Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1886. 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
85 
with  it  the  citrine  ointment,  after  having  previously  rubbed  the  same 
with  about  one  fluid  drachm  of  glycerin  to  remove  any  granulation 
present,  using  in  the  latter  action  a  bone  spatula  to  work  with. 
The  ointment,  when  freshly  made  with  cosmoline  as  the  diluent,  is 
a  soft,  unctuous,  greenish-brown  solid,  readily  melting  at  the  tem- 
perature of  the  body  and  capable  of  being  absorbed  by  the  skin.  It 
changes  rapidly,  on  exposure  to  air,  to  a  very  deep  brown  color. 
The  partial  change  of  chemical  nature,  as  evidenced  by  the  change 
of  color,  does  not  appear  to  affect  the  medical  qualities  of  the  article 
in  question,  as  e very-day  usage  has  fully  demonstrated  that  the  old 
ointment  was  as  efficacious  as  the  new. 
Its  mode  of  application  is  somewhat  peculiar  and  worthy  of  especial 
mention.  The  part  to  which  the  ointment  is  to  be  applied  must  first 
be  poulticed  with  a  hot  "Labarraque  poultice,"  that  is,  a  poultice  of 
flaxseed  meal,  made  with  hot  "Labarraque's  solution"  (Liquor  soda? 
chloratse,  U.  S.  P.),  instead  of  the  hot  water  ordinarily  used.  After 
remaining  on  for  awhile,  the  poultice  is  removed  and  frequently  takes 
with  it  portions  of  dead  tissue.  The  skin  is  then  carefully  dried, 
the  oiutmpnt  spread  upon  soft  lint  and  applied  twice  a  day,  or  vary- 
ing according  to  the  severity  of  the  case  until  the  sore,  etc.,  is  healed. 
PHARMACEUTICAL  NOTES. 
Abstracts  from  Theses. 
Vinum  Ipecacuanhce. — Leopold  Peters,  Ph.  G.,  has  examined  speci- 
mens of  wine  of  ipecac,  purchased  at  49  different  stores,  with  the 
object  of  ascertaining  the  alcoholic  strength  of  the  preparation.  The 
Pharmacopoeia  directs  the  menstruum  to  contain  not  less  than  20  per 
cent,  by  weight  of  absolute  alcohol.  The  process  followed  was  evapo- 
ration of  the  alcohol  and  calculating  the  strength  from  the  difference 
in  specific  gravity,  as  directed  by  the  Pharmacopoeia.  The  results  are 
placed  in  four  groups,  namely  about  1*06  per  cent,  of  alcohol  in  9 
specimens;  about  3*71  per  cent,  in  16  specimens;  6*57  per  cent,  in  14 
specimens,  and  13*15  percent,  in  10  specimens.  An  alcoholic  strength 
of  between  12  and  15  per  cent,  by  weight  is  considered  to  be  sufficient 
for  the  preservation  of  this  preparation. 
Tinctura  Avence  sativce. — Henry  E.  Heinitsh,  Ph.  G.,  has  prepared 
the  tincture  from  oats  with  the  husks,  from  the  husks  alone,  and  from 
