412 
Criticisms  of  the  US. P. 
(  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
\  September,  1906. , 
red  wine  make  up  the  balance  of  the  mixture.  The  addition  of 
sugar  is  not  only  unnecessary,  but  objectionable,  and  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  product  cannot  be  commended  either  on  pharmaceutical, 
medical  or  ethical  grounds.  (Extracts  from  Drug  Topics,  1905, 
pages  195-199.) 
OPINIONS  ON  THE  USE  OF  ACETONE  IN  MAKING  OLEORESINS. 
In  the  preparation  of  most  official  oleoresins  acetone  now  replaces 
ether.  It  is  peculiar  in  that  it  combines  in  itselt  the  solvent  powers 
of  both  alcohol  and  sulphuric  ether,  so  that  it  extracts  from  many 
drugs  substances  soluble  in  ether  and  insoluble  (to  a  greater  or  less 
degree)  in  alcohol,  and  also  substances  soluble  in  alcohol  but  insolu- 
ble in  ether.  As  a  result,  most  and  perhaps  all  of  the  official 
oleoresins  will,  on  standing,  separate  into  a  heavy  portion  corre- 
sponding in  a  measure  to  an  alcoholic  extract  insoluble  in  ether, 
and  a  lighter  portion  insoluble  in  alcohol,  soluble  in  ether,  and 
corresponding  in  quality  and  quantity  to  the  usual  ether-extracted 
oleoresin.   (Dr.  John  M.  Francis,  in  Bull,  of  Pharm.,  1905,  page  317.) 
Acetone  is  used  as  the  solvent  for  making  all  of  the  oleoresins 
with  the  exception  of  cubeb  oleoresin,  which  is  prepared  with  alco- 
hol. Manufacturers  have  long  since  seen  the  folly  of  using  an  ex- 
pensive solvent  like  ether,  and  the  adoption  of  acetone  as  a  solvent 
is  a  recognition  of  commercial  pharmaceutical  advances.  {Drug 
Topics,  1905,  page  214.) 
SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  ALOIN  TOO  RIGID. 
We  feel  obliged  to  take  exception  to  the  specifications  for  Cura- 
cao aloin,  viz.:  "  Soluble  in  about  65  parts  of  water,  1075  parts  of 
alcohol,  664  parts  of  ether,  .  .  .  and  21  parts  of  acetone ;  "  a 
melting-point,  after  having  been  dried  over  sulphuric  acid,  of"  about 
1470  C. ;  "  "  when  ignited,  is  consumed  without  leaving  a  residue." 
The  above,  which  seems  to  be  taken  from  Hager,  or  some  similar 
authority,  must  be  based  upon  an  almost  chemically  pure  article ;  it 
most  certainly  is  not  based  upon  such  aloin  as  is  generally  used, 
and  of  which  tons  are  sold  annually  in  the  United  States.  We  find 
that  the  standard  grades  of  commercial  aloin  have  a  melting-point  of 
1300  to  1420  C,  and  that  on  incineration  they  leave  ash  in  amounts 
from  0  10  to  0-40  per  cent.    Furthermore,  their  solubility  in  water 
