EDITORIAL. 
473 
Journal  of  Materia  Medica  and  Pharmaceutic  Formulary,  is  the 
title  of  a  small  periodical  issued  by  Tilden  &  Company  of  New  Lebanon, 
addressed  to  physicians  and  apothecaries.  It  is  intended  to  attract  atten- 
tion to  new  indigenous  and  other  drugs,  and  to  the  new  preparations 
derived  from  old  and  new  drugs.  Articles  used  in  Eclectic  practice  are 
largely  considered,  and  the  preparations  of  Tilden  &  Co.  occupy  a  promi- 
nent place.  Its  price  is  but  25  cents  per  year,  each  number  having  four 
leaves  or  eight  pages  octavo.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  "  April 
and  May"  number : 
Compound  Cathartic  Pill,  (U.  S.  P.) — The  formula  for  this  Pill,  according 
to  the  U.  S.  Pharmacoepeia,  is  as  follows  : 
Extract  Colocynth  Comp'd     .       .       .       1-2  ounce. 
"     Jalap  3  drams. 
Calomel  3  " 
Gamboge  in  Powder      ....       2  scruples. 
Divide  into  180  pills. 
This  pill  is  used  more  than  any  other  in  general  practice  as  a  cathartic. 
Dr.  Wood  says,  "  It  is  highly  important  for  the  efficiency  of  these  pills, 
that  they  be  prepared  in  exact  compliance  with  the  directions  of  the  Pharma- 
copoeia, and  that  the  Extract  of  Colocynth  Compound  and  Extract  of  Jalap  used, 
be  of  good  quality.    When  they  fail,  the  result  is  generally  owing  to  the  sub- 
stitution of  Jalap  for  the  Extract,  or  to  the  use  of  an  Extract  of  Colocynth 
Compound  made   of  nearly  inert   Scammony,  inferior  Aloes,  insufficient 
Colocynth,  and  altogether  badly  prepared."    That  our  readers  may  fully  un- 
derstand what  is  meant  by  inert  Scammony,  we  give  the 'formalise  for  making 
factitious,  or  Commercial  Scammony. 
1.  Aleppo  Scammony   1  ounce. 
Powdered  Jalap  .       .       .       .       .  7  " 
"       Senna  .  2  " 
"       Charcoal      ......  2  " 
Manna        .......  6  " 
Gamboge     .       .       ...       .       .       .  4  " 
Ginger  ,       .  1-4  " 
Syrup  of  Buckthorn    .       .       .       .       .  q.  s. 
2.  Powdered  Jalap  ......  2  ounces. 
Senna         .......  1-2  " 
Aleppo  Scammony      .  1-2  " 
Gamboge    .        .       .       .       .       .       .  1-2  " 
Charcoal     .        .       .       .       .       .       .  1-4  " 
Ginger        .......  1-4  " 
3.  Aleppo  Scammony      .       .       .       .       .  1  ounce. 
Ext.  Jalap   5  " 
GumGuiac.       ......  10  " 
Sago  .......  10  " 
Ivory  Black   4  " 
These  formulae  explain  clearly  the  cause  of  inert  Compound  Ext.  Colocynth, 
and  how  cheap  Compound  Ext.  Colocynth  can  be  made.  Were  prime  articles 
used  in  the  above,  even,  the  preparations  would  be  superior  to  much  of  the 
Scammony  sold  in  market.  It  is  clear  that  pure  Scammony,  as  well  as  other 
pure  articles,  must  be  used,  and  to  make  the  pill  reliable,  if  this  article  is  so 
difficult  to  be  obtained,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  next  Pharmaceutical  Convention 
to  substitute  some  article  for  it  which  can  be  obtained  pure. 
Much  objection  exists  on  the  part  of  individuals  to  the  use  of  Calomel  in  any 
form,  and  the  Physician  is  compelled  to  modify  and  vary  this  compound  to 
