired  a  temperature  of  140°  F., 
and  stirred  with  a  wooden  spatula  from  time  to  time  until  the 
particles  became  well  softened,  and  the  whole  of  a  thick  creamy 
consistence.  It  was  then  strained  through  a  coarse  textured 
muslin,  such  as  is  called  "  foundation  muslin"  by  the  bonnet 
makers.  This  requires  to  be  done  by  hand,  about  a  quart  at 
a  time,  and  is  a  disagreeable  piece  of  manipulation.  After  the 
first  expression,  the  residue  is  returned  to  the  dish,  again  digested 
with  six  pints  of  diluted  acetate  acid  until  the  gum  resinous  portion 
is  all  softened,  when  it  also  is  forced  through  the  strainer,  which 
retains  the  particles  of  capsules  and  other  impurities  of  the 
drug.  The  thick  liquid  is  now  evaporated  with  frequent  stir- 
ring until  reduced  to  the  consistence  of  a  firm  extract,  when, 
whilst  yet  soft,  it  should  be  put  into  suitable  jars.  Ten  pounds 
of  the  best  ammoniac  yield  eleven  pounds  of  the  plaster. 
Umplastrum  Opii,  U.  S.  P. — Having  occasion  to  prepare  ten 
pounds  of  this  plaster  it  was  determined  to  adopt  somewhat  the 
plan  proposed  for  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  1860,  yet  not  entirely 
the  same.    The  quantity  of  plaster  to  be  made  was  ten  pounds 
avoirdupois.    The  ingredients  employed  were  as  follows  : — 
Take  of  Opium  in  mass,  a  quantity  equivalent  to  20  oz.  of  the 
powder. 
Burgundy  pitch,  30  ounces, 
Lead  plaster,  120  ounces, 
Water  and  alcohol  of  each  a  sufficient  quantity. 
Having  dried  one  hundred  grains  of  the  crude  opium  and  as- 
certained its  loss  of  weight,  weigh  out  the  quantity  of  opium 
equivalent  to  20  ounces  dry,  cut  it  in  pieces,  and  macerate  it  in 
two  pints  of  water  for  24  hours.  Then  express  the  liquid  in  a 
cloth  strainer,  and  again  macerate  in  two  pints  of  water  for  12 
hours,  and  again  express ;  mix  the  solutions  and  allow  them  to 
evaporate  at  a  moderate  heat.  To  the  dregs  of  the  opium  add 
sufficient  alcohol  to  make  asemifluid  mass,  (abouthalf  its  weight,) 
put  it  in  a  funnel  with  a  sand  diaphragm,  and  pour  on  diluted 
