86 
Pharmaceutical  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Feb.,  1886. 
the  grain  deprived  of  the  husks.  4  troy  ounces  of  the  ground  material 
were  macerated  and  displaced  with  diluted  alcohol,  5  J-  fluid  ounces  of 
the  percolate  were  reserved,  the  remainder  evaporated  to  an  extract 
and  this  was  dissolved  in  the  reserved  portion,  sufficient  diluted  alcohol 
being  added  to  obtain  6  fluid  ounces.  The  first  two  tinctures  yielded 
3  per  cent,  of  extract,  while  3J-  per  cent,  were  obtained  from  the 
tincture  of  the  grain. 
Pharmacopoeial  Syrups. — J.  Lewis  Nebinger,  Ph.  G.,  after  experi- 
menting with  a  number  of  syrups,  suggests  the  following  modifications 
of  the  officinal  formulas. 
Syrupus  Acacice. — The  process  of  1870  is  far  superior  to  the  present 
one.  The  syrup  should  be  made  of  select  pieces  of  gum  and  in  small 
quantities,  and  should  be  kept  in  a  cool  place. 
Syrupus  Ferri  Iodidi. — Using  the  quantities  directed  by  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, a  syrup  is  first  made  of  300  parts  of  sugar  and  150  parts  of 
water,  and  transferred  into  a  tared  vessel.  The  solution  of  ferrous 
iodide  is  made  with  150  parts  of  water  and  filtered  into  the  syrup, 
followed  by  25  parts  of  distilled  water  previously  used  for  rinsing  the 
flask  in  which  the  iron  solution  had  been  made.  After  the  addition  of 
300  parts  of  sugar,  solution  is  effected  with  the  aid  of  heat,  and  enough 
distilled  water  is  added  to  make  1,000  parts. 
Syrupus  Ipecacuanha?. — Dilute  20  parts  of  fluid  extract  of  ipecac 
with  133  parts  of  water,  set  aside  for  three  days,  filter  and  in  the 
filtrate  dissolve  247  parts  of  sugar  without  heat. 
Solubility  of  Quinine  Pills. — J.  W.  Pancoast,  Ph.  G.,  made  a  num- 
ber of  experiments  to  determine  the  conditions  favoring  the  solution  of 
quinine  pills.  Immersed  in  water  at  ordinary  temperature  for  two 
days  and  without  being  agitated,  compressed  pills  and  sugar-coated 
pills  seemed  to  be  little  altered;  uncoated  pills  (formula  and  hardness 
not  indicated)  separated  into  a  few  fragments  without  dissolving,  and 
gelatin  coated  pills  became  very  soft.  But  when  the  pills  were  di- 
gested, with  occasional  agitation,  in  warm  water  or  in  acidulated 
water,  or  in  a  liquid  imitating  saliva,  they  were  all  dissolved,  the  time 
varying  between  thirty  minutes  and  a  few  hours. 
Pills  of  Potassium  Permanganate. — ¥m.  M.  Lewis,  Ph.  G.,  regards 
pipe  clay  as  the  most  suitable  excipient;  but  Sam.  F.  Stoll,  Ph.  G., 
believes  cacao  butter  to  be  superior  to  all  other  excipients,  which  have 
been  recommended  for  this  salt.  In  preparing  the  pills  a  warm  mor- 
tar is  used  in  which  the  salt  is  powdered  and,  for  every  two  grains  of 
