:238  Fluid  Extracts  of  the  New  Pharmacopoeia.     { ^"^MariSs"""'" 
prepared  in  November,  1879,  now  contains  a  considerable  precipitate; 
.another  sample,  prepared  at  the  same  time,  with  one  part  of  alcohol 
and  three  parts  of  water,  now  contains  less  than  half  as  much  precipi- 
tate as  the  first,  in  all  other  respects  both  samples  are  in  excellent 
<3on(lition. 
ExTRACTUM  AsARi  Fluidum. — Fluicl  Extract  of  Wild  Ginger. — 
Alcohol  was  recommended  as  the  menstruum  for  this  preparation ;  a 
sample  thus  prepared  in  January,  1880,  is  now  entirely  without  pre- 
cipitate, and  is  in  every  respect  in  most  excellent  condition ;  another 
sample  prepared  about  the  same  time,  with  a  menstruum  of  three  parts 
of  alcohol  and  one  part  of  water,  now  contains  a  considerable  deposit 
of  soft  resinous  matter,  which  cannot  be  again  dissolved  in  the  fluid 
extract  by  shaking.  Alcohol  is  evidently  the  proper  menstruum  for 
this  preparation. 
The  Committee  of  Revision  not  only  rejected  this  preparation, 
but  also  dismissed  asarum  from  the  Pharmacopoeia.  This  is  to 
be  regretted,  for  although  the  article  may  have  had  only  a  very 
limited  employment  by  physicians,  it  is  considerably  used  in  general 
pharmacy. 
ExTRACTUM  AuRANTii  DuLCis  CoRTicis  Fluidum. — Fluid  Extract 
of  Sweet  Orange  Peel. — This  was  recommended  to  be  made  from  the 
recently  dried,  yellow  portion  of  the  peel  of  sweet  oranges,  using  alco- 
hol as  the  menstruum;  a  sample  thus  prepared  in  January,  1880, 
now  contains  a  very  slight  resinous  deposit,  and  the  flavor  is  also 
slightly  deteriorated,  but  the  preparation  kept  for  nearly  two  years 
without  perceptible  change.  If  the  percolation  was  allowed  to  pro- 
ceed slowly,  and  occasionally  stopped  altogether  for  some  hours,  the 
orange  peel  would  be  exhausted  before  one  hundred  parts  of  percolate 
would  be  obtained,  thereby  avoiding  the  necessity  for  evaporation,  and 
its  doubtless  injurious  effect  on  the  permanence  of  the  preparation. 
Extra CTUM  Erigerontis  Canadensis  Fluidum. — Fluid  Extract 
of  Canada  Erigeron. — As  the  menstruum  for  this  preparation  the 
Pharmacopoeia  of  1870  directed  alcohol  (s.g.  '835) ;  the  Philadelphia 
College  of  Pharmacy  recommended  alcohol  (s.g.  '822),  and  a  sample 
thus  prepared  in  November,  1879,  now  contains  only  a  slight,  appa- 
rently resinous  deposit  on  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  bottle;  but  as 
this  preparation  was  chiefly  recommended  because  it  was  already  oflici- 
nal,  and  as  whatever  medicinal  value  Canada  erigeron  may  possess,  is 
no  doubt  fully  represented  by  the  volatile  oil,  which  is  also  officinal, 
