GLYCERIN  TO  PREVENT  THE  DEPOSITION  OF  APOTHEME.  325 
In  the  New  Dispensatory,  by  Wood  and  Bache,  11th  ed., 
under  the  head  of  Brandy  we  read  that  "it  contains  on  an 
average  53  per  cent.,  by  measure,  of  alcohol  of  the  density 
•825."  Now,  as  alcohol  of  this  specific  gravity  contains  but  92J 
per  cent,  of  pure  alcohol,  it  follows  that  this  brandy,  containing 
but  53  per  cent,  of  92J  per  cent.,  or  49  per  cent.,  nearly,  by 
volume,  is  within  che  limits  of  the  definition  given  as  brandy  in 
the  Pharmacopoeia,  provided  percentage  by  volume  is  meant. 
On  the  other  hand,  upon  looking  at  the  remarks  under  the 
head  of  whiskey,  we  find  this  paragraph :  "  It  should  contain 
from  48  to  56  per  cent,  alcohol,  and  its  specific  gravity,  there- 
fore, should  not  exceed  -922  at  60°  F.,  nor  be  less  than  -904." 
Now,  an  alcoholic  liquor  of  these  specific  gravities  will  be  found, 
by  referring  to  the  table  of  Tralles,  to  have  a  per  cent,  by  volume 
of  from  55J  to  64.  This  is  much  greater  than  the  strength 
of  brandy  as  found  above.  How  is  this  discrepancy  to  be 
avoided  ?    Who  shall  decide  when  doctors  disagree  ? 
It  is  unfortunate  that  the  term  percentage  of  alcohol  was  not 
determined  to  mean  per  cent,  by  volume,  that  measure  being 
universally  adopted  in  all  commercial  transactions,  and  also  by 
the  Revenue  Department  of  our  own  and  other  countries.  At 
any  rate,  the  omission  to  state  definitely  what  the  Pharmacopoeia 
intends  by  the  term  percentage  of  alcohol,  must  render  the  defi- 
nitions of  brandy  and  whiskey  uncertain  in  regard  to  their 
strength. — Proc.  Amer.  Pharm.  Assoc.,  1865. 
ON  THE  USE  OF  GLYCERIN  TO  PREVENT  THE  DEPO- 
SITION OF  APOTHEME. 
By  A.  B.  Taylor.  » 
"In  what  preparations  may  Glycerin  be  used  to  prevent  the  deposition  of 
apotheme  ?  What  is  the  minimum  quantity  that  will  answer  the  purpose, 
and  will  such  preparations  bear  dilution  ?" 
The  following  remarks  are  offered  in  reply  to  the  above  query, 
which  was  accepted  by  me  at  the  last  meeting  of  the  Association. 
The  only  preparations,  perhaps,  in  which  Glycerin  could  be 
used  for  the  purpose  specified,  are  Fluid  Extracts,  Decoctions, 
Infusions  and  Tinctures,  and  accordingly  experiments  were  in- 
stituted with  specimens  of  each  of  these  classes. 
