io  Copper  in  Galenical  Preparations.  {^m-j^.r\^&Tm' 
usually  no  indication  of  copper,  and  if  the  above  be  considered,  the 
reason  is  obvious. 
In  some,  which  showed  precipitation,  the  clear,  supernatant  por- 
tion gave  no  reaction  for  the  metal,  but  if  acidulated  and  the  pre- 
cipitate thoroughly  mixed  with  the  liquid,  bright  deposits  soon 
formed. 
Alcoholic  fluid  extracts,  due  to  the  non-corrosive  action  of  that 
liquid,  give  hardly  any  indication,  but  a  few  have  been  found  to 
contain  traces. 
The  time  of  contact  between  the  spatula  and  the  extracts  varied, 
in  some  cases  being  only  30  minutes,  in  others  6  to  8  hours.  A 
number  of  commercial  solid  extracts  were  also  examined  with  simi- 
lar results.  These  examinations  were  made  with  both  simple  and 
acidulated  aqueous  solutions  of  the  extracts.  Acidulation  is  neces- 
sary in  most  cases,  as,  while  some  samples  in  simple  solution 
readily  gave  indication  of  copper,  others  failed  to  show  its  presence, 
unless  made  slightly  acid.  This  is  particularly  the  case  with  tannin- 
containing  extracts.  Of  the  10  samples  examined  of  one  firm,  five 
contained  copper,  some  very  decidedly  so. 
Pozvdered  Extracts  have  within  the  last  ten  years  almost  super- 
seded the  solid,  possibly  due  to  their  more  convenient  division.  A 
number  of  these  were  examined,  but  mostly  with  a  negative  result. 
Some  appear  to  contain  copper,  but  so  small  an  amount,  that  a 
positive  assertion  cannot  be  made. 
These  3  groups  were  the  commercial  preparations  examined, 
others,  such  as  abstracts,  were  not  looked  into. 
The  question  may  be  asked,  if  the  presence  of  this  metallic  con- 
tamination can  have  any  decided,  injurious  effect  upon  the  taker, 
also  if  it  is  present  in  sufficient  amount  to  cause  poisoning  ?  This 
may  be  partly  denied,  as  the  preparations  examined  are  seldom  taken 
in  large  enough  doses  to  contain  a  toxic  dose  of  the  copper^ 
although  some  fluid  extracts,  as  stated  before,  contain  a  compara- 
tively large  amount. 
Another  question  would  be,  however,  whether  the  continued 
taking  of  a  copper-tainted  fluid  or  solid  extract  may  do  any  harm. 
Much  has  been  said  and  written  of  the  copper  contaminated  "  soda 
water  fountain,"  and  if  the  so-called  poisonings  through  this  source 
be  true,  it  may  be  fair  to  assume  that  not  a  single  but  frequently 
repeated  draughts  of  the  beverage  have  caused  the  difficulty. 
