rish's chemical food is still prescribed by physicians and used by the laity, more perhaps in England than in America nowadays, but there are pharmacists living hereabouts who pride themselves on their ability to turn out a syrup of phosphate of iron equal to that produced by the famous Philadelphia professor of pharmacy whose name is known in connection with this article in all civilized countries. Professor Parrish's son, Clemmons, has conducted a pharmacy in Brooklyn for upward of 20 years, and he had the reputation among physicians of being a careful and experienced dispenser who took a pride in his work. Certain physical disabilities have rather interfered with active prosecution of work on his part of late years, and having recently received a satisfactory offer for his business he closed with it and now intends to take his ease away from the trials and exactions of active store life. The transfer takes place this month. Because he never identified himself prominently with association work Clemmons Parrish was seldom heard of in pharmaceutical politics, but his contributions to pharmacy were of as solid a nature as those of many of the more pushing members of the craft, and his abstention from association discussions cannot be considered as other than a loss to the associations, for he has a mind richly stored with the lore of his craft. He was assisted in the active management of the store by his wife, whose attention to details of a business nature relieved Mr. Parrish of many annoyances, while Mrs. Parrish's charming manner and sociable disposition helped not a little to make Parrish's pharmacy a pleasant place to visit. We can only wish his successor an equal share of the confidence of customers and patrons with that enjoyed by Mr. Parrish.

Grocers' Drugs Adulterated.

We publish in another column a summary of the report of the New York State Board of Pharmacy which druggists would do well to study carefully, as it contains material which can with much advantage be utilized by the druggist for advertising purposes in a perfectly legitimate manner.

The trade in cream tartar, spices and what are generally looked upon as "grocers' drugs" really belongs to the retail druggist and not to the grocer. The public has gradually come to look to the grocer for a number of the household drugs and chemicals, largely because they fear that they will pay higher prices for goods bought from the pharmacist than for the same goods bought from the grocer. But as a matter of fact they do not buy the same goods from the grocer. What they do buy from the grocer is adulterated goods bearing the same name. This fact cannot be too strongly dwelt upon by the enterprising druggist who wishes to get back some of the trade in spices and what might be termed domestic chemicals. The statistics of the New York State Board of Pharmacy, which we publish, can be used by our readers as a perfectly legitimate argument against their customers dealing with grocers when in need of spices, cream tartar, borax, etc.

The masses of dry statistics which are published from time to time by the various boards of pharmacy frequently contain valuable and interesting matter of this kind, and the discriminating reader will nearly always find something in the array of figures given in the annual reports of these bodies which will give him food for thought and not infrequently material for furthering his commercial interests.

The too strict adherence to routine work of prosecuting druggists on the part of the Board of Pharmacy without attention to such collateral work as the conservation of the purity of drugs tends to beget a feeling of irritation among the unthinking pharmacists, who are inclined to look upon the board as a source of persecution rather than as a body charged with the elevation and conservation of the calling in which the pharmacist is engaged. It is fortunate therefore that the New York State Board has found some scope for its energies which

must benefit the pharmacist commercially as well as tend toward the elevation of his calling.

The Massachusetts Board has also found an opportunity to exercise its powers in behalf of pharmacists generally, and as will be seen by reference to the annual report of that board, which is also summarized in our news columns, that body proposes to put a stop to the incursions of the grocer into the field of pharmacy, which has been made possible by the too liberal interpretation of the term "domestic drugs."

A Foreign Market for Our Manufactures. Nature has been generous to the people of America and the people have displayed a commendable skill and activity in the utilization of the natural advantages with which they are surrounded. With a view to stimulating domestic manufactures of all kinds a tariff has been imposed upon goods of foreign manufacture which has protected our “infant industries" from competition from foreign manufacturers. The home market thus guaranteed them has grown so rapidly as to supply an outlet for our manufactures which has hitherto been satisfactory so long as the country generally is in a prosperous condition. In times of financial depression the manufacturer has been compelled to shut down. Now, however, the capacity of our manufacturers has about caught up with the demands of the home market and it is becoming more and more necessary for us to look abroad for a possible outlet for our surplus goods. Moreover, as the total volume of our manufactures increases the problem of tiding over any period of financial depression grows increasingly important and increasingly difficult.

