many instances, been corrected and completed. The gum arabic is now named acacia gummi, as produced by the acacia vera of Willdenow: the aloë socotorina and Barbadensis are called respectively aloës spicatæ and vulgaris extractum, and referred to plants which are to be described in the Flora Græca. Ammoniacum is attributed, after Willdenow, to the Heracleum gummiferum, which this celebrated botanist raised from seeds found with the gum. Canella is referred to the canella alba; cardamomum to a plant named by Dr. Maton elettaria cardamomum; caryophylli to the eugenia caryophyllata `; cascarilla to the croton cascarilla; catechu, like gum arabic, to an acacia instead of a mimosa; centaurium to the chironia; cinchona, now called lancifolia, to the plant so named by Mutis and Zea; filix to aspidium; jalapa to convolvulus jalapa; ipecacuanha to callicocca ipecacuanha; manna to fraxinus ornus; quassia to quassia excelsa; quercus to quercus pedunculata; damask rose to rosa centifolia, of which it bears the name; saccharum to saccharum officinale; terebinthina vulgaris to pinus sylvestris; terebinthina canadensis, a new article, to pinus balsamea; tormentilla to tormentilla officinalis; tragacantha, after Olivier, to astragalus verus ; and zingiber to zingiber officinale. The insect cantharis is called lytta, being the lytta vesicatoria of Fabricius. Many of these species are the same which were formerly described under different names: others have been more lately ascertained. The articles, which are still obtained from unknown sources, are only four-calumba, kino, myrrh, and sagapenum. : The omissions of substances contained in the former catalogue are scarcely less numerous, than the insertions of new articles the greater part of these omissions will, in all probability, be generally approved; some of the most questionable are the arnica, carduus benedictus, cinara, ginseng, ichthyocolla, iris, juglans, ladanum, ribes, rubus idaus, and urtica. The testimonies in favour of any of these would perhaps scarcely be sufficient to command the admission of an unknown substance: but it may be doubted whether the evidence against them can be considered as strong enough to make their rejection a matter of absolute propriety. nax, 66 In both the Latin editions, as well as in the translation, we find "opoponax" and cervus elaphas," instead of opopaand elaphus. Opopanax, being a word,quod versu dicere non est, has been as unfortunate in its quantity as in its orthography, a poetaster of the iron age having concluded a very sonorous line with-" opopanaca pompholygemque." The additions which have been made to the preparations and compositions, and the alterations in some of the formulæ which are retained, are so numerous and important, as to deserve a brief examination in detail, and an insertion of some specimens of the improved processes. ACIDUM CITRICUM. This is prepared by decomposing the citrate of lime, and frequently crystallizing and redissolving the acid obtained. Its great utility to seafaring persons is universally admitted; and it is manufactured on a large scale by a well known chemist in London. This dilute acid is now ACIDUM SULPHURICUM DILUTUM. made one-third stronger than before; and the acidity of the infusum rosæ is increased in the same proportion. It is not easy to discover the advantage of such a change, except for exercising the memory and attention of the practitioner. POTASSE SUPERSULPHAS. Crystallized at once from the residue, left after the distillation of the nitric acid. It contains, as Dr. Wollaston has ascertained, exactly twice as much sulfuric acid as the neutral salt, and may often afford a convenient form for administring that acid. Crystallized POTASSE CARBONAS.-SODE CARBONAS. from a mixture of the subcarbonates with ammonia in its common form; the ammonia being driven off by a gentle heat. CRETA PREPARATA. Insoluble powders, which were formerly to be prepared by levigation only, are now directed to be elutriated. PREPARATA EX ANTIMONIO. Most of the preparations of antimony are considerably varied: the whole section, which relates to them, will afford us an interesting specimen of the work. It is thus exhibited in Dr. Powell's translation : 66 OXYDUM ANTIMONII-OXYD OF ANTIMONY. "Take of Sulphuret of antimony, powdered, two ounces. Nitric acid, one fluidounce. "The acids being mixed together in a glass vessel, add the anti"mony gradually thereto, and digest them in a boiling heat for an ❝hour; then strain the solution, and pour it into a gallon of water, "in which two ounces of subcarbonate of potash have been previ << ously dissolved wash the precipitated powder by repeated affu"sions of water, until all the acid is washed away; then dry it 766 upon bibulous paper. "ANTIMONII SULPHURETUM PRECIPITATUM PRECIPI- "Take of Sulphuret of antimony, in powder, two pounds. 