78 
Prescription  Scales  and  Weights. 
r  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
1      Feb.,  1883. 
measure  of  alcohol.  This  magnificent  result,  iu  connection  with  the 
speed  and  facility  of  the  operation  and  comparative  cheapness  of  the 
product,  encourages  the  suggestion  to  abandon  the  ordinary  tincture  of 
opinm  altogether.  Should  it  be  advisable  to  retain  the  narcotine 
remaining  in  the  dregs,  a  small  proportion  of  dilate  sulphuric  acid 
might  be  used  to  secure  it  in  the  tincture  as  soluble  narcotium  sulphate. 
From  these  results  the  following  formula  for  a  deodorised  tincture  of 
opium  is  deduced : 
Take  of 
Opium  dried  and  powdered,  .         .         2\  troy  ounces 
S;irmaieti}°f^«'^l^-      •         •         •         •      1  troyounce 
Alcohol,         .....  Tfluidounces 
Water  sufficient. 
Upon  the  opium  contained  in  a  suitable  capsule  pour  12  to  14  fluid- 
ounces  of  water  and  boil  the  mixture  JO  to  15  minutes;  then  add  the 
spermaceti  and  vaselin,  stir  them  Avell  together,  let  the  mixture  cool, 
and  decant  the  liquid  from  the  dregs.  Upon  the  residue  pour  8  fluid- 
ounces  of  water,  again  heat  the  mixture,  stir  it  well,  and  after  cooling, 
decant  as  before.  Repeat  this  operation  once  more  with  8  fluidounces 
of  water  or  sufficient  to  make  the  mixed  decantates  measure  25  fluid- 
ounces.  Mix  the  three  decantates,  let  tlie  mixture  become  cold,  filter, 
and  finally  add  the  alcohol. 
PRESCRIPTION  SCALES  AND  WEIGHTS. 
By  William  B.  Thompson. 
Read  at  the  Pharmaceutical  Meeting,  January  16. 
A  paper  with  the  above  title,  in  part,  read  at  a  meeting  of  the  Wis- 
consin Pharmaceutical  Association,  recalls  to  mind  a  similar  production 
presented  to  the  Pennsylvania  Association,  in  which  latter  some  inter- 
esting observations  were  elicited,  detailing  facts  not  at  all  creditable  to 
the  proverbial  carefulness  and  pains-taking  of  the  apothecary.  It  was 
demonstrated  by  actual  visits  of  observation  to  various  stores,  that 
whilst  the  counter  scales  were  faultlessly  bright  in  the  lustre  of  their 
mountings,  the  prescription  scales  in  the  screened  recesses  of  the  same 
establishments  were  not  only  lamentably  lustreless,  but  criminally 
neglected  in  their  .conditions  of  accuracy  and  correctness.  Just  how 
naturally  resultant  errors  and  inaccuracies  can  escape  observation  and 
