ON THE FERRUGINOUS WINES, ETC. 229 
assumes a golden yellow color, then decant this, and to it 
add— 
Rectified Alcohol, 4 parts. 
Mix. 
Another etherial tincture of iron is made with the acetate 
as follows: 
"To nine parts of concentrated vinegar, moist hydrated 
oxide of iron, well washed, is to be slowly added until a cer- 
tain portion remains undissolved. To the filtered liquid one 
part of acetic ether and two parts of rectified spirit, having a 
specific gravity of 0.820, are to be put, in order to complete 
the tincture. — fPharm. Pruss.J 
These, so far mentioned, comprise the formulas taken from 
respectable authorities. There are an infinite variety of 
others, recommended by medical writers according to the 
particular notions they may have adopted from their own ex- 
perience; but as they all derive their virtue from a similar 
basis, it is needless to detail their different associations, be- 
lieving that a sufficient number of combinations have been 
given to determine a choice. 
The preparations of iron, like many other remedies sub- 
ject to the revolutions of Fashion, from a state of discredit 
into which they had been cast, are again restored to their 
wonted usefulness. They are now much in vogue; hence 
we see them recommended in the medical journals of the day 
under a multitude of forms, some of them entirely novel. 
Those combined with the organic acids are decidedly the 
most popular. 
A supposed condition necessary to the success of martial 
preparations for medicinal use is, that the iron should be in a 
state of protoxide, or one easily convertible to it, that it may 
assimilate with, and become one of the elements of the blood, 
which, it is alleged, is not the case with the salts of the 
peroxide. The acid, combined with the protoxide, must, 
likewise, be either carbonic or an organic acid, easily 
