446  Quininm  et  Strychnine  Phosphatum.  {^pfembe^wo?.1* 
desire  for  the  creation  of  an  international  pharmacopoeia,  or  at  least 
of  a  code  tending  to  bring  about  a  greater  uniformity  in  the  formu- 
lae for  the  potent  pharmacopoeial  preparations.  Every  effort  of  the 
successive  congresses  for  the  realization  of  this  desideratum  by  the 
adoption  of  resolutions  and  the  appointment  of  committees  has 
failed.  Meanwhile  the  national  pharmacopoeias  of  the  principal 
countries  have  in  the  course  of  periodical  revisions  attained  to 
greater  completion  and  a  progressive  and  serviceable  approximation 
of  their  formulae  for  and  the  standardization  of,  potent  remedies. 
This  gradual  approach  to  a  desirable  consummation  is  evident  in 
the  recently  issued  revised  editions  of  the  pharmacopoeias  of  Great 
Britain  with  its  addendum  for  the  East  Indian  Empire,  of  Germany, 
and  last  but  not  least  in  the  forthcoming  eighth  edition  of  the 
pharmacopoeia  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
Berlin,  April,  1901. 
SYRUPUS  FERRI  QUIN1N/E  ET  STRYCHNINE 
PHOSPHATUM. 
By  Charles  H.  LaWall. 
This  preparation,  which  is  of  English  origin,  has  been  variously 
known  as  Easton's  syrup,  Aitken's  syrup  and  syrup  of  triple  phos- 
phates and  has  always  occasioned  more  or  less  discussion  as  to  the 
method  of  producing  a  permanent  preparation. 
The  earliest  formula — that  proposed  by  Dr.  Aitken  himself — 
possessed  three  distinct  steps.  First,  the  preparation  of  ferrous 
phosphate  by  precipitation  of  solution  of  ferrous  sulphate  with 
sodium  phosphate.  Second,  the  preparation  of  quinine  alkaloid  by 
treating  quinine  sulphate  with  ammonia  water.  Third,  the  solu- 
tion of  these  well  washed  precipitates  together  with  strychnine  in 
diluted  phosphoric  acid  ;  sugar  was  afterwards  added  and  dissolved 
by  agitation  to  form  a  syrup. 
The  original  process  was  somewhat  vague  in  its  wording  so  that 
different  manipulators  obtained  varying  results,  but  it  was  no  doubt 
intended  that  the  preparation  should  contain  the  following  ingredi- 
ents in  each  fluid  drachm — quinine  sulphate  I  grain,  strychnine 
sulphate  3V  grain  and  ferrous  phosphate  I  grain. 
