SUPPOSITORIES  OF  ASSAFCETIDA.  115 
ence.  Introduce  it  into  a  percolator,  and  after  having  carefully 
covered  the  same  with  a  piece  of  filtering  paper,  .retained  in  its 
place  by  a  flat  weight  (the  lid  of  a  glass  jar  answers  well  enough) 
pour  on  it  diluted  alcohol  in  such  quantity  as  to  produce  half  a 
pint  of  tincture.  Evaporate  by  means  of  a  water  bath,  at  a  tem- 
perature below  160°,  to  two  fluidounces.  Agitate  this  product 
for  about  ten  minutes  with  the  ether.  Allow  it  to  rest'for  five 
minutes,  and  draw  off  the  lower  dark-colored  liquid.  Place  this 
in  an  evaporating  dish  over  a  water-bath,  and  apply  heat  so  long 
as  the  odor  of  ether  is  perceived.  Then  filter  through  cotton, 
mix  with  the  orange-flower  and  distilled  waters,  and  add  this  to 
the  sugar.  When  dissolved  make  the  syrup  measure  a  pint  by 
the  addition  of  a  simple  syrup. 
This  will  be  a  clear,  transparent  syrup,  of  a  straw  color,  and 
possessing  the  pleasant  flavor  of  the  orange  flower. 
Philadelphia ,  Feb.,  1868. 
ON  SUPPOSITORIES  OF  ASSAFCETIDA. 
By  Robrrt  F.  Fairthorne. 
As  assafoetida  is  sometimes  ordered  by  physicians  to  be  ad- 
ministered in  the  form  of  suppository,  and  as  there  is  frequently 
much  inconvenience  attending  the  preparation  of  the  same,  as 
well  as  delay  caused  by  the  difficulty  met  with  in  mixing  that 
gum  with  the  butter  of  cacao,  I  would  bring  to  your  notice  the 
following  method  for  making  the  suppositories,  which  will  be 
found  to  save  much  time  and  trouble. 
An  ethereal  fluid  extract  of  assafoetida  is  first  made  by  the  fol- 
lowing formula : 
R.    Assafoetidse,  gi. 
Etheris  Fortioris,      giij.,  3vi. 
Aquae,  giij. 
The  gum  is  cut  into  pieces  about  the  same  size  as  peas,  then 
agitated  occasionally  in  a  bottle  with  the  ether  and  water  for  two 
or  three  days,  by  which  time  the  assafoetida  will  be  disintegrated, 
the  water  uniting  with  the  gummy  portion  of  the  same,  forming 
a  soft  paste,  whilst  the  ether  containing  the  resin  and  volatile  oil 
floats  above  this.    The  contents  of  the  bottle  are  strained  through 
