Obs. The common capsules usually hold about 10 or 12 gr. of balsam of copaiba. Those of the shops in nine cases out of ten, are filled with adulterated copaiba, and at least 4-5ths of them are filled with train oil or linseed oil, to which a few drops only of the balsam are added.
Balsam of copaiba (capivi) and oil of cubebs, or a mixture of them, castor oil and cod-liver oil, are the substances most usually administered in this way. Baccæ copaiferæ factitiæ are officinal in the Ph. Castr. Ruth. Ratier has proposed to grease them and administer them per anum. Ricord has strongly recommended capsules of copaiba, coated with extract of rhatany, as much superior to the common ones of copaiba alone, in the treatment of gleet and gonorrhœa. They may be easily prepared by either of the following methods:
1. By immersing, for an instant, the common capsule in a mixture of extract of rhatany (newly prepared from the root), 3 parts; syrup of moist sugar, 1 part; mucilage of gum Arabic, 1 part; melted together in a water bath.
2. By forming the bodies of the capsules with the above mixture or composition, instead of with gelatin, and then following the same manipulations as for the manufacture of the common gelatin capsules.
These capsules are said to sit well upon the stomach, the tone of which they contribute to improve, and to act with greater certainty than those made of copaiba and gelatin alone.
CAR′AMEL. A dark-brown substance obtained by heating sugar. It is formed during the roasting of all materials containing sugar, such as coffee and malt. It is much used for colouring soups, wines, spirits, and other liquids.
Caramel, Crude. Syn. Spirit colouring, Burnt sugar. Prep. From cane sugar, by heating it to from 410° to 428° Fahr., as long as aqueous vapour is formed; dissolving the product in water, and concentrating the solution by evaporation.
Caramel, Pure. Prep. 1. (Graham.) Crude caramel, obtained as above, is placed on a parchment-paper dialyser. The undecomposed sugar and certain intermediate compounds diffuse out with considerable facility, and what ultimately remains on the dialyser possesses five times the colouring power of the original crude caramel, weight for weight. See Dialysis.
2. (Peligot.) Add strong alcohol to a filtered aqueous solution of crude caramel until it ceases to produce a precipitate; collect the precipitate, which is caramel, on a filter, wash with alcohol, and dry. Graham recommends that the product should be dissolved and precipitated four or five times, or till the mass
thrown down, from being plastic at first, becomes pulverulent.