^'^'^TuSeTXt''"'"}  Selections  from  Banish  Archives  f.  Pharm.  259 
and  elsewhere,  by  means  of  superheated  steam,  the  process  being 
patented.  Provided  the  chemicals  have  been  properly  removed,  the 
result  is  'the  same.  We  boiled  a  portion  of  our  Smith's  Ferry  re- 
siduum for  some  time  in  distilled  water,  which  remained  entirely  neu- 
tral to  test  paper. 
In  the  course  of  our  experiments,  we  tried  a  number  of  other  sub- 
stances, such  as  clay,  sodic  silicate,  glycerin,  willow  charcoal,  &c.,  for 
purifying  the  oil,  but  none  were  found  at  all  comparable  to  animal  char- 
coal. Still,  it  is  really  surprising,  and,  in  fact,  somewhat  discouraging, 
that  so  large  a  proportion  of  this  substance  is  requisite.  On  an  average, 
two  pounds  of  charcoal  and  a  quart  of  residuum  will  yield  only  about 
a  pint  of  purified  oil,  the  other  pint  being  retained  by  the  bone-black. 
On  a  large  scale,  it  will  no  doubt  be  advantageous  to  regain  this  by 
percolation  with  benzin,  or  perhaps  by  superheated  steam. 
In  warm  summer  weather,  the  water-bath  can  be  dispensed  with  in 
the  percolation  of  the  residuum,  as  the  purified  oil  melts  at  70°  F.  and 
congeals  at  60°.  Paraffin  ointment  melts  at  98°  F.,  while  the  cerate 
softens  at  80°  and  melts  at  106°  F.. 
Beeswax  combines  readily  with  the  oil,  and  seems  also  to  have  the 
power  of  masking  the  petroleum  odor,  when  this  has  not  been  com- 
pletely removed.  We  therefore  suggest  the  following  formula  as  an 
elegant  substitute  for  simple  cerate  : 
Paraffin  Cerate.     Ceratum  Paraffini. 
Pure  beeswax,  ........        i  part. 
Purified  paraffin  oil,      .  9  parts. 
Melt  the  beeswax  on  a  water-bath  and  add  the  oil. 
Paraffin  ointment  seems  to  be  peculiarly  adapted  for  use  as  an  appli- 
cation to  the  hair,  as  the  hydrocarbons  composing  it  are  not  like  other 
oils,  prone  to  combine  with  oxygen.  It  can  be  conveniently  perfumed 
with  any  desirable  odor.  We  present  herewith,  a  sample  of  the  fol- 
lowing : 
Paraffin  Pomade. 
Paraffin  ointment,       .......        10  ounces. 
Oil  of  rose,    .........    20  drops. 
Oil  of  Bergamot,        .......       30  drops. 
SELECTIONS  FROM  THE  DANISH  ARCHIVES  FOR  PHARMACY, 
1875,  FEBRUARY  TO  APRIL. 
BY  HANS  M.  WILDER. 
Mistake. — In  putting  up  the  following  prescription  :  Morph.  acet.,  0-05 
grms.  ;  chloral  hydrat.,  5  grms. ;  aq.  dist.,  60  grms.,  the  clerk  took  hold 
