The following results are from the mill returns of a drug house in this city. They show the actual loss incurred in powdering these different articles, and are, so far, of service by indicating the practical loss arising from the process.
As the per centage of loss varies very much with the quantity subjected to the process, ceteris paribus, the quantities of each parcel are also given.
| Quan- tity lbs. | Per- cen- tage of loss | Quan- tity lbs. | Per- cen- tage of loss | Quan- tity lbs. | Per- cen- tage of loss | Quan- tity lbs. | Per- cen- tage of loss | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALTS, CRYSTALINE SUBSTANCES, &c. | |||||||||
| Acid. Tartaric. | 556 | 1.08 | 1426 | 1.61 | 723 | 1.38 | 256 | 4.95 | |
| 554 | 1.44 | ||||||||
| Cobalt (Arsenic), | 122 | 1.63 | |||||||
| Aluminæ & Potassæ Sulph. | 74 | 5.40 | 49 | 6.12 | |||||
| Ammoniæ Muriat. | 202 | 8.41 | |||||||
| Potassæ Nitrat. | 500 | 3.98 | 190 | 2.36 | 500 | 1.80 | 90 | 3.06 | |
| 300 | 8.17 | ||||||||
| ——— Sulphat. | 63 | 1.59 | 98 | 3.06 | |||||
| ——— Bitartrat. | 1166 | .43 | 2121 | .47 | 1007 | .49 | 1115 | .44 | |
| 1115 | .41 | 1160 | .52 | 1116 | .44 | 2650 | .37 | ||
| 1068 | .47 | 1163 | .43 | 1155 | .43 | ||||
| Sodæ Biborat. | 110 | 20.91 | 50 | 10.00 | |||||
| Soap, Olive Oil, white, | 62 | 33.33 | |||||||
| VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES, BARKS. | |||||||||
| Canella Alba, | 67 | 4.48 | 50 | 4.04 | |||||
| Cassia, | 30 | 5.00 | 74 | 5.40 | |||||
| Cinchona Maracaibo, | 165 | 3.94 | 174 | 4.25 | 921 | 4.56 | |||
| Cinchona Flava, (Calisaya) | 30 | 5.00 | 47 | 4.25 | 40 | 5.00 | |||
| ——— Rubra, | 44 | 4.54 | 160 | 4.05 | 59 | 5.08 | 96 | 4.66 | |
| Mezerion, | 32 | 7.81 | |||||||
| Myrica Cerifera, | 85 | 3.53 | 92 | 4.34 | |||||
| Prinos verticill. | 24 | 4.16 | |||||||
| Prunus Virginian. | 50 | 4.00 | |||||||
| BERRIES. | |||||||||
| Capsicum, | 166 | 3.67 | 95 | 3.15 | 64 | 4.69 | 80 | 3.75 | |
| Cubeba, | 68 | 4.32 | 50 | 4.00 | 79 | 3.77 | 54 | 3.70 | |
| 92 | 3.26 | ||||||||
| GUMS AND RESINS. | |||||||||
| Aloes Soct, | 220 | 7.27 | 320 | 5.23 | |||||
| Acacia, | 225 | 4.00 | 217 | 3.64 | 121 | 4.13 | 75 | 4.69 | |
| 64 | 3.12 | 93 | 3.76 | 64 | 3.12 | ||||
| Catechu, | 70 | 4.28 | 71 | 4.89 | |||||
| Euphorbium, | 52 | 3.84 | |||||||
| Gambogia, | 31 | 4.84 | 38 | 3.89 | |||||
| Kino, | 50 | 4.00 | 44 | 3.41 | 44 | 3.40 | |||
| Mastiche, | 15 | 8.47 | |||||||
| Myrrha, | 117 | 4.27 | 35 | 5.71 | 5.69 | ||||
| Opium, | 70 | 7.14 | 75 | 6.66 | 100 | 5.00 | |||
| 50 | 6.00 | 61 | 8.94 | 25 | 6.00 | 95 | 8.42 | ||
| 81 | 4.93 | 63 | 6.72 | 100 | 7.25 | 75 | 6.00 | ||
| 131 | 6.46 | 62 | 6.78 | 27 | 8.25 | 155 | 5.63 | ||
| Sanguis Draconis, | 10 | 5.00 | |||||||
| Scammonium Lachrym, | 29 | 6.89 | 9 | 8.33 | 14 | 3.57 | |||
| 45 | 4.44 | 35 | 2.86 | ||||||
