342 
NOTE  ON  SYRUP  OF  HYPOPHOSPHITE  OF  IRON. 
iodide,  possessed  of  a  green  color ;  that  by  any  of  the 
reactions  I  could  obtain  a  green  product,  but  that  then  it  alwnys 
contained  free  metallic  mercury.  Moreover,  that  these  green 
products  were  never  alike  in  color,  but  varied  from  a  dull  dark 
green  to  light  yellowish-green. 
It  also  results  that  to  obtain  pure  mercurous  iodide  by  the  pro- 
cess given  in  the  Pharmacopoeia,  the  trituration  should  be  con- 
tinued until  the  green  mass  which  forms  becomes  dry,  and  as- 
sumes a  dull  yellow  color.  So  obtained,  the  product  is  perma- 
nent. It  still  contains  small  quantities  of  mercuric  iodide  and 
free  mercury  ;  the  former  may,  and  perhaps  ought,  to  be  re- 
moved by  washing  with  alcohol  or  ether. 
Lastly,  it  results  that  the  London  Pharmacopoeia  gives  the 
most  accurate  description  of  this  compound,  although  the  British 
Phnrmacopoeia  are  best  in  accord  with  chemical  manuals. — 
Lond.  Pharm.  Journ.,  May,  1868. 
NOTE  ON  SYRUP  OF  HYPOPHOSPHITE  OF  IRON. 
By  C.  H.  Wood,  F.  C.  S. 
Since  the  introduction  of  the  hypophosphites  into  medicine  by 
Dr.  Churchill  a  few  years  back,  this  syrup  has  been  frequently 
prescribed  ;  and  although  at  the  present  time  it  is  much  less 
used  than  the  syrup  of  the  phosphate  of  iron,  nevertheless  the 
pharmaceutist  is  every  now  and  then  called  upon  to  supply  it. 
The  only  process  for  its  production  yet  published  in  this  country, 
that  I  am  aware  of,  occurs  among  the  Notices  to  Correspondents 
in  the  Pharmaceutical  Journal,  vol.  vii.  new  series,  p.  440.  We 
are  there  directed  to  dissolve  moist  and  recently-precipitated 
carbonate  of  iron  in  a  mixture  of  hypophosphorous  and  phos- 
phoric acids,  and  convert  the  resulting  solution  into  a  syrup. 
No  mention  is  made  of  the  strength  of  the  hypophosphorous  acid, 
or  how  the  acid  is  to  be  obtained. 
A  very  similar  method  is  given  in  the  work  on  "  Practical 
Pharmacy,"  by  Mr.  Parrish.  Carbonate  of  iron  is  to  be  pre- 
cipitated from  a  given  weight  of  sulphate,  and  dissolved  in  a 
stated  quantity  of  hypophosphorous  acid,  of  sp.  gr.  1-036 ; 
then  sugar  added  as  usual.    It  will  be  seen  that  for  both  these 
