200 
Glycerin  in  Fluid  Extracts. 
I  Am.  Jour.  Pharm 
i     May  1,  1873. 
MAGENDIE'S  SOLUTION  OP  MORPHIA  PRESERVED  BY 
SULPHUROUS  ACID. 
The  following  letter  of  Professor  C.  Johnston,  of  Baltimore,  has 
T)een  kindly  placed  at  our  disposal.    Mr.  Jennings  informs  us  that  he 
uses  from  three  to  five  drops  of  the  officinal  sulphurous  acid  to  each 
fluidounce  of  Magendie's  solution. 
Baltimore,  March  11,  1873. 
N.  H.  Jennings,  Esq. 
My  Dear  Sir :  I  beg  to  recall  your  attention  to  a  suggestion  I  made 
you  about  two  months  ago  in  reference  to  the  use  of  sulphurous  acid, 
in  procuring  solution  of  morphia  for  hypodermic  use. 
I  carried  in  my  pocket  for  a  month  a  half  ounce  vial  of  a  solution, 
two  grains  to  the  drachm,  prepared  by  you,  and  at  the  end  of  that 
time  the  fluid  was  clear  and  free  from  any  fungous  formation,  the  ab- 
sence of  which  might  fairly  be  attributed  to  the  sulphurous  acid.  In 
use  I  found  the  solution  to  prove  as  little  painful  as  the  ordinary  one 
of  Magendie,  and  but  very  little  more  so  than  the  simple  watery  so- 
lution. 
One  of  the  advantages  resulting  from  the  employment  of  sulphur- 
ous acid  is  the  permanent  freedom  of  the  solution  of  morphia  from 
sediment  or  growth,  whereby  a  good  supply  of  the  solution  for  hypo- 
dermic use  may  be  prepared  and  kept  ready  for  a  long  time. 
The  apothecary  and  the  physician  can  both  estimate  the  benefit  of 
this  possibility.  I  am  yours  very  truly, 
Christopher  Johnston. 
GLYCERIN  IN  FLUID  EXTRACTS. 
By  William  C.  Gill. 
Extracted  from  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
Sixteen  troyounces  of  valerian  root,  reduced  to  proper  form,  was 
exhausted  and  made  into  fluid  extract  in  the  usual  manner;  the 
result  was  a  clear  reddish-brown  preparation,  odor  and  taste  strong  of 
valerian,  and  indicating  a  good  extract.    Another  sixteen  troyounces 
was  treated,  after  Mr.  Campbell's  process,  with  a  menstruum  consist- 
ing of  alcohol,  three  parts  ;  glycerin,  one  part.    The  fluid  extract 
obtained  was  of  a  very  dark  reddish-brown  color,  with  the  character- 
istic odor  and  taste,  but  to  all  outward  appearance  much  stronger  than 
