Under this title the London College comprehends the Conserves and Electuaries of the Edinburgh and Dublin Pharmacopoeias. There is, however, a distinction between the confections or conserves and electuaries, which prevents them in strict propriety from being classed together; and this we shall point out, although at the same time we adhere to the title of the London College.

Confections or Conserves consist of fresh vegetable matters, beat into an uniform mass with refined sugar. They are designed to preserve, as nearly as possible, unaltered, the virtues or properties of recent vegetables, and to prevent the decomposition to which they would otherwise be liable; and although several delicate flowers and fruits and juicy plants can be well preserved by this means, yet this form of preparation is not adapted for all plants; and in many cases, the active ingredients are injured by the fruits being kept in this state. As remedies, confections possess little activity; and are chiefly useful as vehicles for the administration of more active substances. They should be kept in closely covered jars, in order to preserve their proper degree of moisture.

Electuaries1 are mixtures of vegetables and light earthy powders, combined by means of honey or of syrup so as to form masses of a moderate consistence. All substances of this description may therefore be made into electuaries; but, as the intention of this form of preparation is to render remedies as palatable as possible, those matters only can be employed to form electuaries, the taste of which is not too ungrateful to be covered by syrup or honey. They are more active remedies than conserves; but still the more powerful vegetable substances cannot well be exhibited in this form, on account of their taste; and the metallic salts are too ponderous to remain suspended in either syrup or honey. In making electuaries, the degree of consistence must always be regulated by the nature of the substances which enter into them.

"In conserves," as Dr. Murray justly remarks, "the addition of the saccharine matter is in much larger proportion, and is designed to preserve the vegetable matter; in electuaries the syrup is designed merely to communicate the required form."

"If confections have become hard from long keeping, they are to be moistened with water, so as to restore their proper consistence."

Hippocratis.

Confectio Amygdalae. Lond. Dub. Confection of Almonds

"Take of sweet almonds, eight ounces; acacia gum in powder, an ounce; refined sugar, an ounce. Macerate the almonds in water to free them from their cuticle; then beat all the ingredients together until they be thoroughly incorporated."

This confection may be kept longer without spoiling, if the almonds, the acacia, and the sugar, be separately powdered, and afterwards mixed. Then whenever the confection is to be used, pound the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated.

This preparation, which is not strictly a confection, but a paste, affords an easy and expeditious mode of preparing the almond mixture. A little of this paste, or the powder, triturated with a sufficient portion of water, immediately forms an emulsion. It may be made with bitter almonds. It should be strained through calico.