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Tincture of Jalap

Mix 2 mea- into a small bulk and in liquid form. Their sures alcohol with 1 water; moisten 6 troy advantages consist in greater convenience of ounces jalap, in fine powder, with 2 fluid oun- administration, and in the fact that, not having been subjected to excessive evaporation, the ounce of the extract should contain the viractive principles they contain are less liable tues of, and represent 1 ounce of the drug; to have suffered injury by heat. The main and to leave the fluid in the best possible condifficulty lies in their liquid form increasing dition for retaining in solution the active the liability to undergo spontaneous decom- principles of the drug. The process of percoposition; this is counteracted in some cases lation is adopted, as best adapted to effect the by the addition of sugar, in others by alcohol, desired objects, and admitting a greater deand in others again by a mixture of both. gree of accuracy than that of maceration.

Some fluid extracts have a tendency to de- Glass funnels answer a good purpose, but posit matter when combined with sugar, rencylindrical percolators may be employed. In dering the extract turbid or cloudy in appear- either case, if the powder has been properly ance; instead of sugar, Mr. Alfred B. Taylor compacted, the menstruum, when added, passhas proposed the use of glycerine, which, es very deliberately, by drops, and it will be while it has the same preservative influence, found that the proportion of the percolate possesses the property of dissolving the mat- which is directed to be reserved will contain ter which would be deposited by the use of nearly all of the most valuable parts of the sugar. Fluid extracts are obtained by percodrug. In this way the action of the heat and lation, and the menstruum used is alcohol or air is entirely prevented on the most importalcohol and water, the proportions of each ant part of the extracted matter, and where depending on the nature of the substance to volatile oils are concerned this fact is particube extracted. The price of alcohol has greatly larly important. The ingredients are first reincreased since 1360, and a regard to economy duced increased since 1860, and a regard to economy duced to a powder; and, in order to ensure the required result, different degrees of finetions in officinal preparations. This point ness are recommended, suitable to the degree will probably receive due consideration at of solubility and other natural peculiarities of the next revision of the Pharmacopeia. 4572. Grahame's Method of Perco- tained by sifting the powder through sieves the various drugs employed. This end is atlation. Professor Grahame, of the Maryland containing a certain number of meshes to the College of Pharmacy, has proposed a modifi- linear inch. A sieve of 40 meshes to the inch cation of the displacement process which may will produce a powder designated as No. be thus stated: Reduce the substance, by 40, &c. contusion, to a powder which will pass through A new class of oleo-resinous fluid extracts a sieve of 40 meshes to the linear inch (if of has been suggested, in which the stronger close texture a sieve of 60 meshes is to be aromatics have been introduced, such as preferred); now add just sufficient of the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, &c., and which menstruum to dampen the powder without possess, for certain uses, very desirable advanwholly destroying its mobility; this usually tages from their concentration. The number requires about one-fourth as much menstruum of oleo -resins has been considerably increased, as of the powder. Transfer to a glass funnel on the ground that they represent their rewith a plug of cotton in the neck, and pack it spective sources more completely and in with little or much pressure, according to its smaller bulks than in any other form of fluid tenacity or disposition to adhere (more firmly or semi-fluid extracts. On account of their when alcohol or ether is the menstruum than superior strength, they should occupy a diswhen water is to be used); if the particles of tinct position under the name of "Oleo-resins," the moistened powder move freely on each to distinguish them more particularly from all other, the packing should be with as much those preparations which go by the name of force as a glass vessel will bear, the whole of fluid extracts.

Extracts. The following substances are to