42 
Editorial. 
{Am,  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.  2,  1871. 
(EMtorial  Department 
To  OUR  Readers. — The  present  number  is  the  beginning  of  a  new  era  in  the 
history  of  this  Journal,  which  hereafter  will  appear  monthly,  forming  a  volume 
of  the  same  size  as  heretofore,  the  text  in  each  number  will  cover  48  pages,  yet 
by  widening  and  lengthening  the  page  about  what  is  equal  to  five  lines  of  the 
old  page  have  been  added  to  each.  It  will  be  observed  that  each  page  is  dated, 
with  the  name  of  the  Journal,  thus  giving  the  time  of  publication  of  every 
paper  printed. 
Contributors  will  much  oblige  us  by  sending  their  copy  by  the  15th  of  the 
month  preceding  the  date  of  publication,  or  earlier  if  convenient.  Some  of  our 
old  contributors  have  been  silent  lately.  We  earnestly  invite  these  and  all 
others  to  favor  us  with  their  investigations  and  suggestions. 
By  reference  to  the  Minutes  of  the  College,  at  page  40,  it  will  be  seen  that 
the  business  management  of  this  Journal  will  soon  be  placed  in  charge  of  a 
Special  Editor,  who  will  relieve  the  Editor  and  Treasurer  from  labor  that  did 
not  appertain  to  their  functions.  We  would  also  remind  our  delinquent  sub- 
scribers that  our  expenses  are  incrersed  by  recent  changes,  which  should  be 
met  by  the  dues  which  they  fail  to  send  us  promptly. 
Spiritus  Salis  Dulcis. — A  correspondent  in  New  Haven  asks  for  a  formula 
for  Sph'itus  Sah's  Dulcisas,  used  many  years  ago.  It  is  a  sweet  spirit  of  (com- 
mon) salt,  just  as  sweet  spirit  of  nitre  is  of  saltpetre.  Each  was  originally  made 
by  distilling  the  respective  salts  with  sulphuric  acid  and  alcohol.  This  name 
was  offlcinal  in  the  Edinbuigh  Pharm.  of  1722,  and  applied  to  a  spirit  of  hydro- 
chloric ether  obtained  by  distilling  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  muriatic  acid  and 
three  parts  of  alcohol,  after  digesting  the  mixture  for  several  days,  and  redis- 
tilling the  product  one  or  more  times,  until  free  from  acid.  This  is  probably 
what  was  used  under  that  name. 
In  the  Prussian  Pharm.  of  1847  a  sort  of  spirit  of  chloric  ether,  under  the 
name  Spiritus  Ether  Chlorati,  is  made  by  distilling  16  parts  of  chloride  of  so- 
dium, 6  parts  of  binoxide  of  manganese,  12  parts  of  sulphuric  acid,  and  48 
parts  of  stronger  alcohol,  sp.  gr.  '813.  The  acid  and  alcohol  are  to  be  carefully 
mixed,  and  poured  on  the  salt  and  oxide,  previously  placed  in  a  large  retort, 
and  the  whole  mixed;  a  well  refrigerated  receiver  being  adapted,  forty-two 
parts  of  distillate  are  obtained  by  means  of  a  sand-bath  heat,  'i'o  free  the  pro- 
duct from  acidity  it  is  shaken  with  about  half  a  part  of  calcined  magnesia  till 
neutral,  and  then  redistilled.  Sp.  gr.  -815  to  '820.  This  product  has  also  been 
called  Spiritus  Salts  Dulcis. 
The  French  use  a  preparation  called  Esprit  de  set  dulcifie,  which  is  a  simple 
mixture  of  1  part  of  muriatic  acid  and  3  parts  of  alcohol. 
Editorial  Duty  and  Selected  Matter. — The  frequent  disregard  of  Journa- 
listic right  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  inconvenience  of  investigating  readers  on 
