544 
Fluid  Ace  tracts. 
[Am,  Jour.  Pharni. 
I  November,  1898. 
some  drugs  can  be  very  successfully  exhausted  with  a  menstruum 
containing  as  little  as  5  per  cent,  of  acetic  acid ;  but  so  far,  the 
strength  which  seems  to  be  most  successful  is  a  10  per  cent,  men- 
struum. It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  acetic  acid  can  replace  alco- 
hol as  a  menstruum  in  all  cases,  but  from  the  work  which  has 
already  been  done,  the  writer  feels  warranted  in  stating  that  fully 
one  half  of  the  official  fluid  extracts  could  be  satisfactorily  replaced 
by  fluid  acetracts.  The  manufacturers  of  specialties  have  not  been 
slow  to  adopt  acetic  acid  for  extracting  drugs,  and  the  saving  in 
expense  has  been  enormous.  The  cost  of  diluted  acetic  acid — 10 
cents  per  gallon — as  compared  with  that  for  alcohol — $2.50  per 
gallon — is  entirely  too  great  a  temptation  to  resist,  and  a  manufac- 
turer would  certainly  be  foolish  to  use  alcohol  except  when  required 
by  the  authority  of  the  Pharmacopoeia. 
Sanguinaria  has  always  presented  the  greatest  difficulty  in  select- 
inga  menstruum  for  the  fluid  extract  which  would  not  precipitate  the 
alkaloid.  I  have  great  pleasure  in  stating  that  this  question  is  now 
settled  so  far  as  obtaining  a  liquid  preparation,  which  does  not  pre- 
cipitate, is  concerned.  A  fluid  acetract  of  sanguinaria  is  herewith 
exhibited,  a  cubic  centimetre  representing  a  gramme  of  the  drug, 
made  on  the  26th  of  July,  1892,  and  which  has  never  at  any  time 
within  the  last  five  years,  shown  the  slightest  sign  of  precipitation. 
It  seems  necessary,  however,  to  use  a  60  per  cent,  acetic  acid  to 
accomplish  this,  for  it  will  be  seen  by  examining  the  samples  that 
fluid  acetratt  of  sanguinaria,  made  with  diluted  acetic  acid,  contains 
an  abundant  precipitate. 
The  fluid  acetract  of  ipecacuanha,  made  with  60  per  cent,  acetic 
acid  is  two  years  old,  and  seems  to  be  in  excellent  condition,  no  pre- 
cipitation being  observed.  The  effect  of  acetic  acid  upon  pectinous 
drugs  presents  some  curious  anomalies.  Sixty  per  cent,  acetic  acid 
seems  to  act  as  a  solvent  for  the  pectinous  principles,  for,  whilst 
weaker  strengths  produce  liquid  acetracts  which  will  gelatinize,  no 
tendency  toward  gelatinization  is  observed  in  the  60  per  cent,  fluid 
acetracts. 
One  fact  is  noticeable  in  light-colored  preparations,  that  is,  a  ten- 
dency to  darken  with  age.  The  fluid  acetract  of  squill  herewith 
shown,  was  of  a  light  amber  color  when  first  made  ;  in  two  years  it 
has  become  a  clear,  dark  red.  When  added  to  syrup,  however,  in 
the  proper  proportion  to  make  syrup  of  squill,  it  will  be  observed 
