i66 
Practical  Notes. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  1876. 
I  heard  an  intelligent  physician,  when  shown  these  wafers  the  first 
time,  remark,  "  Why,  you  don't  expect  any  one  to  swallow  those  big 
buttons,  those  rough  edges  would  scratch  a  man's  throat,"  but  when  it 
was  explained  how  they  were  used,  and  he  had  actually  swallowed  one, 
he  changed  his  tune  and  left  the  store  with  the  remark,  "  They  are 
excellent  for  the  purpose  they  are  intended." 
The  claim  of  the  inventor  of  Cachets,  that,  by  their  use,  two 
separate  salts  can  be  introduced  into  the  stomach,  and  there  form 
another  salt,  is  verily  true.  The  combinations  made  use  of  by  Mr. 
Lechler  have  enabled  him  to  show  (in  these  instances  only),  the 
absurdity  of  the  claim.  I  do  not  know  if  any  of  his  friends  in  the 
medical  profession  are  in  the  habit  of  directing  a  Seidlitz  powder  to  be 
taken  thus,  the  white  powder  to  be  taken  first,  and  the  blue  one  imme- 
diately after,  in  order  to  have  the  tartrate  of  soda  in  a  nascent  state  in 
the  stomach.  I  do  not  recollect  any  instance  where  a  physician  has 
desired  to  prescribe  mixtures  that  would  produce  such  evolution  of 
carbonic  acid  in  the  stomach  as  those  mentioned  by  Mr.  Lechler,  and, 
therefore,  do  not  consider  it  a  fair  test.  There  are  many  instances 
where  the  claim  can,  and  has  been,  successfully  brought  into  use. 
I  have  written  these  lines  solely  with  a  desire  to  show  the  friends  in 
pharmacy  that  there  are  some  good  qualities  in  these  wafers,  and  that 
they  answer  an  excellent  purpose  in  many  cases. 
PRACTICAL  NOTES. 
BY  GUSTAVE  C.  RACHER. 
Medicated  Waters. — As  medicated  waters  are  very  apt  to  spoil,  I 
conceived,  two  years  ago,  the  idea  of  substituting  glycerin  for  magne- 
sia. I  was  successful  with  the  experiment  so  far,  and  therefore  lay  it 
before  the  profession  for  consideration.    The  formula  is  the  following  : 
Volatile  oil,  .....  %ss 
Glycerin  (pure),  %n 
Mix  by  succussion,  add 
Distilled  water,  .....  ^ii 
Mix  and  transfer  to  a  filter,  adding  through  it  the  requisite  quantity 
of  water. 
Adulteration  of  Balsam  of  Peru. — A  simple  test,  by  which  even  a 
small  addition  of  castor  oil  to  the  balsam  may  be  detected,  is  the  fol- 
lowing : 
