260  On  Two  Officinal  Fluid  Extracts.  {^""j^^rSiT' 
REMARKS  ON  TWO  OFFICINAL  FLUID  EXTRACTS. 
By  X.  T.  Bates,  M.  D. 
There  are  some  important  additions  which  the  Committee  for  the 
Revision  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  should  consider,  and  the  surest  way  to 
bring  them  to  their  attention  and  also  to  that  of  the  public  is  the 
insertion  of  this  article  in  the  American  Joimial  of  Pharmacy. 
Ext.  Sarsap.  Fluid.  Comp. 
This  article,  as  now  prepared,  should  contain,  as  an  alterative, 
conium  as  well  as  pipsissewa  and  dulcamara.  I  have  always  added  to 
the  U .  S.  P.  fluid  ext.  before  using  it,  for  each  pint,  two  fluidounces  of 
fluid  ext.  conium,  two  fluidounces  of  fluid  ext.  dulcamara,  and  two 
fluidounces  of  fluid  ext.  of  princess  pine,  with  very  decided  increase 
in  its  alterative  eff'ects,  and  have  also  added  for  each  fluidounce  of  the 
above  10  grains  iodid.  potassium,  4  grains  pyrophosphate  iron  ;  so  that 
in  the  ordinary  dose  of  one  to  two  teaspoonfuls  the  patient  gets  2J  grs. 
of  iodide  of  potassium  and  1  grain  of  the  iron  salt,  which  is  sufficient 
in  this  combination.  As  a  general  rule,  preparations  containing  iron 
have  too  much,  thus  producing  ill  eff'ects.  No  more  should  be  taken 
than  can  be  assimilated. 
Ext.  Bucliii  Fluidum. 
This  article  at  present  is  having  a  large  sale,  from  the  extensive 
advertising  it  receives,  and  the  numerous  and  overstated  purposes  for 
which  it  is  widely  recommended.  This  article,  as  far  as  my  experi- 
ence with  it  goes,  contains  very  little,  if  any,  of  the  medical  proper- 
ties of  the  plant,  and  appears  to  be  highly  flavored  with  peppermint. 
The  Pharmacopoeia  does  not  provide  for  any  compound  preparation, 
nor  have  I  met  with  any  in  the  numerous  publications  on  fluid  extracts, 
except  in  the  "  Journal  of  Materia  Medica,"  Avhich  proposes  the  fol- 
lowing : 
Take  of  Buchu  Leaves,         .  .  .16  troy  oz. 
Uva  Ursi,     .  .  .  .  4 
Cubebs,        .  .  .  .  4 
Juniper  Berries,       .  .  .      4  " 
Cover  with  alcohol,  95  per  cent.,  and  macerate  for  a  week  ;  then 
exhaust  with  alcohol  at  70°,  and  evaporate  so  as  to  measure  twenty- 
eight  (28)  fluidounces. 