Other manufacturing nations after protecting their own home markets are reaching out vigorously for the world trade. Our own national policy has been declared by our activity in securing a guarantee of the open door to trade in China and Manchuria. John Hay's vigorous policy in foreign affairs showed his keen perception of our need for a foreign outlet for our manufactures and his strong determination to secure it so far as it could be secured by diplomatic means. But all that diplomacy can do is to secure an opening for our goods on equal terms with the other manufacturers of the world. When the diplomat has done this his function ceases and the further responsibility rests with the manufacturer and the merchant, but neither manufacturer nor merchant in America is yet trained to take advantage of the openings which have been secured for them by the diplomat.

We have so often dwelt upon the need for a careful study of foreign markets and foreign methods that we should hesitate to recur to the subject save for the timeliness of the remarks made in some recent addresses to the Sphinx Club, which are reported in another column. These speakers urge the American manufacturer to undertake a personal study of foreign markets and foreign methods. American manufacturers have so long been protected from competition with foreign manufacturers by the tariff that they underrate their competition and overrate American ingenuity. Foreign trade cannot be built up in a day. As aptly stated by Mr. Moore to the Sphinx Club, "the Yankee expects to drop into a town one day and to leave it the next with orders for his goods just as he does here in the United States." This is impossible. The people must be studied, their needs learned, their prejudices catered to and whims gratified. If they want goods packed in a certain way the man who would trade with them must pack them that way. The man who pays has a right to choose, and if our manufacturers will not comply with the requirements of the foreign buyers, however absurd they may appear to us, others will. Now in this era of unexampled prosperity is the time when our manufacturers should cast an anchor to windward and provide for an outlet in foreign markets which will serve to tide them over that period of depression which we hope will be long delayed, but which will surely come some day.

(Written for the American Druggist.) PRESCRIPTION TALK.

BY J. T. PEPPER.

The usual sign, B, is absent from prescription No. 1, reproduced herewith, but we must take it for granted that it is there. I think it is quite easy to make out the first word as "Acid." The next word is not so easy, but the first letter is a capital "B," and the next letters are "oric," making the word "Boric." The quantity required is 6 drachms. The first letter of the second line is a capital “A," and the next letter is "q," the two forming the contraction "Aq," for "Aquæ." The next word is Camphora." The abbreviation commencing the next line is " Aq." You can compare it with the " Aq" just above and decide upon that for a fact. The next two words are not so easy. But by comparing these letters with other letters that you are sure of you may arrive at a conclusion that is perfectly satisfactory. The letter "m," for minims, next to the "X" at the end of the line, you are sure is correct. Then compare that "m" with the letter at the first of the second word and I think that you will decide that it is an "m" also and then trace out the following letters, "enthæ," and you get the word "menthe." The next little word of three letters is "pip," although the dot over the "i" is carried along nearly to the "m" for minims. The contraction "pip" stands for piperitæ." The next line is "Aq," add to one fluid ounce. The directions are in plain enough English.

66

Prescription No. 2.

40

ziv,

very distinctly written either. The first letter is "d," and the third ones," while the last one looks like an "e"; we may suppose that the second letter is "o," and so make the word "dose."

The second prescription on prescription No. 2 is not very difficult. Notice the second sign "R" instead of the Latin

For Miss Walther

Ꭱ

three times a

a day но

Prescription No. 1.

when it was presented at his drug store for dispensing neither he nor his partner nor any of the clerks were able to decipher "mentha pip.," but were obliged to communicate with the physician in order to find out for what he intended these words to stand.

The physician was very pleasant over the matter and told a story of a lawyer who wrote out some advice for a client. The client when he reached home tried to read the advice that the lawyer had given, but was unable to make out a word of the writing, so next day he took the paper back to the lawyer, who was unable to read his own writing of the day before, but advised his client to take the written advice to his druggist, saying that druggists were used to reading the bad writing of physicians, and that he would likely be able to read this.

