The poison bottle would soon become as familiar and as little dreaded as fire-arms and sharp-edged tools, with which careless people so often injure and sometimes kill themselves. Such devices must ever prove barren of any thing like useful results, either when employed to prevent accidents in the use of medicines by the public or mistakes by druggists' in dispensing. Eternal vigilance in all such matters is the only price of safety. So long as harmless medicines are kept in the same place in the sick chamber, with those that are poisonous, and remedies for external with those for internal use, and so long as the people will take and administer medicines from bottles, without first examining and reading the label, cases of accidental poisoning are liable to occasionally occur. No poison bottle will ever prevent these sad occurences, even though it is made in the most peculiar and caution awakening form. The neglect to carefully read the directions on the bottle each time the medicine is taken or administered is one of the most prolific causes of mistakes. PHILADELPHIA, Sept., 1875. ALL ABOUT SPICES. BY H. F. A. PINCKNEY. It is surprising how little heed is given to the merits of many of the common articles of food of the civilized world, but especially is this the case in our own country. This heedlessness is not confined to the consumer, but is shared in, to nearly an equal extent, by many of the dealers themselves. This is caused in a great measure by the apathy of the people, a willingness to remain content with what they have until something of a superior nature is forced, as it were, upon their attention, when for the first time they will begin to inquire or rather study into its qualities, and then wonder why they never knew all this before and how they ever put up with the former trash so long. If the people would only arouse themselves sufficiently to look into the matter and demand what their money calls for, many of the poor adulterated and nearly worthless goods (for which they are paying a price high enough to secure a genuine article) would be either driven from the market or made to tumble to a price commensurate with their true value. To no article so generally used are these remarks more applicable than to spices. Spices of nearly all kinds are of such a peculiar nature that they will admit of more adulterations, when ground, than most other goods, and with the least chance of detection; hence the fact that scarcely any of the ground spices sold in this country are really pure. This is no secret amongst the dealers, and even the consumers are aware of it; indeed there are houses in most large cities that deal exclusively in "spice mixtures," or articles manufactured to adulterate spices. In many instances "ground pepper" consists of one part pepper to four or five parts of some cheap substance. Cloves, cassia, cinnamon, ginger, pimento, nutmegs, etc. are treated more or less the same way. So long as the ground pepper is hot (if enough is used) it is argued that one should be satisfied. But give the subject a moment's thought and you will be at a loss to know of what benefit is all the substituted stuff that comes with it. If 4-5 of the socalled pepper is pea dust, or whatever it is, and it is a necessary ingredient, why don't you buy it for pea dust and pay pea dust price, for it comes a deal cheaper; if the latter is not necessary for your seasoning, why not buy the pepper alone (1-5 of the quantity) and pay pepper prices? Would it not be more satisfactory and far less expensive? So with all spices. If people were to purchase them crude in this country as they do more generally in England, they would have an opportunity of getting what they called for, although in the latter country the Government will permit of no adulteration whatever, unless the ingredients used in its manufacture are specified on the outside of the wrapper. Consequently, as a rule, English goods can be relied upon for quality, purity, uniformity and full weight. Into England, too, is imported a much wider range and finer quality of spices than are used in America; though more recently a much finer and more cultivated class of spices have been introduced here, and, no doubt, are destined to come as they get known, into general use; for although they are a trifle more expensive, they are of such high flavor and contain so much more essential to their quality, that they are really far preferable to and much cheaper than the ordinary kind. We can not too forcibly urge upon the people of this country to look into this matter of what they are eating, and through no channel can it be easier to call the attention of the consumers to this important particular than through the retail dealers, for they are the ones who directly supply the people. If they furnish fine and genuine goods to their customers, the latter get what their money entitles them to, and then they can not fail to appreciate them. Indeed, in no case has any dealer failed to improve his trade where he has given his customers a good, genuine article at a fair price, and when the customer once uses such he will be satisfied with no other. Firmly believing in the efficacy of this theory, and feeling convinced that the apathy, both on the part of the dealers and also the consumers, is due almost wholly to the want of the better knowledge of the nature and intrinsic merrits of these indispensable articles, I propose to use my humble efforts in a series of articles on spices; treating on each spice seperately, and giving what general information I have acquired from an extensive travel and experience devoted entirely to the trade; giving in detail the various qualities and grades, and how distinguished, the mode of cultivation, the curing and purchasing for export, style of packages, trade usages, allowances, terms, etc., and their various handling down to the consumers; and should a more familiar and better acquintance with an article of diet so much used increase the demand for finer, purer and altogether better grade of spices, my object will be attained. CHICAGO DRUG CLERKS' ASSOCIATION.