^sep"'i87^m'}      Unguent  urn  Hydrargyri  Nitratis.  437 
improvement  on  the  present  officinal  process,  though  requiring  a  little 
more  skill  in  manipulation.  In  the  "Journal  "  for  August,  page  385, 
Mr.  A.  Robbins  gives  another  process,  which  I  think  is  an  improve- 
ment on  that  of  Mr.  BisselPs,  although  requiring  a  great  deal  of  evap- 
oration.1 
If  the  "Journal"  has  not  yet  had  an  emetic  dose  of  this  syrup,  I 
would  call  the  attention  of  your  readers  to  the  formula  given  by  Mr.  J.  B. 
Moore,  in  the  "Druggists'  Circular"  for  July,  1877,  and  originally 
published  in  the  "  American  Journal  of  Pharmacy,"  March,  1870,  p. 
127.  This  process  is  so  simple  and  easy  that  we  should  be  glad  to  see  it 
adopted  in  the  United  States  Pharmacopoeia  for  1880.  A  specimen  of 
the  syrup,  which  I  made  in  accordance  with  Mr.  Moore's  formula  in 
September,  1877,  remains  free  from  deposits  or  cloudiness. 
Phil.  Hoglan,  Ph.G. 
Nevucomerstoivn,  O.,  August  12th,  1879. 
UNGUENTUM  HYDRARGYRI  NITRATIS. 
By  Albert  A.  G.  Starck,  Ph.G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
From  the  results  of  a  number  of  experiments  made  under  varying 
conditions  with  lard,  lard  oil,  neatsfoot  oil,  olive  oil,  sweet  almond  oil 
and  castor  oil,  the  writer  has  come  to  the  following  conclusions: 
1.  That  lard  oil  is  better  adapted  for  the  preparation  of  citrine  oint- 
ment than  lard  or  neatsfoot  oil,  because  it  forms,  with  the  quantity  of 
nitric  acid  required  for  that  purpose,  a  preparation  more  stable  and 
unctuous  in  its  character.  Lard,  when  acted  on  by  HNOa,  becomes 
hard  and  brittle,  and  neatsfoot  oil  changes  into  a  granular  unsightly  mass. 
2.  That  the  regulation  of  the  temperature  is  of  the  greatest  import- 
ance, inasmuch  as  the  color  of  the  preparation  depends  greatly  upon  it. 
3.  That  the  oxidation  of  the  fat,  as  proposed  by  Mr.  Rother  in  1870, 
previous  to  the  addition  of  the  mercurial  solution,  is  an  important  step, 
and  should  be  done  with  care  and  constant  stirring,  in  order  to  keep 
the  acid  well  suspended  in  the  mixture,  which,  on  account  of  the 
greater  density  of  the  acid,  has  a  tendency  to  separate. 
1  This  is  an  error.  Mr.  Robbins'  formula  for  syrup  of  ipecacuanha  requires  filter- 
ing, but  no  evaporation.  The  syrup  is  made  from  the  fluid  extract,  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  which  evaporation  is  resorted  to. — Editor. 