| Tragacantha, | 30 | 5.00 | 35 | 4.28 | |||||
| HERBS. | |||||||||
| Aconite, | 38 | 5.26 | |||||||
| Cicuta, | 35 | 5.71 | |||||||
| Digitalis, | 47 | 4.25 | 32 | 4.34 | 28 | 3.57 | |||
| Lobelia, | 28 | 4.38 | 34 | 4.61 | |||||
| Hyoscyamus, | 40 | 8.75 | |||||||
| FLOWERS. | |||||||||
| Arnica, | 17 | 5.88 | |||||||
| Caryophyllus, | 28 | 5.36 | 55 | 2.72 | 50 | 4.00 | |||
| Humulus, | 268 | 4.10 | 195 | 5.12 | 222 | 3.80 | 252 | 3.57 | |
| 218 | 4.11 | 193 | 4.14 | ||||||
| FRUIT. | |||||||||
| Colocynth.[19] | 26 | 65.38 | 55 | 69.09 | |||||
| LEAVES. | |||||||||
| Buchu, | 104 | .96 | |||||||
| Senna Alex. | 41 | 3.61 | 26 | 5.66 | |||||
| Senna Indic. | 50 | 3.96 | |||||||
| Uva Ursi, | 42 | 4.70 | 50 | 4.00 | |||||
| ROOTS. | |||||||||
| Calamus, | 27 | 7.41 | |||||||
| Cimicifuga Racemosa, | 69 | 4.34 | |||||||
| Colomba, | 194 | 4.13 | 95 | 2.52 | 79 | 3.79 | 94 | 4.25 | |
| Cucuma, ground, | 650 | 3.08 | |||||||
| Gentiana, ground, | 227 | 2.20 | 280 | 2.50 | 149 | 2.68 | |||
| ——— powdered, | 72 | 4.17 | 71 | 4.22 | |||||
| Glyyrrh. | 156 | 3.84 | 145 | 4.13 | 70 | 4.11 | 313 | 4.15 | |
| Helleborus, | 58 | 4.31 | |||||||
| Hydrastis canad. | 37 | 5.40 | 50 | 5.00 | |||||
| Ictodes Fœtidus, | 25 | 4.00 | |||||||
| Inula, | 50 | 4.00 | |||||||
| Ipecac. | 99 | 4.44 | 80 | 3.75 | 109 | 4.13 | 73 | 4.76 | |
| 96 | 4.17 | 321 | 3.42 | ||||||
| Iris Flor. | 232 | 3.02 | 138 | 3.62 | |||||
| Jalap, | 141 | 4.52 | 331 | 3.76 | 193 | 4.39 | 201 | 4.23 | |
| 271 | 3.13 | ||||||||
| Rheum Indic. | 96 | 4.16 | 78 | 3.84 | 75 | 4.00 | 40 | 3.75 | |
| 96 | 4.14 | 87 | 3.44 | 98 | 3.57 | 314 | 4.46 | ||
| ——— Russicum, | 28 | 3.57 | 63 | 4.76 | 30 | 4.17 | |||
| Sanguinaria, | 50 | 3.96 | |||||||
| Salep, | 67 | 6.66 | 25 | 4.00 | |||||
| Scilla, | 27 | 11.11 | 81 | 6.17 | 55 | 8.18 | 40 | 13.12 | |
| 30 | 16.66 | ||||||||
| Senega, | 59 | 5.08 | |||||||
| Serpentara, | 45 | 4.44 | |||||||
| Spigelia Marilan. | 52 | 4.76 | |||||||
| Valeriana, | 47 | 4.24 | |||||||
| Zingib. Jam. | 114 | 4.37 | 58 | 5.17 | 115 | 4.00 | |||
| SEEDS. | |||||||||
| Anisum, | 58 | 4.27 | 102 | 2.94 | |||||
| Cardamomum,[20] | 50 | 26.00 | 61 | 4.92 | |||||
| Colchicum, | 61 | 4.09 | 37 | 4.00 | |||||
| Coriandrum, | 99 | 2.02 | |||||||
| Linum, ground, | 533 | .93 | .81 | ||||||
| Lobelia, | 67 | 7.46 | |||||||
| Nux Vomica, | 100 | 3.00 | 52 | 3.84 | 66 | 4.54 | |||
| SUNDRIES. | |||||||||
| Cantharis, | 68 | 4.41 | 68 | 4.41 | 65 | 3.82 | 112 | 3.57 | |
| 39 | 3.79 | 41 | 4.88 | 53 | 6.00 | 42 | 3.57 | ||
| Ext. Colocynth. Comp. | 33 | 4.57 | |||||||
| Ext. Glyyrrh. | 50 | 4.08 | 200 | 3.50 | |||||
| Ext. Jalap, | 20 | 4.86 | |||||||
| Galla, | 70 | 4.21 | 73 | 4.11 | 28 | 5.26 | 56 | 3.54 | |
| Secale Cornut. | 31 | 4.79 | 29 | 5.08 | 30 | 3.33 | |||
[19] This includes loss of Seeds.
