Am.  JoOTi.  Pharm.  ) 
Nov.  1, 1871.  ; 
Syrup  of  Senna, 
485 
completely  identified  with  our  profession,  and  naturally  desire  to  in- 
troduce their  sons  and  the  young  men  under  their  care  into  the  places 
which  they  have  filledj  through  the  channels  which  the  college  opens. 
continued.) 
ON  SYRUP  OF  SENNA. 
By  J.  B.  Moore. 
This  syrup,  which  was  officinal  in  the  U.  S.  P.  of  1850,  was  omit- 
ted in  that  of  1860,  the  authors,  perhaps,  thinking  that  its  place 
might  be  supplied  by  the  fluid  extract ;  but,  as  the  syrup  has  been  so 
long  known  and  used,  not  only  in  professional  but  also  in  domestic 
practice,  there  still  exists  for  it  a  lingering  demand,  which  is  likely  to 
continue.    To  supply  this  demand  the  pharmacist  is  compelled  to 
keep  the  syrup  constantly  on  hand ;  and,  as  the  formula  of  the  U.  S. 
Pharmacopoeia  of  1850  yielded  rather  an  uncertain  preparation, 
which  was  very  liable  to  spoil  if  long  kept,  I  thought  I  would  offer  a 
formula  for  its  preparation  which  I  have  used  for  several  years,  and 
which  will  afford  a  reliable  and  permanent  syrup.    As  an  evidence  of 
this,  I  have  samples  of  it  which  have  kept  for  nearly  three  years 
unaltered.    The  demand  for  the  syrup  in  some  localities  being  lim- 
ited, and  the  fact  of  its  being  an  unstable  preparation  as  made  by  the 
late  officinal  formula,  some  pharmacists  have  been  led  to  the  habit  of 
making  it,  in  small  quantities,  as  needed,  from  the  fluid  extract ;  but 
this  practice  should  not  be  encouraged,  and  it  is  only  when  the  phar- 
macist makes  correctly  his  own  fluid  extract,  and  is  sure  of  its  relia- 
ble quality,  that  this  mode  of  preparing  the  syrup  should  ever  be  em- 
ployed. 
The  following  is  the  process  which  I  have  adopted : 
R.    Pulv.  Sennse,  No.  60,  Jij  troy, 
"    Foeniculi,  No.  60,  " 
Sacchar.  alb.,  sifted,  ^ix  " 
Glycerinse,  f^iv  " 
Alcohol,  dil.,  sufficient  quantity. 
Mix  the  powders,  and,  having  moistened  the  mixture  with  dil.  alco- 
hol, pack  it  firmly  in  a  glass  funnel  prepared  for  percolation,  and 
gradually  pour  diluted  alcohol  upon  it  until  sixteen  fluidounces  are 
obtained,  or  until  the  mixture  is  exhausted.  Set  aside  in  a  shallow 
dish,  in  a  warm  place,  the  first  four  fluidounces  which  pass,  to  evapo- 
