THE  AMEEIOAK" 
JOURNAL  OF  PHARMACY 
preparation  of  the  Syrup  is  undoubtedly  increasing.  The  dis- 
pensing doctors  and  the  druggists  who  are  either  "  too  busy  "  or 
"  too  lazy  "  to  make  Syrup  of  Iron  Iodide  by  the  official  process 
have  willingly  relegated  to  the  manufacturer  the  preparation  of  the 
concentrated  Solution  of  Ferrous  Iodide,  and  have  thus  curtailed 
their  own  practice  of  the  art  of  pharmacy  to  the  simple  admixture 
of  such  a  concentrated  solution  with  Syrup. 
As  long  ago  as  1888,  this  custom  was  sufficiently  in  vogue  to  be 
recognized  by  the  National  Formulary,  and,  in  the  first  issue  of 
that  work  in  that  year,  a  formula  for  Liquor  Ferri  lodidi  was  in- 
cluded. The  note  accompanying  that  formula  stated :  "  On  mixing 
1  volume  of  this  Solution  of  Iodide  of  Iron  with  5  volumes  of 
Syrup,  the  product  will  contain  about  60  grains  of  Iodide  of  Iron 
(ferrous)  in  -each ."fluid-ounce,  and  will  be  practically,  measure  for 
measure,  but  not  weight  for  weight,  identical  with  the  official  Syrup 
of  Iodide  of  Iron." 
It  will  be  thus  seen  that  the  extemporaneous  preparation  of 
syrup  of  ferrous  iodide  in  this  way  had,  even  at  that  time,  the  en- 
dorsement of  a  quasi  legal  authority. 
In  the  Third  Edition  of  the  N.  F.  published  in  1906,  the  formula 
has  been  retained.  In  the  earlier  copies  of  this  edition  the  foot-note 
stated:  "This  solution  contains  about  85  per  cent,  of  Ferrous 
Iodide.  On  mixing  1  volume  with  15  volumes  of  Syrup  (U.  S.  P.), 
the  product  will  be  practically  identical  with  Syrup  of  Ferrous 
Iodide  (U.  S.  P.)."  Subsequently,  this  wording  was  changed,  and 
in  the  later  copies  the  note  reads :  "  This  solution  contains  about 
81  per  cent,  of  Ferrous  Iodide.  On  mixing  1  volume  with  11  vol- 
umes of  Syrup  (U.  S.  P.),  the  product  will  be  practically  identical 
with  Syrup  of  Ferrous  Iodide  (U.  S.  P.)." 
(i95) 
