Am.  Jour.  Phaem.  ) 
July  1,  1871.  J 
Note  on  some  Pill  Masses. 
307 
324  (equiv.  of  quin.)  :  364  (equiv.  of  sulph.  qu.)  =  20  :  a? 
X  =  22|f  or  about  221  grains  of  sulphate  of  quinia. 
The  ethereal  solution  prepared  according  to  the  above  directions 
must  be  kept  in  well  stoppered  bottles,  and  should  not  be  long  ex- 
posed to  light.  I  have  kept  some  samples  unaltered  for  over  one  year. 
Bellevue  Hospital^  June  12, 1871. 
NOTE  ON  SOME  PILL  MASSES. 
By  John  M.  Maisch. 
A  combination  of  protosulphate  of  iron  and  carbonate  of  potassa 
in  the  form  of  pills  or  boluses  is  used  to  some  extent  in  Europe  in 
-cases  of  chlorosis,  amenorrhoea,  &c.  The  combination  is  similar  to 
that  of  Griffith's  iron  mixture,  and  of  pilulse  ferri  compositse,  except 
that  the  latter  preparation  contains  carbonate  of  soda,  a  nondeliques- 
cent  salt,  and  myrrh,  to  which  protective  properties  for  the  proto- 
•carbonate  of  iron  are  ascribed.  To  avoid  the  hygroscopic  tendency 
of  the  carbonate  of  potassa,  Guibourt  had  suggested  its  substitution 
by  the  bicarbonate  ;  but  the  difficulty  of  forming  a  proper  pill  mass 
is  thereby  not  obviated.  To  accomplish  this  result,  absorbent  vege- 
table powders  like  pulv.  althgese,  rad.  glycyrrh.,  &c.,  have  been  recom- 
mended in  connection  with  gum  Arabic  or  tragacanth.  The  latter 
alone  may  be  used  with  advantage  in  the  form  of  a  thick  mucilage. 
In  a  communication  to  the  Pharmac.  Zeitung,  it  is  suggested  to  sub- 
stitute for  the  iron  sulphate  the  exsiccated  salt  in  an  equivalent  quan- 
tity, and  after  triturating  it  with  the  potassa  salt  to  beat  it,  with 
honey,  into  a  mass  of  very  good  consistence.  The  slower  solubility 
of  the  exsiccated  iron  salt  must  necessarily  render  such  pills  slower 
in  their  effects,  but  probably  not  sufficiently  so  to  be  objectionable.  I 
have  obtained  excellent  results  by  manipulating  as  follows :  Sulphate 
of  iron,  granulated  by  precipitation  of  its  solution  with  alcohol,  is 
rubbed  together  with  the  carbonate  of  potassa ;  the  mixture  becomes 
soft  and  changes  in  color,  in  consequence  of  the  formation  of  carbo- 
nate of  iron  and  the  liberation  of  water  of  crystallization.  Powdered 
tragacanth  is  now  added,  and  by  beating  with  a  few  drops  of  syrup 
a  very  good  pill  mass  is  obtained.  The  proportions  may  be  seen  from 
the  following : 
R.  Ferri  sulphat.  pur..  Potasses  carbonat.  pur.,  aa  ^ij  ;  Pulv.  tra- 
gacanthse,  3ss ;  Syrupi  simplic,  gtt.  v — vi.    M.  ft.  pilul.  No.  60. 
