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100
cream of tartar. The British Pharmacopoeia says:
''twenty grains give with hydrogen sulphide a precipitate
(dried at 212 deg. Farenheit.) equal to 9 91
grains." No. 198 gives only h 0 > grains. Inasmuch
as there is some discrepancy in the books, I have only
requested that the facts mentioned should be reported
to the vendoi. The further advice I could add would
be that Tartar Emetic should be purchased in wellformed
crystals. A sample, numbered 193, contained
36.04 per cent, of antimony; according to theory it
should contain 36.53 per cent., and according to
Brande's analysis it contains 36.07 per cent., which
almost exactly tallies with mine. Now, as 198 only
contains 2S.13 per cent., it is clear that the discrepancy
is very great and serious.
It will be advisable to take further samples of
this and of other drugs. In justification of the
vendor, I may say that chemists are often, wittingly
or otherwise, supplied with impure drugs. I have had
caustic potash supplied to me containing 80 per cent,
of caustic soda, and without analysis it could not be
ascertained.
In concluding my report, I have only to express
a wish, that in the case of a milk appearing suspicious,