Am.  Jour.  Pharm. ) 
May,  1883.,  i" 
Practical  Notes. 
271 
■of  lead  carbonate  and  filtering  tlirougli  paper,  returning  the  first  por- 
tions of  the  filtrate  until  it  passes  perfectly  clear.  Ordinary  shellac 
may  be  used,  but  it  imparts  a  brownish  color  to  the  labels.  The  var- 
nish dries  rapidly,  and  after  two  or  three  coats  are  applied  is  smooth 
5ind  so  hard  that  the  warmth  of  the  hand  makes  no  impression  on  it. 
—Ibid,,  p.  43. 
Castor  Oil  Soap  for  Linimentum  Saponis  comp.,  has  been  repeatedly 
recommended  (see  Amer.  Jour.  Phar.,  1872,  p.  529).  M.  S.  Hammer 
gives  the  following  formula  for  preparing  the  soap  :  Saponify  castor 
oil  Oii  with  caustic  potassa  5vi  and  water  Oii  By  heating  until  a  trans- 
parent mixture  is  obtained,  then  add  a  saturated  solution  of  8  ounces 
of  sodium  chloride,  stir  until  cool,  allow  to  subside  for  a  day,  decant 
the  liquid  portion,  cut  in  pieces  and  dry  for  use. — Proc.  Cal.  Phar.  Soc, 
1883,  p.  50. 
A  Troublesome  Ointment. — S.  A.  McDonnell  found  great  difficulty 
in  preparing  an  ointment  ordered  to  be  made  from  extract,  eucalypti, 
•extract,  hydrastis,  extract,  iridis  versic.  aa  ung.  petrolei  ^i.  The 
extracts  were  softened  with  water,  with  alcohol  of  25  and  50  per  ct., 
and  with  alcohol,  but  a  presentable  ointment  could  not  be  made  until 
to  the  extracts  of  the  last  experiment  a  portion  of  glycerin  was  added 
.and  heat  applied,  until  all  the  alcohol  and  water  were  evaporated ;  the 
extracts  were  then  smooth  and  soft,  and  on  being  added  to  the  petro- 
latum made  a  perfect  ointment. — Ibid.,  p.  44. 
Naphthol  in  Ointments. — Commercial  naphthol  when  used  in  ointments 
cmdergoes  a  decomposition,  a  brown  oil  being  separated.  To  avoid 
this,  Causse  proposes  the  purification  of  naphthol,  which  is  powdered 
^nd  for  several  hours  treated  with  chloroform,  in  which  liquid  it  is 
insoluble;  the  chloroform  solution  is  afterwards  decanted  or  filtered, 
^ind  the  naphthol  fused  until  the  odor  of  chlorofrom  has  disappeared. 
TJnguentum  Naphtholi,  as  used  by  Prof.  Hardy,  is  made  of  1  part  of 
jiaphthol  and  10  parts  of  petrolatum.  The  naphthol  is  dissolved  in 
its  own  weight  of  ether,  one-third  of  the  petrolatum  is  added,  and  the 
mixture  heated  in  a  water  bath  to  expel  the  ether,  when  the  semi-liquid 
mass  is  mixed  with  the  remaining  petrolatum. — Jour.  Phar.  Chim., 
1883,  Feb.,  p.  143. 
The  acid  reaction  of  the  gastric  juice,  according  to  Dr.  V.  Poulet,  is 
due  to  acid  hippurate  of  potassium,  which  is  associated  or  combined 
with  neutral  calcium  and  sodium  phosphates.  These  salts  may  be  recog- 
nized by  their  shape  under  the  microscope,  and  when  the  gastric  juice 
