122  Fluid  Extracts  of  the  New  Pharmacopoeia.  {^'"•£"'188?™' 
though  it  is  probably  not  injurious  to  the  preparation ;  if  either  is  re- 
tained, the  preference  seems  to  be  in  favor  of  the  acetic  acid. 
In  regard  to  the  proper  menstruum  for  ergot,  it  is  well  known,  that 
water  alone  extracts  the  active  constituents,  the  extractum  secalis  cor- 
nuti  of  the  German  Pharmacopoeia,  and  the  extractum  ergotoe  liqui- 
dum  of  the  British  Pharmacopoeia,  are  both  prepared  with  that  men- 
struum, fifty  per  cent,  of  rectified  spirit  being  added  to  the  evapo- 
rated aquous  extract  in  the  English  preparation.  One  of  the  most 
careful  and  competent  investigators,  who  is  also  a  large  manufacturer 
of  fluid  extracts,  has  recommended  a  menstruum  composed  of  one  part 
of  alcohol  and  three  parts  of  water. 
After  a  number  of  previous  experiments,  a  series  of  four  fluid  ex- 
tracts, differing  only  in  the  menstruums,  was  made  in  January,  1880. 
No.  1.  With  a  menstruum  composed  of  one  part  of  alcohol  and  one 
part  of  w^ater,  with  one  per  cent,  of  acetic  acid  in  the  dilute  percolate. 
This  is  the  fornmla  finally  recommended  by  the  Philadelphia  College 
of  Pharmacy. 
No.  2.  The  same  menstruum,  without  the  acetic  acid. 
No.  3.  With  a  menstruum  composed  of  one  part  of  alcohol  and 
two  parts  of  water,  also  without  acid. 
No.  4.  With  one  part  of  alcohol,  and  three  parts  of  water,  Avithout 
acid. 
None  of  these  samples  have  either  been  decanted  or  filtered,  and 
now,  three  years  after  they  were  made,  the  deposit  in  each  is  about 
equal,  but  only  moderate  in  amount,  being  aboilt  the  one-eighth  of  an 
inch  deep  in  a  four  ounce  bottle  ;  in  both  number  one  and  two,  a 
black,  tarry  matter  covers  the  upper  part  of  the  bottle  above  the  fluid 
extract,  which  has  also  become  darker  than  when  first  made,  and  is  no 
longer  quite  transparent.  With  the  exception  of  the  deposit  above 
referred  to,  numbers  three  and  four  remain  as  when  first  made,  reddish 
brown  in  color  and  transparent  in  thin  layers.  Number  three  is  de- 
cidedly preferable  to  either  number  one  or  two.  I  have  made  con- 
siderable quantities  by  this  formula  during  the  last  three  years,  to  my 
own  satisfaction,  and  *with  the  approval  of  physicians.  The  only 
'  reason  why  number  four  was  not  used,  was  the  fear  that  it  might  not 
contain  suflicient  alcohol  for  its  preservation  under  all  circumstances, 
in  hot  weather.  As  number  three  may  be  said  to  keep  for  an  un- 
limited period,  and  as  it  is  not  always  possible  to  get  good  ergot,  the 