66 Distilled water, three pints. "Mix and boil the mixture over a gentle fire for three hours, 46 stirring it well, and occasionally adding distilled water, so that the 66 same measure may be preserved. Strain the solution forthwith 66 through a double linen cloth, and while it is yet hot, drop in gra"dually as much sulphuric acid as may be required to precipitate "the powder; then wash away the sulphate of potash by hot water; "dry the precipitated sulphuret of antimony, and reduce it to 66 powder. "ANTIMONIUM TARTARIZATUM-TARTARIZED ANTIMONY. "Take of Oxyd of antimony, two ounces. 66 66 Supertartrate of potash powdered, three ounces. "To the water, whilst boiling in a glass vessel, add gradually "the antimony and supertartrate of potash, previously mixed to66 gether, and continue to boil for half an hour; then filter the "solution through paper, and evaporate it in a gentle heat, so that, "whilst it cools slowly, crystals may form. "PULVIS ANTIMONIALIS-ANTIMONIAL POWDER. "Mix and throw them into a broad iron pot, heated to a white ་ "heat, and stir the mixture constantly until it acquires an ash "co'our. Having taken it out, reduce it to powder, and put it "into a coated crucible, upon which another inverted crucible, ❝ having a small hole in its bottom, is to be luted. Then raise the "fire by degrees to a white heat, and keep it so for two hours. "Reduce the residuary mass to a very fine powder. 66 LIQUOR ANTIMONII TARTARIZATI-SOLUTION OF TARTA 66 RIZED ANTIMONY. "Take of Tartarized antimony, one scruple. Boiling distilled water, four fluidounces. "Dissolve the tartarized antimony in the boiling distilled water, "then add the wine." On the first process, it has been observed by a practical chemist, that the acids will be very liable to boil away, and leave the antimony undissolved, unless particular precautions be taken to avoid the inconvenience. A very tall vessel nearly closed, and kept cold at its upper part, would probably afford the best remedy, the acid continually running back as its vapours became condensed. The antimonial powder being weaker than formerly, it will be necessary, for some years to come, that physicians should specify in their prescriptions, whether they mean the old or the new preparation: and it may be questioned, whether the change will produce any advantage equivalent to this inconvenience, and to the mistakes which may arise from the inattention of the compounders of medicine. LIQUOR ARSENICALIS. This is the arsenite of potass, as introduced by Dr. Fowler: it seems to be more easily prepared than the arseniate, which was Macquer's salt. CUPRUM AMMONIATUM. Made by rubbing together sulfate of copper and carbonate of ammonia, as directed by the College of Edinburgh. Dr. Powell supposes it to be a subsulfate of copper and ammonia: but in the former aqua cupri ammoniati there was no acid, and the essential combination appears to consist in a direct union of the oxid with the ammonia, a case by no means without an example; so that it might almost be called a cuprite of ammonia. FERRI CARBONAS. This preparation has for some time been frequently employed under the name of ferrum præcipitatum: it is one of the best and most convenient forms for administering iron. It is scarcely probable that it has any right to the title of a carbonate, even if that of a subcarbonate should be conceded to it. LIQUOR FERRI ALKALINI. The tinctura martis alkalina of Stahl, probably a subnitrate of iron and potass. HYDRARGYRI OXYDUM CINEREUM. Made by boiling calomel in lime-water. It has been often used as a mild alterative, as well as for mercurial fumigations. DECOCTUM ALOES COMPOSITUM. A composition attributed to Hofmann, sometimes used under the name baume de vie; containing, besides the extract of aloes, some aromatic and saponaceous substances. INFUSA. A number of useful infusions are introduced, many of which have been habitually ordered without particular formulæ. In the infusum sennæ, it is to be regretted that the College did not adopt the suggestion of one of their fellows, to add some cloves to the senna, in order to overcome its disagreeable taste and smell. A drachm and a half, or two drachms of cloves might be substituted for the drachm of ginger, without any inconvenience. EXTRACTA. Several new extracts are inserted, and some of those, which were formerly directed, have been omitted. The extractum opii, like the extractum thebaicum of 1720, which had been somewhat too hastily abandoned, is an aqueous extract only; and it seems to be agreed, by a great number of practitioners, that it produces an equal effect as a narcotic, with less subsequent confusion and headache, than the tinctura opii. MISTURA FERRI COMPOSITA. In this well-known chalybeate draught of Dr. Griffiths, the iron is supposed to remain less oxidized than when it is dried and exposed to the air. SPIRITUS AMMONIE AROMATICUS. This useful medicine |