GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
509 
hands)  present  a  beautiful  appearance.  And  having  noticed  in  a 
former  number  of  the  'Journal'  a  request  that  ''each  and  all 
contribute  something  for  the  Committee  of  Revision  for  the  next 
edition  of  the  Pharmacopoeia,"  I  have  been  induced  to  send  an 
original  formula,  which  yields  a  prettier  and  more  stable  prepa- 
tion,  in  less  time  and  with  greater  ease. 
Syrup  of  Citric  Acid. 
Take  of  Citric  Acid,  in  fine  powder,       .    Sixty  grains. 
Water,     .....    A  sufficient  quantity. 
Syrup,     .....    Sixteen  fluidounces. 
Spirit  of  Lemon,      .        .        .    Thirty  minims. 
Dissolve  the  citric  acid  in  the  water,  add  the  syrup  and  spirit 
of  lemon,  shaking  well  until  they  are  thoroughly  mixed. 
When  convenient,  hot  or  warm  water  may  be  used.  I  have 
used  the  syrup  made  by  this  formula  for  over  eighteen  months, 
including  two  summers  in  this  climate,  and  have  found  it  to  re- 
tain its  brilliancy  and  flavor  better  than  when  prepared  by  the 
old  formula. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  Tpie  Editor. 
Preparation  of  Bromide  of  Sodium.  By  M.  Castelhaz.  The 
process  which  the  author  finds  best  is  to  transform  bromine  into 
bromide  of  ammonium,  separating  any  iodine  present,  as  iodide 
by  crystallization  in  the  mother-liquors,  and  afterwards  decom- 
posing this  bromide  by  an  equivalent  quantity  of  carbonate  or  of 
caustic  soda  deprived  of  sulphate  and  chloride.  The  residue  of 
the  reaction  forms  a  solution  in  water  which,  evaporated  hot,  de- 
posits little  cubical  crystals  of  anhydrous  bromide  of  sodium. 
This  process,  which  gives  at  once  bromide  exempt  from  bro- 
mate,  has  the  advantage  of  not  losing  the  bromide  in  the  pre- 
cipitates from  incomplete  washing  on  a  large  scale.  The  product 
is  pure  at  the  beginning,  and  does  not  require  successive  crystal- 
lizations as  when  made  from  iron. 
The  preparation  of  bromide  of  ammonium  by  means  of  bromine 
dropped  into  a  diluted  solution  of  ammonia  causes  a  lively  reac- 