[20] Of this 21.00 is loss in Hulls.
From the above results the following table, showing the average loss on each article, has been calculated:— {228}
| Average per centage of Loss. | ||
|---|---|---|
SALTS, CRYSTALINE | ||
| Acid, Tartaric | 1.50 | |
| Cobalt (Arsenic) | 1.63 | |
Aluminæ et Potassæ, | 5.76 | |
| Ammoniæ Muriat. | 8.41 | |
| Potassæ Nitrat. | 2.80 | |
| ——— Sulphat. | 2.37 | |
| ——— Bi-tartrat. | .45 | |
| Sodæ Bi-Borat. | 15.45 | |
| Soap, Olive Oil, white | 33.33 | |
VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. | ||
| Cannella Alba | 4.26 | |
| Cassia | 5.20 | |
| Cinchona Maracaibo | 4.25 | |
| ——— Flava (Calisaya) | 4.75 | |
| ——— Rubra | 4.58 | |
| Mezerion | 7.81 | |
| Myrica Cerifera | 3.98 | |
| Prinos Verticill. | 4.16 | |
| Prunus Virginian. | 4.00 | |
| BERRIES. | ||
| Capsicum | 3.81 | |
| Cubeba | 3.81 | |
| GUMS AND RESINS. | ||
| Aloes Soct. | 6.25 | |
| Acacia | 3.78 | |
| Catechu | 4.58 | |
| Euphorbium | 3.84 | |
| Gambogia | 4.36 | |
| Kino | 3.60 | |
| Mastiche | 8.47 | |
| Myrrha | 3.15 | |
| Opium | 6.61 | |
| Sanguis Draconis | 5.00 | |
| Scammonium Lachrym | 5.22 | |
| Tragacantha | 4.64 | |
| Spegelia Mariland. | 4.76 | |
| HERBS. | ||
| Aconite | 5.26 | |
| Cicuta | 5.71 | |
| Digitalis | 4.04 | |
| Lobelia | 4.49 | |
| Hyosciamus | 8.75 | |
| FLOWERS. | ||
| Arnica | 5.88 | |
| Caryoph. | 4.03 | |
| Humulus | 4.14 | |
| FRUIT. | ||
| Colocynth. | 67.23 | |
| LEAVES. | ||
| Buchu | .96 | |
| Senna Alex. | 4.63 | |
| ——— Ind. | 3.96 | |
| Uva Ursi | 4.35 | |
| ROOTS. | ||
| Calamus | 7.41 | |
| Cimicituga Racemosa | 4.34 | |
| Colomba | 3.47 | |
| Curcuma ground, | 3.08 | |
| Gentian. ground, | 2.46 | |
| ——— powdered | 2.20 | |
| Glyyrrh. | 4.06 | |
| Helleborus | 4.31 | |
| Hydrastis Canad. | 5.20 | |
| Iclodes Fœtidus | 4.00 | |
| Inula | 4.00 | |
| Ipecacuanha | 4.10 | |
| Iris Flor. | 3.34 | |
| Jalap | 4.00 | |
| Rheum Indicum | 3.91 | |
| ——— Russic. | 4.17 | |
| Sanguinaria | 3.96 | |
| Salep | 3.84 | |
| Scilla | 9.43 | |
| Senega | 5.08 | |
| Serpentaria | 4.44 | |
| Lobelia | 7.46 | |
| Valerian. | 4.24 | |
| Zingib. Jam. | 4.51 | |
| SEEDS. | ||
| Anisum | 3.60 | |
| Cardamom. | 4.92 | |
| Colchicum | 4.05 | |
| Coriandrum | 2.02 | |
| Linum (ground,) | .87 | |
| Nux Vomica | 3.79 | |
| SUNDRIES. | ||
| Cantharis. | 4.31 | |
| Ext. Coloc. comp. | 4.54 | |
| Ext. Glyyrrh. | 6.25 | |
| Ext. Jalap | 4.87 | |
| Galla | 4.34 | |
| Secale Cornutum | 4.39 | |
ON THE PREPARATIONS OF IRON USED IN MEDICINE. BY HENRY WURTZ.
The preparations of iron being among the most important articles of the Pharmacopœia, it is surprising that so little attention is paid by many druggists and pharmaceutists to the preparation and preservation of these articles in a pure state. The greater part of the preparations of iron to be found in the shops are far from having the chemical composition indicated by their labels, and in fact, few of the formulas given in any of the Pharmacopœias for preparations of iron, are capable of giving even tolerably pure products.