So the client took the written advice to the druggist who looked at it knowingly for a few minutes, disappeared behind the dispensing case, and shortly reappeared with a bottle of medicine which he presented to the lawyer's client with a demand for $1.00.

In prescription No. 2, the first part calls for a pill. The word "case" might be taken for " cat-c," meaning "cathartic," that is, taking "cat," and the rest for the word "cathartic,"

and strychnine. The letter "c" stands for the Latin preposition cum, meaning "with." Notice also how the "c" and "y" are run together in the contracted word "strych." The dose is quite plainly one drachm or one teaspoonful. How is it to be taken? The answer is "in aq.," in aqua, in water. When is it to be taken, or how often? and the answer is, "a. c.," ante cibos, before meals. The directions to write on the label are then: One teaspoonful in water before meals.

Prescription No. 3 presents no difficulties, but is worth considering on account of the different appearance it presents to the usual run of prescriptions. I think it can all be read easily by anyone. Notice how the sign for drachm is made. If you saw it anywhere else but on a prescription you would say it was the figure 3. Also notice that there is no dot above the Roman numerals, but they are plainly made and there is no doubt as to the quantity desired by the prescriber.

The cocaine is soluble at the temperature of a water bath, but comes out on cooling. Most authorities state that cocaine is soluble in liquid paraffin to the extent of "about 1 in 100." This depends upon the sample of liquid paraffin, for there are plenty falling within the B. P. description which will not dissolve and keep in solution the cocaine in greater proportion than 1 in 150. To overcome this separation on cooling a little olive oil, in which cocaine is ten times more soluble than in liquid paraffin, is recommended.

THE ANALYSIS OF POWDERED EXTRACT OF NUX VOMICA.

For the analysis of both solid and liquid extracts of nux vomica, Bird's method of extraction bas answered admirably in the hands of Walter H. Lenton, who described his experiments at a meeting of the Liverpool Chemists' Association on December 14, 1905, reported in the Pharmaceutical Journal for December 23, as follows:

With the powdered extract I have not been so successful, and have generally found that a more or less persistent emulsion or jelly is formed. The following method has been worked out on somewhat similar lines to the process referred to above, using a hydro-alcoholic solvent for the powder, and shaking out with a mixture of ether and chloroform:

Powdered extract of nux vomica.
Ether, 0.720

Chloroform

.....

Alcohol, 90 per cent.

Strong solution of ammonia.

Distilled water

.Gm. 2

.Cc. 10

.Cc. 10

.Cc. 5

.Cc. 3

.Cc. 5

Place the ether and chloroform in a dry separator and add the powder. Next add the alcohol and solution of ammonia and shake well. Finally add the water and shake vigorously for about a minute; allow to separate, and draw off the etherchloroform layer into another separator and agitate well with 5 MI. of solution of ammonium carbonate (1 in 10), as recommended in Bird's process. Separate and repeat the agitation with another 5 MI. of solution of ammonium carbonate and draw off the washed ether-chloroform layer into a clean separator, preserving the two wash liquors separately for subsequent washings.

To the alkaline mother-liquor add ether and chloroform (10 Ml. of each), agitating and separating as before, and washing the ether-chloroform solution with the reserved washliquors.

Repeat the extraction and washings a third time. Extract the mixed ether-chloroform solutions and proceed as usual for strychnine determinations.

Personally, I prefer Bird's method of precipitation as being very convenient and reliable. At all events, whatever the details of manipulation, the process of separation should be carried out by precipitation by potassium ferrocyanide, as not only has this method official sanction, but has been shown by Farr and Wright and Bird to give concordant results, when carried out under well-defined conditions of temperature, etc. My own experience is in entire accordance with this.

