3 1 6  Mist.  Guaiaci  in  Clear  Solution.      { kmjl™%t£rm' 
tion  of  ten  grains  of  guaiacum  in  a  drachm  of  glycerin,  which  I  was 
assured  could  not  be  supplied,  but  I  pressed  the  experiment  and  so  it 
was  tried,  but  failed  completely.  I  next  begged  a  mixture  of  tincture 
of  guaiacum  with  glycerin  in  equal  parts;  I  was  assured  that  the  gly- 
cerin would  act  to  the  tincture  as  water  would  do  and  would  at  once 
precipitate  the  guaiacum,  and  it  was  pointed  out  to  me  that  since  the 
glycerin  had  proved  its  incapacity  for  dissolving  guaiacum  I  might  take 
the  result  for  granted.  However,  the  experiment  was  tried.  It  resulted 
in  a  perfectly  clear  solution.  More  glycerin  was  added,  and  the  solu- 
tion still  remained  perfectly  clear.  It  therefore  appears  that  it  is  pos- 
sible to  have  a  perfectly  clear  "  mistura  guaiaci,"  if  glycerin  be  added 
to  the  tincture  instead  of  water.  But  then,  it  may  be  asked,  is  the 
flavor  any  better  ?  To  this  I  am  in  a  position  to  reply  encouragingly. 
The  pungent  and  nauseating  flavor  of  the  guaiacum  is  rendered  con- 
siderably softer  and  altogether  less  objectionable.  However,  it  might 
be  urged  that  an  ounce  of  glycerin  is  not  quite  such  a  trifle  to  swallow 
as  an  ounce  of  water,  but  this  only  leads  me  to  point  out  another  con- 
venience of  my  device,  and  that  is,  a  diminution  of  the  necessary  bulk 
of  the  dose,  which  may  conveniently  be  reduced  within  the  capacity  of 
a  liqueur-glass.  The  spirituous  sweetness  of  the  compound  suggests 
the  allusion,  and  the  flavor  of  the  mixture  is  not  very  distasteful.  Yet 
another  objection  may  arise,  namely,  that  even  if  its  flavor  be  rendered 
milder  the  remedy  must  nevertheless  be  contained  in  this  diminished 
bulk  of  fluid  in  a  higher  state  of  concentration,  so  that  when  the  com- 
pound gets  mixed  with  the  fluids  of  the  stomach  this  fact  will  become 
manifest.  But  no  drawback  of  that  kind  occurs.  The  action  of  a 
glycerin  solution  on  the  tissues  is  much  more  gradually  exerted  than 
that  of  an  aqueous  one,  as  any  one  may  know  who  has  compared  the 
effect  on  a  sore  throat  of  painting  it  at  one  time  with  the  glycerin  of 
tannic  acid,  and  at  another  with  an  equivalent  aqueous  solution  of  the 
acid,  or  who  has  tried  on  a  patch  of  slightly  raw  skin  an  aqueous  as 
against  a  glycerin  solution  of  iodine  of  corresponding  strength.  I 
would,  therefore,  propose  the  admixture  of  half  a  drachm  or  a  drachm 
of  the  tincture  of  guaiacum  with  one  or  two  drachms  of  glycerin  for 
a  dose,  and  I  must  explain  that  I  made  use  of  a  rectified  spirit  tincture 
and  not  the  ammoniated  tincture  of  the  Pharmacopoeia.  Furthermore, 
I  must  add  that  the  mixture  of  the  tincture  with  glycerin  will  not  bear 
dilution  with  water,  which  renders  it  turbid.  If  it  is  to  be  diluted  it 
must  be  diluted  with  glycerin. — Pharm.  Jour,  and  Trans  ,  May  3,  1879, 
p.  894. 
