solving 1 oz. av. of the extract of Indian hemp in 20 fluidounces of alcohol.

Tinctura Cinnamomi. The tendency to gelatinize, which has been observed in tincture of cinnamon when made with weak alcohol, has been overcome in the Pharmacopoeia by the use of a stronger alcoholic menstruum and the addition of glycerin.

Tinctura Ferri Chloridi. When an acid solution of ferric chloride and alcohol are mixed, as in the official process, an ethereal odor is gradually developed, due to chemical action between the alcohol and the acid; the pharmacopoeial direction, to allow the mixture to stand at least three months before using, is intended to insure uniformity by bringing all changes to completion. When exposed to light, the ferric chloride is, in part, reduced to the ferrous condition; hence the necessity for protecting the tincture from light.

Tinctura Galla. Tincture of nutgall, when kept on hand for some time, undergoes change and deposits gallic acid; the presence of glycerin retards such changes.

Tinctura Herbarum Recentium. Tinctures of fresh herbs can, of course, only be made from such plants as grow in this country, and must vary in quality according to the amount of moisture present in the drug; the use of alcohol as a menstruum prevents the solution of mucilaginous and other inert matter and insures the presence of all valuable alcohol-soluble constituents, such as alkaloids, resins, volatile oils, etc.

Tinctura Ipecacuanha et Opii. This preparation may be regarded as a liquid form of Dover's powder, as it represents, in each Cc., the equivalent of 0.100 Gm. each of ipecac and opium. The concentration of the tincture of deodorized opium is necessary for the introduction of the fluid extract of ipecac, the original volume being again restored by addition of diluted alcohol; the precipitate formed consists of inert matter and is removed by filtration.

Tinctura Kino. The tendency of this tincture to gelatinize can be entirely overcome by preserving it in a cool place, in well-stoppered 1 oz. or 2 oz. vials, thus obviating frequent exposure to air.

Tinctura Lactucarii. Lactucarium contains, besides the active bitter principles lactucin, lactucic acid, and lactucopierin, an inert caoutchouclike substance, lactucerin, which is removed by treatment with benzin, as directed in the Pharmacopoeia; the mixture must be filtered in a well-covered funnel and the dregs carefully washed with benzin. In order to get rid of all benzin odor, the residue should be dried in a current of warm air. The percolation of the powder, mixed with sand, presents no difficulty, as the active principles are all soluble in the official menstruum, but in order to insure complete exhaustion, the percolate should be collected in drops, very slowly.

Tinctura Moschi. Musk will yield to water about 50 or 60 per cent. of its weight of soluble matter, whereas alcohol extracts only about 10 per cent.; the official mode of manipulation can be advantageously modified by macerating the musk with the water, for twelve

hours, before adding the alcohol. The persistent odor of musk can be removed from mortars and graduates by means of quinine or powdered ergot, made into a soft paste with water and spread over the surface of the apparatus.

Tinctura Nucis Vomica. The present official formula is very simple and insures a tincture of uniform strength, containing 0.003 Gm. of mixed alkaloids in each Cc.

Tinctura Opii. Although the Pharmacopoeia directs the use of powdered opium, for the sake of uniformity, a somewhat coarser state of division is preferable, and percolation to complete exhaustion can be carried on more satisfactorily with opium in No. 40 powder. The preliminary digestion with water, for twelve hours, prepares the soluble principles for better extraction with the diluted alcohol, and a somewhat coarser powder prevents compaction of the mass. The insoluble calcium phosphate is intended to facilitate the percolation of the fine powder, but does this very imperfectly. Official tincture of opium must contain from 0.013 to 0.015 Gm. of crystallized morphine in each Cc.

Tinctura Opii Deodorata. The active virtues of opium can be completely extracted with water; the maceration for twelve hours should, however, be accompanied by frequent agitation, and subsequent percolation continued until the liquid passes but slightly imbued with the peculiar taste of opium. The treatment of the concentrated percolate with ether, as directed in the Pharmacopoeia, is intended to remove a peculiar odorous principle and narcotine, which it does very effectually, but if the official modus operandi be strictly followednamely, to shake the ether repeatedly with the aqueous solution-a very annoying and persistent emulsion will generally result. A much better plan is to add the ether to the liquid in a cylinder or large globular separator and bring the two fluids into intimate contact, either by slowly inverting the cylinder or by rotating the separator; this treatment should be continued for some time, and repeated frequently during twelve or twenty-four hours. The aqueous fluid should then be carefully separated, either by being drawn off or by decanting or siphoning off the ether, and the washing with ether repeated, this time using about one-half as much ether as before.

Experiments made with benzene and petroleum benzin as deodorizing agents have proven their inferiority to ether, mainly on account of their own disagreeable and rather persistent odor. In my experience, the most satisfactory plan is to deodorize the powdered opium itself with ether, by treating it three times after the manner prescribed in the Pharmacopoeia for "Opium Deodoratum," and then to exhaust this thoroughly with water, concentrate the percolate to four-fifths of the intended volume of finished product, and add the necessary quantity of alcohol; this method involves the use of a larger quantity of ether (which can be redistilled and used for a subsequent operation), but entirely obviates the formation of troublesome emulsions, and yields an unobjectionable product.

Federer's process for deodorizing opium by freezing an aqueous infusion, which was published in full in the Druggists' Circular for April, 1887, is economical and not very troublesome; it removes all odor and narcotine, but I have also invariably noticed a loss of morphine when operating with assayed opium. The marc was carefully tested and found completely free from morphine, proving that the loss occurred in the dark deposit separated during the freezing operation.

