226  ON  COMPOUND  SYRUP  OF  HYPOPHOSPHITES. 
is  soluble  in  alcohol  90  per  cent.,  but  partially  soluble  in  ether; 
insoluble  in  water,  but  is  rendered  wholly  soluble  by  the  addition 
of  either  liquor  potassa  or  ammonia.  From  these  facts  I  in- 
ferred that  alcohol  and  diluted  alcohol  with  the  caustic  alkali 
would  be  the  proper  menstruum,  and  have  accordingly  adopted 
the  following  formulae : 
Had.  Leptandra 
8 
oz. 
Alcohol,  90  per  cent. 
.  12 
oz. 
Diluted  alcohol 
q. 
s. 
Liq.  Potassge  . 
1 
oz. 
Sugar 
8 
oz. 
Having  reduced  the  root  to  a  coarse  powder,  and  after  allow- 
ing it  to  macerate  in  the  strong  alcohol  for  48  hours  it  was  trans- 
ferred to  a  percolator  and  exhausted  by  means  of  diluted  alcohol 
previously  mixed  with  the  liquor  potassse.  It  was  then  carefully 
evaporated  over  a  water  bath  to  12  fluid  ounces,  the  sugar 
added,  and  when  dissolved,  strained. 
The  resulting  fluid  extract  is  of  a  deep  reddish  brown  color, 
possessing  a  bitter  nauseous  taste.  Great  care  is  necessary  in 
the  evaporation  of  the  displaced  liquor  in  not  employing  too 
great  a  heat,  or  otherwise  the  resin  will  precipitate  and  be  ren- 
dered insoluble.  Each  fluid  drachm  represents  thirty  grains  of 
the  root. 
April  7th,  1858. 
NOTE  ON  COMPOUND  SYRUP  OF  HYPOPHOSPHITES. 
By  William  Procter,  Jr. 
In  the  last  number  of  this  Journal  (page  123)  I  published  a 
paper  in  which  this  syrup  was  suggested.  The  experience 
which  has  since  been  gained  in  its  preparation,  leads  to  a  modi- 
fication of  the  amount  of  sugar  and  to  some  precautions  in 
manipulation.  When  so  much  as  twelve  ounces  of  sugar  is  used 
to  the  pint,  it  is  found  to  cause  the  precipitation  of  a  portion 
of  the  calcareous  hypophosphite,  sometimes  as  a  cloudiness,  and 
sometimes  as  a  considerable  precipitation.  Also,  that  when 
otherwise  perfect,  the  use  of  fluid  extract  of  vanilla  will  cause  a 