3

The new U. S. P. uses the nitric acid separation, which is practically Gordin's modification of Keller's process. As far as my experience goes, the results obtained by the nitric acid separation are somewhat erratic, and are certainly not comLarable with the figures yielded by the ferrocyanide method. At a meeting of the Society of Public Analysts on June 7, Mr. Howard showed that, by conducting the separation with a 1 Analysis of Nux Vomica, P. J., XI (4), 574, and "Year Book, 2 Year-Book, 1900," p. 440.

1901."

Compare abstract, "Year-Book of Pharmacy, 1903."

small amount of nitric acid, and at 0 degree C., exact results could be obtained; but above this temperature errors occurred. I mention this point because I know several pharmacists use this method because it is simpler of execution than the official one, and I think it would be well to have a general expression of opinion on the matter, as it is of considerable importance to the working pharmacist and public analyst alike.

METHOD FOR THE ANALYSIS OF EMULSIONS.'
BY L. F. KEBLER AND GEO. W. HOOVER,

of the Drug Laboratory, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture,

Washington, D. C.

An examination of the literature shows that little has been done on the analysis of emulsions, and such results as are recorded are restricted almost exclusively to the determination of the fatty portion. While codliver oil and other fatty bodies are considered the essential constituents of emulsions, there is no gainsaying the fact that there are numerous other important medicinal agents which exert a beneficial effect, aud barmful agents may at times be present. In arriving at the value of an emulsion these agents must be taken into consideration and the emulsifying agent may or may not serve the function of a nutritive.

That this portion of analytical chemistry has been so much neglected is surprising in view of the fact that emulsions are so extensively used, not only by physicians, but also by the laity, in many forms of diseases.

4

3

The first available results were recorded by H. Leffman and W. Beam, who reported the per cent. of fat found by them in ten American emulsions. The authors stated that the most approved methods in use for fat extraction in milk analysis were employed by them. H. W. Schimpf estimates the oil by a modification of the well-known Adams' method, extracting by means of ether or benzin with a Soxhlet apparatus. Schimpf also used a specially devised apparatus, whereby the fatty portion is extracted directly from the emulsion by means of the above-named solvents. In our experience these solvents with some emulsions fail to remove all of the fat by this method. In 1899 A. Schneegans communicated the following method for determining the amount of fats in emulsion: Mix 300 parts of the emulsion with 50 parts each of coarse sand and kaolin, evaporate to dryness, with occasional stirring, and toward the end of the operation add 50 parts of dry sodium sulphate. The residue thus obtained is powdered, transferred to an extraction apparatus, extracted with ether, the ether evaporated and the residual oil weighed. In the case of emulsions prepared with egg-yolk, simple shaking out with ether may be resorted to after heating the emulsion for a short time at 100 degrees C. to coagulate the albumin. It must be remembered, however, that egg-yolk contains fat and lecithin, both of which are removed by the above solvent, and will be weighed as fat unless proper provisions are made. Mr. Schneegans places the average amount of these two products in the yolk of the average egg at about 6 Gm. The fat alone of egg-yolk approximates 20 per cent.

This paper deals only with the analytical side, and includes more or less complete identification and determination of inorganic substances, volatile matter, fatty bodies, alcohol, benzoates, salicylates, saccharin, sugar, enzymes and emulsifying agents.

This method employed by us is as follows:

DETERMINATION OF ASH.

This is accomplished by weighing out from 5 to 6 Gm. of emulsion, previously well agitated, in a platinum dish and incinerating in a muffle furnace. The resulting ash, if sufficient in amount, is then examined for the presence of inorganic

1 Presented at the Atlantic City meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 1905.

'Med. News, 1892, 60, 577.

Am. Drug., 1894, 25, 425.

J. Pharm. Elsass-Loth., 1897, 24, 321.

bodies by the conventional methods. Those most likely to be present in emulsions are compounds of sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, manganese and phosphatic material. The presence of a phosphate might indicate any of the following phosphorusbearing organic compounds, such as lecithin, phosphates, hypophosphites or glycerophosphates. Whichever may be present in the original compound must be determined by examination of the aqueous portion of the emulsion. The method for separating the same will be detailed later. The amount and kind of ash may give some indication as to the presence or absence of gum acacia.

