PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
105 
consequently  put  up  in  various  forms  and  of  various  compositions. 
The  chief  trouble  that  I  have  experienced  in  these  preparations 
has  been  their  tendency  to  form  precipitates  or  become  darkened 
by  age ;  but  until  lately  I  have  not  made  any  decided  effort  to 
overcome  these  objections.  The  most  popular  elixirs  now  pos- 
sess very  little  or  but  a  pale  yellow  color,  and  I  here  offer  a  for- 
mula that  will  furnish  a  preparation,  which,  containing  the  usual 
quantity  of  calisaya  bark  and  aromatics,  has  but  very  little  color, 
will  mix  with  pyrophosphate  of  iron,  in  any  desirable  proportion, 
without  changing,  and  will  remain  perfectly  bright  and  trans- 
parent. 
1.  Take  of  calisaya  bark  24  oz.,  orange  peel  16  oz.,  coriander 
4  oz.,  cinnamon  3  oz.,  cardamom  1J  oz.,  anise  1  oz.  Bruise 
these  ingredients  finely,  moisten  with  a  menstruum  consisting  of 
6  parts  by  measure  of  water  and  2  parts  alcohol,  -835,  and  pack 
into  an  appropriate  percolator,  in  which  allow  it  to  macerate  for 
24  hours.  Then  add  the  same  menstruum  until  5  gallons  of 
percolate  is  obtained. 
2.  From  5  pints  (or  more  if  required)  of  solution  of  tersul- 
phate  of  iron  prepare  hydrated  sesquioxide  of  iron,  according  to 
the  direction  of  the  U.  S.  Pharm.  Mix  the  product  thus  obtained 
with  the  percolate  (1),  and  shake  frequently  for  3  days,  or  until  a 
portion  filtered  off  has  but  a  slight  yellow  color.  Then  express 
the  liquid  from  the  precipitate,  and  filter  through  paper. 
3.  Dissolve  J  oz.  oil  of  orange  (fresh)  in  ,1J  oz.  alcohol  fort., 
triturate  with  8  oz.  carbonate  of  magnesia,  and  gradually  add 
filtrate  (2).  Agitate  well,  and  filter  on  220  oz.  of  sugar,  which 
dissolve  by  agitation,  and  filter. 
If  desirable,  the  simple  elixir  may  be  colored  with  a  mixture 
of  caramel  and  cochineal,  as  solutions  of  the  latter  become  grad- 
ually darkened  by  the  pyrophosphate  of  iron. 
The  samples  that  I  made,  3  months  ago,  of  ferrated  simple 
and  colored  elixir,  are  at  this  date  perfectly  bright,  and  indicate 
no  inclination  to  change,  although  freely  exposed  to  light  and 
air. 
Louisville,  Ky.,  Jan.  27lh,  1868. 