-It is proposed to organize a Drug Clerks' Association in this city, having in view the mutual improvement of the clerks. The meeting has been called for Oct. 6th, at the rooms of the College of Pharmacy. The movement has our cordial sympathy and good wishes. THE PREPARATION OF FERRIC CHLORIDE. BY JAMES F. BABCOCK. The conversion of ferrous salts into ferric salts has always been a stumbling-block to both students and many practical pharmacists. The student is troubled by the theory of the changes which take place; at first sight the complicated reaction; the rationale of the process, which is frequently very imperfectly explained, either by his text-book or his teacher; and the pharmacist failing to fully comprehend the nature and objects of the various steps involved, but too often produces a preparation widely different from that which the Pharmacopæia directs. Much has been published on the subject by able writers, among them Procter, Squibbs and others, so that we can not hope to present any thing new. But it has always seemed to us that the matter has been made to appear unnecessarily difficult, and the object of the present article is simply to make the subject a little plainer to many, whom, we have no doubt, will be glad to have a clearer idea of the process for this important preparation. In the case of ferric chloride, the first step, the formation of a ferrous salt by a solution of metallic iron in the proper acid, is simple enough, and occasions no difficulty, if pure iron is used. The liquid, after the evolution of the hydrogen has ceased, is boiled, to expel sulphuretted hydrogen or other gases which may have been produced during the reaction, and filtered. It is a solution of ferrous chloride. The next step is to convert it into ferric chloride. It is here that the difficulty begins. Let us have a clear idea of what we are to do. We are to convert Fe Cl, into Fe, Cle. For theoretical reasons we are obliged to write the formula of ferric chloride Fe, Cl-but it will be sufficiently correct for the purposes of our explanation to consider it as Fe Cl—which gives the elements in precisely the same proportions as the other (theoretically) correct formula. We have then to convert Fe Cl2 into Fe Cl.. The simplest way of accomplishing this is, of course, to conduct chlorine gas into the solution as in the process of the French Codex. The solution need not for this purpose be hot, for the reaction takes place quite as well in the cold. Thus:-Fe Cl2+Cl=Fe Cl ̧. Any excess of chlorine which dissolves in the liquid is readily driven out by boiling. Now, if the preparation of chlorine gas, which of course requires a separate apparatus, were not troublesome, this method would no doubt be the best way of producing ferric chloride, but to avoid the trouble of making this gas, and then passing it into the solution of ferrous chloride, a method is adopted which consists in adding a mixture of acids, which at a boiling temperature, and in presence of a ferrous salt, produces chlorine in the same vessel as that which contains the salt to be acted upon. The acids used are muriatic acid and nitric acid. When a mixture of these acids is heated, chlorine, water, and a compound known as chloronitric gas is produced thus: 6 H Cl+2 HN O3=2 N O Cl2+4 H2 O+Cl2. Chloro-nitric gas, when heated with ferrous salts, is decomposed and separates into nitric-oxide and chlorine. NO CI, NO+Cl2. The reaction between these acids is then, practically-6 H Cl+2 H NO3 Cl+4 H2O+2 NO. When this mixture of acids is heated, in contact with ferrous chloride, the same reaction takes place, the chlorine combines with the ferrous chloride, producing ferric-chloride, the water remains in the vessel, and the nitric oxide passes off as a colorless gas, which, coming in contact with the oxygen of the air, is converted into the reddish fumes of peroxide of nitrogen (NO+0=NO2). The complete change is readily shown by the following diagram, which represents the reaction as usually written: 6 Fe Cl2+6 H Cl+2 HNO3=3 Fe, Cl+4 H2 0+2 NO. 2 This change is frequently explained as one of oxidation of the iron, but oxidation has nothing to do with it, for the iron is not oxidized, as is seen by an inspection of the reaction. A part of the oxygen of the nitric acid combines with the hydrogen of the muriatic acid to produce water, and thus liberate chlorine, precisely as the oxygen of oxide of manganese combines with the hydrogen of muriatic acid in the usual method of production of this gas. The chlorine thus produced unites directly with the ferrous chloride to form ferric chloride, precisely as in the case where chlorine made in a separate flask is passed into the solution of iron salt. The actual operation of this method is, however, complicated by several other changes; a reaction between the first portion of nitric oxide produced, and that portion of the ferrous salt which has not up to that time been acted upon, frequently causes trouble. Ferrous salts in solution absorb nitric oxide, forming a deep brown compound of a composition represented by the formula 2 (Fe Cl, N O), so that for a time there is little or no evolution of gas, because that which is produced is absorbed by the unchanged ferrous salt; at length, however, the latter becomes saturated, and as the change of the iron salt approaches completion, the absorbed gas is rapidly evolved, sometimes causing the frothing over of the contents of the dish, unless it is capable of holding at least three times the amount of the solution. Another difficulty lies in the fact that during the action of the acids, a portion of them volatilize and escape decomposition. The amount of acids to be added will vary slightly, according to the manner in which the experiment is conducted. It is also desirable that there should be no excess of nitric acid remaining in the finished preparation, while a slight excess of muriatic acid has no special objection, but may be of benefit to prevent a decomposition of the ferric salt when diluted for various uses, as the making of tincture of chloride of iron, etc. * The method which is adopted for the preparation of ferric salts has these facts in view. We do not, therefore, add to the iron solution the whole of the mixed acids at once, but only the muriatic acid (the latter being in slight excess to allow for volatilization) with a portion of the nitric acid required. The solution should then be heated to the boiling point, and kept boiling during the subsequent addition of nitric acid. The latter is gradually added, allowing a few moments' boiling after each addition, although the red fumes may have apparently ceased, until all effervescence ceases on the further addition of nitric acid, and the liquid loses its dull or dark shade and becomes clear and brilliant. This change of color often takes place suddenly, with a great evolution of gas, and marks the termination of the process, but before we decide that it is complete, a drop of the solution taken out of the vessel should be tested. The drop diluted with a little water is mixed with a drop of solution of ferrid-cyanide of potassium (red prussiate) not ferro-cyanide, as stated in the Pharmacopeia. The solution should, upon the application of this test, give only a brown color with no precipitation. Should a blue precipitate occur, more nitric acid must be added to the iron solution until the above test is satisfactory. The danger of the frothing over is materially lessened by following the suggestion of Heydenreich, i. e., to pour the nitric acid along the side of the dish instead of directly into the center.-The Laboratory. |