HASCHISCIN  AND  ITS  PHARMACEUTICAL  APPLICATIONS.  363 
100  parts  yield  0-2  per  cent.  The  ashes  are  white,  with  some 
yellowish  points ;  they  do  not  effervesce  with  acids,  they  slightly 
blue  reddened  litmus  paper,  and  attract  very  little  moisture  from 
the  air.  I  have  recognized  among  their  constituents  chlorine, 
silicic  acid,  phosphoric  acid,  magnesia,  lime,  soda  and  oxide  of 
iron.  I  think  the  alkalinity  of  the  ashes  is  due  to  the  formation 
of  a  little  subchloride  of  magnesium  during  the  incineration. 
In  reference  to  the  formulae  for  the  administration  and  appli- 
cation of  haschiscin,  it  is  best,  in  the  preparation  of  the  tincture, 
to  modify  it  in  view  of  the  subsequent  use  made  of  it,  so  as  to 
avoid  the  precipitation  of  the  resin  by  certain  intermediums. 
Nearly  all  the  resin  separates  and  adheres  to  the  glass  in  the 
only  mixture  suggested  by  M,  Gastinel. 
A  small  quantity  of  a  mixture  of  sugar  and  gum  arabic  in 
powder  is  sufficient  to  retain  haschiscin  in  suspension  in  a  mix- 
ture during  several  days ;  in  this  manner  its  action  is  more 
prompt  and  more  decisive,  and  the  patient  has  the  advantage  of 
taking  comfortably  all  the  prescribed  dose,  which  is  a  point  of 
some  importance. 
The  following  formula  I  have  composed,  and  some  of  them 
have  been  much  employed  at  St.  John's  Hospital  during  the  last 
epidemic  cholera : 
Tincture  of  Haschiscin. 
Take  of 
Haschiscin  a  drachm  (Troy) 
Absolute  alcohol  9  "  "  ' 
Dissolve  without  heat. 
Balsam  of  Haschiscin. 
R.    Haschiscin     (  gss. 
Oil  of  spearmint  3nss- 
Dissolve  without  heat. 
Mixture  of  Haschiscin. 
R.    Tincture  of  haschiscin  jj. 
Sugar  in  powder, 
Gum  arabic  in  powder  aa  gij. 
Simple  syrup  f^vj. 
Mint  or  cinnamon  water  f^iij. 
Mix  the  sugar  and  gum  in  a  mor- 
tar, introduce  the  tincture  by  drops 
with  trituration,  then  add  the  syrup, 
and  afterwards,  little  by  little;  the 
distilled  mint  water. 
Ethereal  Tincture  of  Haschiscin. 
R.  Haschiscin  45  grains, 
Alcohol  -835  sp.gr.  4  J  dr.  Troy, 
Ether  (rectified)      2|  "  " 
Dissolve  without  heat. 
Oil  of  Haschiscin. 
R.  Haschiscin  Bj. 
Olive  or  almond  oil  oxxv. 
Dissolve,  with  heat,  and  filter. 
Emulsion  of  Haschiscin. 
R.  Oil  of  haschiscin     §ss.  to  sj. 
Gum  arabic,  in  powder  %s$. 
Simple  syrup  fgyj. 
Orange-flower  water  fgiij. 
Mix  according  to  art. 
