COLD  CREAM. 
63 
The  next  operation  was  40  lbs.  of  fluid  extract  of  wild  cherry 
(cerasus  serotina).  This,  I  think,  is  the  most  troublesome  of 
all  the  fluid  extracts,  and  the  result  here  was  the  same  as  with 
the  buchu.  I  think  the  glycerin  process  should  be  used  in  mak- 
ing all  the  fluid  extracts,  and  particularly  in  this  one,  for  which 
it  seems  well  adapted. 
The  next  substance  treated  was  vanilla.  I  took  an  ounce  of 
vanilla,  cut  it  transversely  into  small  pieces,  rubbed  it  into  pow- 
der with  sugar,  moistened  it  with  a  mixture  of  one  part  of  gly- 
cerin and  three  of  alcohol,  and  packed  it  into  a  conical  glass 
percolator  ;  let  it  stand  four  days,  and  then  percolated  with  a 
mixture  of  two  parts  of  alcohol  and  one  of  glycerin,  and  one  of 
water  until  a  pint  of  liquid  passed ;  forming  a  very  fine  extract. 
I  think  the  proportion  of  menstruum  used  to  moisten  in  the 
resinous  drugs,  such  as  ginger,  lupulin  and  podophyllum,  is  too 
great ;  twelve  fluid  ounces  being  preferable,  adding  the  balance 
after  the  four  days  maceration,  and  continue  the  percolation 
until  the  displacement  is  eff*ected.  I  never  insert  the  cork  ; 
using  a  piece  of  fine  sponge  in  the  neck  of  the  percolator. 
Memphis^  Tenn.,  Nov.  5,  1869. 
ON  COLD  CRP^AM. 
By  J.  B.  Moore. 
Ceratum  Galeni,  unguentum  refrigerans,  or  cold  cream,  as  it 
is  more  popularly  known,  is  of  more  ancient  origin  than  many 
would  suppose,  having  been  invented  by  that  learned  and  dis- 
tinguished physician  Claude  Galen,  who  was  born  at  Pergamus, 
in  Asia  Minor,  A.  D.,  131.  The  formula  of  this  popular  ointment 
has  undergone  many  transformations  since  its  birth,  more  per- 
haps than  that  of  any  other  preparation  in  our  officinal  list.  In 
fact  almost  every  one  has  his  own  peculiar  way  of  making  cold 
cream,  and  there  are  but  few  pharmacists  who  prepare  this  time- 
honored  ointment  by  the  same  recipe.  Besides  the  numerous 
formulas  that  have  been  published  in  the  various  pharmaceutical 
journals,  I  find  collected  together,  in  the  Pharmacopoeia  Univer- 
salis, edition  1833,  from  the  various  Pharmacopoeias  of  the 