The morphine strength of this tincture is identical with that of the plain tincture of opium.

Tinctura Physostigmatis. Tincture of Calabar bean should be preserved in small, well-stoppered vials, protected against light, on account of the sensitiveness of the alkaloidal salts, when in solution, to the influence of air and light.

Tinctura Quassic. No tannin being contained in quassia, the tincture is not discolored by iron salts, and is often selected from among the bitter stomachics on that account.

Tinctura Quillaja. Boiling water extracts all the saponaceous principles from quillaja, but also considerable inert matter, which is sought to be removed, in the official process for making the tincture, by addition of alcohol; the latter also finally preserves the finished product.

Tinctura Sanguinaria. The addition of acetic acid to the menstruum not only facilitates the exhaustion of the drug, but also materially improves the stability of the tincture.

Tinctura Strophanthi. Strophanthus seeds contain considerable fixed oil, which can be removed by percolation with ether, before using the official menstruum; ether does not affect the active principle strophanthin, which is perfectly soluble in diluted alcohol.

CHAPTER XXI.

WINES AND VINEGARS.

THESE two classes of preparations have almost passed into disuse among physicians, and their number has been diminished in the last Pharmacopoeia; in place of thirteen wines officially recognized in 1880, only ten now remain, and the number of vinegars has been reduced from four to two.

Wines.

Both white and red wines are recognized in the Pharmacopoeia, but in the preparation of the official medicated wines, only the white wine is directed, on account of its lesser astringency, and in each case the alcoholic strength of the preparation is increased by the addition of alcohol to the extent of 15 per cent. This fortification of the wine is particularly necessary to insure the stability of vegetable solutions during warm weather. Native wines can now be obtained of good quality, and are given preference by the Pharmacopoeia. The chief difference between white and red wines lies in the dark coloring matter and larger proportion of tannin in the latter, due to the fact that, in the case of red wines, the pericarp, or skin of the grape, is allowed to remain with the expressed juice during fermentation; were the skins carefully removed, many dark-colored grapes would also yield white wines, for the juice is naturally colorless. Much of the tannin found in wines may also be derived from the casks in which they are stored. As white wines, as a rule, contain only very small proportions of tannin, they are preferred as menstrua for medicated wines.

The process of freeing wines from tannin is termed detannating them, and may be effected by adding to the wine either some freshlyprepared ferric hydroxide or some sweet milk; the former plan is the most effectual, although the most laborious, but should not be employed if the wine is wanted entirely free from iron, some of which goes into solution. As the removal of tannin from wine in no way interferes with its quality-alcoholic strength and aroma remaining the same, and only coloring matter being lost-a supply of detannated wine should be kept on hand, for it requires very little more labor to detannate a gallon than a pint. Wines containing tannin are not well suited for use with alkaloidal drugs, iron salts, antimony compounds, etc., as precipitates will be gradually formed and deposited. The detannating agent must be allowed to remain in

contact with the wine for some days, with occasional agitation, until a few drops of tincture of ferric chloride, added to a small portion of the wine, no longer produce a dark color.

If ferric hydroxide is to be used, it must be freshly prepared, and a convenient quantity then be added to the wine-about 8 ounces of the expressed, but moist, precipitate to a gallon. Sweet milk may be employed in the proportion of 4 fluidounces to a gallon.

Both white and red wines have an acid reaction, due to potassium bitartrate held in solution; this acidity is limited, by the Pharmacopoeia, to from 4.49-7.78 Gm. of free acid per liter. The amount of solid matter in wines should range between 1.5 and 3.5 per cent., and may be ascertained by evaporation and drying on the water-bath during twelve hours. The Pharmacopoeia also specifies the alcoholic strength to be from 10-14 per cent. by weight, which is equal to 12.4-17.3 per cent. by volume of absolute alcohol, the official directions for ascertaining the percentage of alcohol present being to take the specific gravity of the wine at 15.6° C. (60° F.), evaporate a carefully measured portion of it, in a tared capsule, to one-third of its weight, cool and restore the original volume by the addition of water, and again take the specific gravity of the liquid at 15.6° C. (60° F.); the difference between the two specific gravities subtracted from 1.000, indicates the specific gravity of an alcohol containing the same percentage of absolute alcohol as the wine, the corresponding percentage being ascertained by reference to the alcoholometric tables published in the Pharmacopoeia. Suppose the wine before evaporation has a specific gravity of 0.9930, and after evaporation and addition of water, 1.0098, then 1.0098 0.99300.0168, and 1.000 -0.0168 0.9832; by referring to the tables it is found that alcohol of 0.9832 specific gravity at 15.6° C. (60° F.) contains between 10 and 11 per cent. by weight, or between 12 and 13 per cent. by volume, of absolute alcohol.

Red wines are frequently colored artificially with aniline, which coloration may be detected by the tests officially directed for that purpose. If red wine be mixed with twice its volume of potassa solution and a small quantity of chloroform, and the mixture then carefully heated, the presence of certain aniline colors will develop a very disagreeable odor, due to the formation of isonitril. Fuchsine may be detected by the crimson color imparted to uncolored silk fibre placed in contact with a mixture of acetic acid and an ethereal extract of red wine previously treated with ammonia water in excess ; as the mixture is evaporated in a porcelain dish, the color is developed. Hydrochloric acid should not produce red color if added to a filtrate obtained from shaking warm red wine with manganese dioxide, showing the absence of sulpho-fuchsine.

THE OFFICIAL MEDICATED WINES. Of these, two are prepared by percolation, two by maceration, and four by simple solution of the medicinal agent in the menstruum.