556  Improved  Method  of  Exhausting  Drugs.  {^"nov.^'i883*'^°* 
the  granules  of  even  size,  reminding  of  the  conidia  of  fungoids,  while 
the  former  consists  of  uneven  broken  crystals. 
In  water,  glycerin,  alcohol  and  ether  it  seems  insoluble,  while  its 
solution  in  acids  is  probably  due  to  its  decomposition,  and  formation  of 
bismuthous  salts.  Tests  for  its  purity  are  the  absence  of  acid  reaction 
of  water  boiled  with  it  (salicylic  acid),  its  rapid  combustion  on  plati- 
num foil,  with  liberation  of  phenic  odors,  free  from  nitrous  acid  vapors, 
and  lastly  its  distinct  granular  appearance  without  crystalline  frag- 
ments under  the  microscope  (bismuthyl  nitrate). 
If  it  proves  what  has  been  claimed  for  it,  it  will  certainly  be  a  most 
important  addition  to  our  store  of  remedial  agents,  but  its  slow  demand 
amidst  the  vast  material  for  its  application  where  it  could  be  certainly 
used  with  impunity  leaves  the  latter  question  somewhat  in  doubt. 
IMPROVED  METHOD  OF  EXHAUSTING  DRUGS. 
By  Alfred  B.  Taylor. 
For  some  years  past  I  have  employed  a  process  for  making  some  of 
the  fluid  extracts,  tinctures,  etc.,  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,  which  has 
proved  very  satisfactory.  The  plan  has  probably  occurred  to  others, 
but  I  have  never  seen  it  published,  nor  have  I  ever  heard  it  suggested 
by  any  one,  and  I  have  thought  a  notice  of  it  might  be  acceptable  to 
the  readers  of  the  Journal. 
I  have  found  it  especially  serviceable  in  making  those  preparations 
which  are  made  from  drugs  that  are  difficult  to  exhaust  with  small 
quantities  of  menstruum. 
The  process  consists  in  using  a  portion  of  the  finished  preparation 
(from  a  previous  operation)  to  macerate  and  partially  exhaust  the  drug 
before  using  the  new  portion  of  menstruum,  and  as  there  is  no  limit 
to  the  quantity  of  finished  preparation  that  can  be  used  where  neces- 
sary, it  is  possible  to  exhaust  completely  the  drug  operated  on. 
For  example,  let  it  be  required  to  make  two  pints  of  tincture  of 
arnica  flowers. 
Take  of  Arnica  flowers,  in  No.  20  powder   6  oz.  av. 
Tincture  of  arnica  flowers   2  pints. 
Diluted  alcohol,  a  sufficient  quantity  to  make   4  pints. 
Moisten  the  powder  with  a  pint  of  the  tincture  of  arnica  flowers, 
and  macerate  for  twenty-four  hours ;  then  pack  it  firmly  in  a  cylin- 
