Amjlll%\arm'}  Martindale  s  "Extra  Pharmacopoeia.*'  329 
Prepared  with  U.  S.  P.,  absolute  alcohol,  chloroform  and  ether,  the 
mixture  would  have  a  slightly  lower  gravity. 
It  is  singular  to  note  the  influence  that  water  in  ether  has  of  re- 
tarding anaesthesia.  The  writer  has  frequently  observed  that  the 
higher  the  specific  gravity  of  an  ether,  the  greater  the  amount  of  it 
that  was  required  to  produce  anaesthesia.  To  a  degree,  the  higher 
the  gravity  of  an  ether,  the  more  water  it  contains,  and  it  seems 
reasonable  to  believe  that  it  is  the  presence  of  water  in  ether  and  not 
so  much  the  alcohol  that  retards  anesthetization,  or  rather  renders 
an  increased  amount  of  ether  necessary  to  produce  it.  That  this  is 
Mr.  Martindale's  opinion  also,  is  evident  from  his  improved  formula 
for  the  "A.C.E.  Mixture,"  in  which  he  seeks  to  minimize,  as  far  as 
practicable,  the  percentage  of  water  present,  by  using  absolute 
alcohol,  and  an  ether  stronger  than  that  contained  in  the  original 
formula.  This  "  A.C.E.  Mixture  "  is  alleged  to  be  safer  than  chlo- 
roform, and  quicker  in  action  than  ether,  though  not  so  quick  as 
chloroform  ;  and  the  improved  formula  certainly  deserves  a  thorough 
trial. 
If  petrolatum  possesses  therapeutic  virtues — which,  apart  from  its 
being  demulcent  to  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  alimentary  canal, 
is  doubtful — a  formula  for  an  emulsion  of  it  with  hypophosphites 
is  given  on  p.  331,  as  follows: 
Soft  petrolatum  "5  ounces  (av. ) 
Powdered  acacia  2*5  ounces  (av.) 
Mix  and  add  4  fluid  ounces  of  water.  Dissolve  120  grains  each 
of  sodium  hypophosphite  and  calcium  hypophosphite  in  6  fluid 
ounces  of  water.  Add  to  the  above  with  constant  trituration,  and 
then  add  a  sufficient  quantity  of  water  to  measure  15  fluid  ounces. 
Dose  :  1  to  4  teaspoonfuls. 
In  the  making  of  tincture  of  strophanthus,  Mr.  Martindale  gives 
preference  to  Fraser's  process  as  improved  upon  by  himself  (i.  e., 
exhausting  the  ground  and  dried  seeds  with  ether,  drying  and 
exhausting  with  alcohol),  to  the  U.S. P.  process  of  simply  percolating 
with  a  diluted  alcoholic  menstrum  (alcohol  650  c.c.  to  water  350  c  c.) 
without  prior  exhaustion  with  ether.  In  the  writer's  experience, 
Mr.  Martindale's  process  is  decidedly  the  better  of  the  two.  It  may 
require  a  longer  time  than  the  present  U.S.P.  process  ;  but  the  final 
product  is  surer  of  representing  all  the  therapeutically  active  prin- 
ciples of  the  drug. 