ESTIMATION OF TOTAL VOLATILE MATTER.

Into the bottom of an ordinary leaden bottle-cap place a layer of purified and ignited asbestos and dry to constant weight at 110 degrees C. On to the layer of asbestos place from 5 to 6 Gm. (accurately weighed) of the emulsion, previously well agitated. Transfer the leaden cap and contents to a vacuum apparatus which carries a vacuum of about 550 mm. (22 inches) at a temperature of approximately 70 degrees C. The drying is continued for eight to ten hours, or until constant weight is maintained. This not only gives the amount of moisture, but also includes bodies volatile under the above conditions, including alcohol and certain flavoring agents. The above procedure prevents any material oxidation of the component constituents of the emulsion, which is an important desideratum.

ESTIMATION OF FAT.

After determining the volatile matter as outlined above the leaden caps and asbestos are cut into pieces of suitable size and transferred to a Knorr extraction apparatus, which consists of a condenser, extraction tube and flask. In this apparatus the use of stopples and ground-glass joints is entirely dispensed with. There is only one connection and that is between the condenser and flask, which is sealed by a layer of mercury. The condenser does not need to be described in detail. The extraction tube rests on the neck of the extraction flask, being supported by three projecting glass nipples. Near the bottom it is provided with a perforated platinum disk, which serves the purpose of holding a layer of prepared asbestos. The layer of asbestos is placed into the extraction tube, on top of the perforated platinum disk, in a pulpy, moist condition to the depth of about 4 inch, by means of a vacuum. The extraction tube and contents are then dried at about 110 degrees C. The material in the extraction tube is then treated with ether of U. S. P. quality from 10 to 14 hours, or until complete extraction is insured. The ether is then completely evaporated at water. bath temperature and the amount of ether extractive calculated from data in hand. The residue left in the above tubes, after treating with ether, can now be examined to advantage by means of the microscope.

DETECTION OF CERTAIN EMULSIFYING AGENTS.

It is quite possible that the mucilages have been so prepared as to destroy all possible clues to their origin, but in many cases there are frequently left some particles which will indicate their nature. A few starch grains are sufficient to identify gum tragacanth. A few fragments of plant tissue may be sufficient to establish the source from which the emulsifying agent has been obtained. Microchemical tests may also indicate the presence of dextrine and certain mucilaginous bodies. The amount and kind of ash left on incineration also gives evidence as to the presence or absence of acacia.

DETECTION OF ALL BODIES SOLUBLE IN THE AQUEOUS MENSTRUUM EMPLOYED.

66

It was found by experiment that when emulsions in general are submitted to the process commonly known as centrifuging" they are separated into two distinct layers, the upper consisting of the fatty and the lower of the aqueous portion. From this the suggestion presented itself that if we could construct an apparatus which would permit the use of a separatory funnel in place of the ordinary test-tube it would render the separation of the two layers into which emulsions are converted by centrifuging, a very easy matter, and would simplify future

analytical operations very materially. An apparatus was accordingly brought into play which exactly fitted the conditions. It consists of an electrical centrifugal, carrying a frame of suitable size, which will hold an ordinary 75 Cc. conical separatory funnel. We have met with only one emulsion, which will be described later, that could not be separated by this means. The process in general from this point is as follows:

Into two separatory funnels of suitable size place about equal amounts of the emulsion. Place both into the centrifuge and whirl a sufficient time to bring about the desired separation, which usually requires from 15 minutes to 1 hour. The aqueous menstruum is then withdrawn and submitted to such testing as may be necessary. In this manner we are able not only to separate emulsions thoroughly so as to simplify analysis, but the fatty portion is left in its original condition, so that it can be extracted by means of the immiscible solvents and identified.

REACTION OF EMULSION.

This can be determined by testing the aqueous layer obtained in the above operation by immersing strips of red and blue litmus paper.

