130 
ON  THE  SYRUP  OF  IPECACUANHA. 
fiuidounces  of  a  mixture  consisting  of  two  parts  of  alcohol  to 
one  part  of  water,  and  w^ien  this  has  all  passed  from  the  sur- 
face, continue  the  percolation  with  diluted  alcohol  until  ten  fluid- 
ounces  of  tincture  have  been  obtained,  observing  to  set  aside  in 
a  plate  or  shallow  dish,  in  a  warm  place,  the  first  two  fiuidounces 
which  pass,  that  they  may  evaporate  spontaneously  to  a  syrupy 
consistence.  Then  mix  the  acetic  acid  with  the  remainder  of 
the  percolate  and  evaporate  carefully  in  a  water  bath,  with  fre- 
quent stirring,  until  reduced  to  two  fiuidounces  and  a  half;  add 
to  this  the  reserved  portion,  and  mix  the  whole  with  ten  fluid- 
ounces  of  water,  and  continue  the  evaporation  until  the  mixture 
is  reduced  to  twelve  fiuidounces,  and  when  cool  filter  through 
paper,  and  pass  sufficient  water  through  the  filter  to  make  the 
filtered  liquid  measure  twelve  fiuidounces.  To  this,  in  a  bottle, 
add  the  sugar  ;  shake  occasionally,  and  when  dissolved  add  the 
glycerin,  and  strain  through  muslin. 
When  there  is  need  to  finish  the  syrup  quickly,  the  solution  of 
the  sugar  may  be  hastened  by  placing  the  bottle  in  hot  water 
and  shaking  frequently. 
The  above  formula  aff*ords  a  clear,  bright  and  beautiful  syrup, 
free  from  cloudiness  or  precipitation  which  so  frequently  occurs 
when  made  from  the  fiuid  extract. 
I  have  a  sample  of  this  syrup  made  in  July  last,  which,  al- 
though it  has  been  kept  in  a  warm  place  in  my  store-room,  in  a 
bottle  but  partially  filled,  and  frequently  opened,  is  nevertheless 
apparently  as  fresh  and  sweet  now  as  the  day  it  was  prepared, 
and  I  feel  confident  that  it  will  keep  for  an  indefinite  time,  un- 
altered at  any  ordinary  temperature. 
In  manufacturing  it  on  a  larger  scale,  the  greater  portion  of 
the  alcohol  may  be  recovered  by  the  use  of  the  still. 
In  the  above  process  I  have  employed  acetic  acid  to  fix  the 
emetia  during  the  concentration  of  the  tincture,  as  suggested  by 
Prof.  Procter  in  fiuid  extract  of  ipecac. 
Glycerin  has  proved  to  be,  in  the  writer's  experience,  an  ex- 
cellent and  efficient  auxiliary  to  sugar  as  an  antiseptic  agent  in 
the  preservation  of  syrups,  and  its  general  character  and  proper- 
ties are  so  in  harmony  with  those  of  the  latter  that  it  is  peculi- 
arly qualified  for  the  above  purpose. 
