STRUP  OF  SENEKA,  229 
tion  of  acetate  in  the  other.  In  this  case,  however,  it  will 
not  be  necessary  to  use  so  large  a  proportion  of  hyposulphite  of 
soda,  as  the  two  preparations  of  the  article  alluded  to  curdle  on 
mixing.  The  proper  proportions  would  perhaps  be  those  of  their 
chemical  equivalents,  i.  e.,  about  three  parts  of  acetate  of  lead  to 
two  parts  of  hyposulphite  of  soda. 
The  addition  of  glycerin  to  preparations  of  this  kind  serves  a 
double  purpose.  It  performs  the  part  of  a  dressing  to  the  hair, 
and  by  reason  of  its  not  being  absorbed  holds  the  salts  in  solu- 
tion, and  thus  favors  the  play  of  chemical  affinities. 
ON  SYRUP  OF  SENEKA. 
By  J.  B.  Moore. 
The  formula  of  the  present  Pharmacopoeia  for  the  preparation 
of  syrupus  senegse,  although  an  improvement  on  that  of  the 
edition  of  1850,  yet  by  no  means  affords  a  satisfactory  preparation. 
Its  defects  and  the  objections  to  it  are  so  familiar  to  every  phar- 
macist that  it  is  unnecessary  to  recount  them  here.  The  pur- 
pose of  this  paper  is  to  offer  a  formula  and  process  for  the  manu- 
facture of  this  syrup,  which,  if  properly  managed,  will  never  fail 
to  yield  an  excellent  preparation  void  of  all  the  objectionable 
features  of  the  officinal. 
Take  of  Pulv.  Seneka,  No.  30,  four  troy-ounces  ; 
Glycerin,  four  fluid- ounces; 
White  Sugar,  in  coarse  powder,  four  troy-ounces ; 
Diluted  Alcohol,  quantity  sufficient. 
Moisten  the  seneka  with  two  fluid-ounces  of  diluted  alcohol,  and 
after  it  has  stood  in  a  close  vessel  six  hours,  pack  it,  in  small 
portions  at  a  time,  very  tightly  in  a  glass  funnel  prepared  for 
percolation,  then  gradually  pour  upon  it  diluted  alcohol  until  one 
and  a  half  pints  of  tincture  are  obtained,  or  until  the  drug  is  ex- 
hausted. Evaporate  the  tincture  by  means  of  a  water-bath,  at  a 
temperature  not  exceeding  140°,  almost  constantly  stirring,  until 
reduced  to  six  fluid-ounces.  When  cool,  filter  through  paper, 
and  add  sufficient  water  through  the  filter  to  make  the  filtered 
product  measure  six  fluid-ounces.  To  this,  transferred  to  a 
bottle,  add  the  sugar  and  agitate  it  frequently  during  twenty- 
four  hours.    By  this  time  the  sugar  will  be  nearly  all  dissolved, 