DETERMINATION OF ALCOHOL.

Separate a given volume or weight of the emulsion by centrifuging as indicated above, withdraw the aqueous portion and place same in distilling flask. To the fatty residue in the funnel add another portion of water, approximately equal to the amount of material withdrawn, agitate thoroughly, centrifuge, withdraw the clear layer and place it into the distilling flask used above. The latter operation can be repeated a second and a third time, but in practice it has been found that one extraction in addition to the first separation is sufficient to obtain all the alcohol in the emulsion. The aqueous portions contained in the distilling flask are now treated in the usual manner for determining alcohol-namely, render alkaline with sodium carbonate and add a small amount of tannin to prevent frothing. The mixture is then submitted to distillation, and the amount distilled should be exactly equal to the amount of original emulsion employed. By determining the specific gravity of the distillate at the recognized temperature and referring to an alcohol table the per cent. of alcohol can readily be deduced.

DETECTION OF ENZYMES.

Centrifuge any suitable quantity of the emulsion, withdraw the lower aqueous portion and test for the presence of pancreatin and pepsin by the official method of the eighth revision of the Pharmacopoeia. It is also advisable to test for the presence of pancreatin by the method of 1890 Pharmacopoeia. The methods at present available for detecting and identifying enzymes are far from satisfactory. Many disturbing factors present themselves, but with the scheme in hand the difficulties are no greater than they are in this field exclusive of emulsions. There may be other enzymes added that have the power of converting starch, and thus make it difficult for the analyst to decide whether or not pancreatin is present. It also frequently happens that the aqueous portion of the emulsion as withdrawn above contains products which will prevent the usual starch-iodine reaction used in determining whether or not the starch has been converted into sugars. The chemicals especially conspicuous are the hypophosphites. It will be necessary for us to extend this line of research, but for the present time it is proper to say that when these disturbing factors are absent and a starch-converting enzyme is present there is little difficulty in ascertaining this fact, and if some of these disturbing elements are present and the starch-iodine reaction is obtained under proper testing, it is evidence that no starchconverting enzyme is present.

DETERMINATION OF SUGARS.

The sugars present may be sucrose, glucose, maltose and lactose. Separate the emulsion as outlined above and determine the sugars in the separated aqueous portion by the methods usually employed for determining sugars. Methods for determining sucrose and glucose will be found in "Bul. Bur. Chem.," 65, pp. 84 and 85, respectively. The most suitable methods available for determining lactose will be found in "Bul. Bur. Chem.," 46, p. 40, and maltose is best determined

DETECTION OF SACCHARIN.

If, after evaporating the ethereal solution obtained as directed above for detecting salicylic acid and taking up the residue in water, the latter possesses a distinctly sweet taste, the indication is that saccharin is present. This chemical in the absence of salicylic acid is tested for in the following manner: Separate the aqueous portion of the emulsion by means of the centrifuge, proceed as directed under salicylic acid, evaporate the ethereal solution in a silver dish, take up the residue with 5 Cc. of water, add 1 Gm. sodium hydroxide, evaporate to dryness and finally heat for 20 minutes at 210 to 215 degrees C. This procedure will convert the saccharin into a salicylate. The fused mass is taken up with water, acidulated with sulphuric acid, and the presence of salicylic acid determined as directed above for detecting this chemical.

In case salicylic acid is present proceed as directed under salicylic acid until the residue is obtained in the porcelain dish. Dissolve this residue in 10 Cc. of water, add 2 Cc. of 35 per cent. sulphuric acid, bring the mixture to boiling, add drop by drop a 5 per cent. solution of potassium permanganate to slight excess, cool the solution, add about 1 Gm. of sodium hydroxide, and proceed from this point as directed under saccharin in the absence of salicylic acid.

VOLATILE MATTER EXCLUSIVE OF WATER AND ALCOHOL. The volatile bodies liable to be present are the essential oils and petroleum. The former can usually be identified either by the odor of the emulsion itself or after distillation in connection with the estimation of alcohol.