4743. To Prepare Gun Cotton for Collodion

4743.      To Prepare Gun Cotton for Collodion. To 10 troy ounces nitrate of potassa, add 15£ troy ounces sulphuric acid, and stir until uniformly mixed. When cooled below 122° Fahr., add 1/2 troy ounce cotton, freed from impurities, stirring with a glass rod; cover the vessel closely, and, after standing 24 hours, transfer the cotton to a larger vessel, and wash it, first with cold water until the washings cease to have an acid taste, and then wash with boiling water. Press it as dry as possible with the hand, pack it tightly in a conical percolator, and pour on it stronger alcohol until the remaining water is displaced. Lastly, press it as dry as possible with the hand. The cotton thus prepared, and dried at a temperature of 212°, weighs 336 grains.

4744. To Prepare Collodion

4744.    To Prepare Collodion. Mix 21 fluid ounces stronger ether with 6 fluid ounces stronger alcohol in a suitable bottle, add the quantity of moist prepared cotton (as prepared in the preceding receipt), and shake occasionally until dissolved.

4745. Morphia Collodion

4745.    Morphia Collodion. Collodion, 30 parts; muriate of morphia, 1 part. Applied to the affected parts in obstinate neuralgia.

4746. To Administer Hydrate of Chloral

4746.     To Administer Hydrate of Chloral. Physicians should prescribe only the crystals, and should be very certain that they are pure. The taste of hydrate of chloral is quite unpleasant, but orange-juice completely covers it, and so does peppermint water or essence of peppermint. If taken in aqueous solution, let the patient be directed to suck the juice of an orange immediately after swallowing the dose, or mix with the solution a little peppermint water, with syrup of tolu. The following is a good formula: Take chloral hydrate, 1 drachm; peppermint water, 1/2 ounce; syrup tolu, 1/2 ounce; water, 2 ounces. Dose, from 1/2 ounce to 2 ounces, as may be required. The mixture should not be prepared in large quantities, nor be kept for any length of time.

4747. Improved Formula for Chalk Mixture

4747.    Improved Formula for Chalk Mixture. To obviate unpleasant and dangerous souring of chalk mixture as commonly prepared, glycerine may be substituted for the sugar, according to the following formula: Take of prepared chalk and glycerine, of each 1/2 ounce; pure gum acacia, 2 drachms; cinnamon water and pure water, of each 4 ounces. Rub well together until thoroughly mixed. This mixture will keep during a whole summer. The glycerine exerts a positively soothing effect upon the bowels, as, well as in some degree arresting fermentation.

4748. Phosphorated Ether

4748.    Phosphorated Ether. Dissolve 2 grains phosphorus in 1/2 drachm oil of peppermint ; when dissolved add sulphuric ether, h fluid ounce; mix well. Dose, 2 to 6 drops. This was recommended by Augustin in epilepsy, paralysis, and other like nervous affections.