^septaifsn!'"'  }    Sprupus  Assafcetidce  Compositus.  397 
which,  though  more  diflScult  than  the  preparation  of  lac  assafoetidse, 
is  readily  accomplished  by  judicious  trituration  with  small  quantities 
of  the  water,  and  the  removal  of  the  concentrated  emulsion,  before 
trituration  is  continued  with  another  portion. 
The  syrup  thus  prepared  is  whitish  opaque  and  separates,  on  long 
standing,  a  portion  of  the  resin  like  cream,  which  on  occasional  ex- 
posure to  the  air  acquires  a  pinkish  hue  and  subsequently  a  deep  pink 
color ;  it  can  be  readily  mixed  with  the  syrup  by  agitation.  The 
change  in  the  color  of  the  resin,  of  course,  alters  the  appearance  of 
the  syrup  in  course  of  time,  it  becoming  of  a  pinkish  color  after  the 
separated  resin  has  again  been  diffused  in  it.  An  officinal  prepara- 
ration  similar  to  the  one  described,  it  appears  to  me,  would  be  by  far 
preferable  to  the  milk,  since  it  is  permanent  and  affords  an  opportu- 
nity of  combining  assafoetida  with  other  liquid  medicines  without 
much  trouble. 
SYRUPUS  ASSAF(ETID^  COMPOSITUS. 
By  J.  J.  Rambo. 
Editor  of  the  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy  : 
Allow  me  to  call  your  attention  to  a  formula  for  a  syrup,  I  have 
for  a  number  of  years  been  in  the  habit  of  preparing,  to  obviate  the 
great  objection  felt  by  most  patients  to  the  disagreeable  smell  and 
taste  of  assafoetida,  and  which  has  prevented  to  a  great  extent  the 
more  general  use  of  this  valuable  drug.  The  formula  I  find  to  an- 
swer the  purpose  efiectually,  at  the  same  time  its  medicinal  qualities 
are  enhanced  by  composition  with  syrup  of  wild  cherry,  possessing 
the  valuable  thereapeutic  properties  of  both. 
R.    Infusi  Pruni  Virginianae,  Oi. 
Assafoetidae,  ^i. 
Sacch.  Albi,  ^xxiv. 
Magnes.  Carb.  3ii. 
Rub  the  assafoetida  and  magnesia  with  the  infusion  gradually  ad- 
ded, so  as  to  make  a  uniform  mixture  and  filter ;  to  this,  transferred 
to  a  bottle,  add  the  sugar  and  agitate  occasionally  until  it  is  dissolved. 
As  a  result  we  have  a  handsome  syrup  which  does  not  difi'er  in  ap- 
pearance from  the  syrup  of  wild  cherry. 
The  property  possessed  by  the  volatile  oils  of  bitter  almonds,  cherry 
laurel  leaves,  bark  of  wild  cherry,  &c.,  containing  hydrocyanic  acid, 
