Spiritus. Spirits. Many of the spirits of the British Pharmacopoeia differ greatly from the preparations bearing the same name in the London Pharmacopoeia. Those made with volatile oils have now a uniform strength, containing one fluid part of "the oil to nine fluid parts of rectified spirit. Of this composition are Spiritus Cajuputi, Spiritus Camphorae, Spiritus Juniperi, Spiritus Lavandulae, Spiritus Menthae Piperitae, Spiritus Myristicae, and Spiritus Rosmarini. The above compounds are the same as the essences of the last Dublin Pharmacopoeia.

Spiritus Chloroformi contains only one fluid part of chloroform to nineteen fluid parts of rectified spirit, and is the correct name for the so-called chloric ether, a preparation which varies so much in strength at different establishments.

Spiritus AEtheris is the old compound spirits of ether, with the omission of the oil of wine.

Spiritus Juniperi contains about ninety-five times, Spiritus Menthae Piperitae forty-seven times, and Spiritus Rosmarini thirty-one times, as much volatile oil as the corresponding preparations of the London College.

Succi. Juices. These preparations have been for some time used in medicine, and three are now made officinal: Succus Conii, Succus Scoparii, and Succus Taraxaci. In each instance the expressed juice of the plant has one-third of its volume of rectified spirit added, a quantity found sufficient to preserve it from decomposition. The strength of these juices is liable to vary from the influence of situation, soil, and season upon the plant.

Suppositoria. Suppositories. Preparations newly introduced for the local application of certain drugs; they are two only in number, namely, tannic acid and morphia; these agents are ordered to be made up with sugar or glycerine, lard, and soap, divided into cones, and then coated with a thin covering of wax.

[Suppositories are not officinal in the U. S. Pharmacopoeia. They are best made with butter of cacao in the form of small cylinders, and introduced by means of a suppository syringe.]

Tincturce. Tinctures. In the British Pharmacopoeia this group is very extensive, and it will be observed that in the preparation of the various tinctures, different menstrua are employed, as rectified spirit, proof spirit, compound spirit of ammonia, and spirit of ether.

Rectified Spirit is used whenever the active portion of the drug from which the tincture is made is of sparing solubility in more dilute alcohol. This is the case with some alkaloids, resin-ous, and oily matters.

In the Pharmacopoeia, rectified spirit is used in the tinctures of Aconite, Arnica, Assafoetida, Benzoin, Indian Hemp, Capsicum, Castor, Perchloride of Iron, Iodine, Kino, Lavender, Myrrh, Nux Vomica, Tolu, and Ginger. Aromatic Spirit of Ammonia is employed pharmaceutically with the same object as rectified spirit, namely, to dissolve resins and oily substances, but it is also used with a view to its own medicinal powers; its alkaline properties render it a potent solvent of resinous acids. It is only ordered for two tinctures, viz., Tinctura Guaiaci Ammoniata and Tinctura Valerianae Ammoniata.

Spirit of Ether (a mixture of two parts by volume of rectified spirit and one part of ether) is used to form one tincture, Tinctura Lobeliae AEtherea, and in this instance the antispasmodic virtues of the ether, rather than its solvent powers, have doubtless led to its employment.

Proof Spirit is used in making the remainder of the tinctures, containing matters partly soluble in water, partly in spirit; the amount of alcohol in proof spirit is more than sufficient to ensure an absence of all decomposition in the preparations, even when kept for a lengthened period.

Many of the tinctures made with rectified spirit, or with aromatic spirit of ammonia, become milky when added to water, on account of the precipitation of the resinous or oily matters which are insoluble in water, and a species of emulsion is thus formed. Under these circumstances it is often desirable to have mucilage of acacia rubbed up with the tincture before the addition of the water, and by this means the insoluble matters are held in suspension for a long time.

Trochisci. Lozenges. This group, although long officinal in the Edinburgh, is now for the first time introduced into an English Pharmacopoeia. There are six different lozenges; viz., of Tannic Acid, Bismuth, Catechu, Morphia, Morphia with Ipecacuanha, and Opium. In all cases the lozenge mass is ordered to be divided into a given number (720) of lozenges, and hence a definite quantity of the active matters is contained in each.

Unguenta. Ointments. It will be observed that cerates are altogether omitted from the Pharmacopoeia, but many of the present ointments contain wax, and are similar in character and composition to preparations formerly termed cerates.

In the ointments of the active principles of vegetables, as of Aconitia, Atropia, and Veratria, eight grains of the active principle are contained in about an ounce of the preparation.

Vina. Wines. In these preparations sherry wine is used as the menstruum. Vinum Ferri is now made by dissolving tartara-ted iron in sherry, and Vinum Opii by digesting opium in the same; in the London Pharmacopoeia iron wire was employed for the former, and extract of opium for the latter preparation.

Attention to the following directions may prove of some value.

Care must be taken that medicines do not acquire any impurity from the material of the vessels in which they are either prepared or kept; therefore, unless otherwise ordered, glass, or vitrified ware, such as porcelain or stone, whose surface is not glazed with lead, should be employed.

All acid, alkaline, or metallic preparations, and salts of every kind, should be kept in stoppered glass bottles, and occasionally those made of green or black glass are desirable.

When the saturation of acids or alkalies is ordered, it is supposed that this is determined by the use of litmus or turmeric papers. In applying tests, distilled water should be made use of; and, unless otherwise ordered, white bibulous paper should be used. In the filtration of liquids, or drying of crystals, degrees of heat are measured by Fahrenheit's thermometer: boiling heat is 212°; a gentle heat between 90° and 100°. Specific gravities are to be taken at the temperature of 60°. In ascertaining the weight of any precipitate, the precipitant should be added in excess, and the precipitate well washed, and afterwards dried at 212°; care, however, is sometimes necessary, in order that the precipitate be not redissolved by the excess of the precipitant.

Crucibles should be made of Hessian or Cornish ware.

Exposure to hot water, or the vapour of boiling water, in a proper vessel, constitutes a Water Bath.

A Sand Bath consists of sand heated in a suitable vessel.