Part 402

According to another much employed method, the mass is crushed with alcohol, then rubbed through a sieve, and dried rapidly. This process is somewhat dearer, owing to the great loss of alcohol, but presents the advantage of furnishing a better product than any other recipe.

Effervescent magnesium citrate cannot be very well made; for this reason the sulphate was used in lieu of the citrate. A part of the customary admixture of sulphate is replaced by sugar and aromatized with lemon or similar substances.

An excellent granulation mass is obtained from the following mixture by addition of alcohol:

Parts by weight Sodium bicarbonate 30 Tartaric acid 15 Citric acid 13 Sugar 30

The total loss of this mass through granulation amounts to from 10 to 15 per cent.

To this mass, medicinal substances, such as antipyrin, caffeine citrate, lithium citrate, lithium salicylate, phenacetin, piperacin, ferric carbonate, and pepsin may be added, as desired. {627}

In order to produce a quinine preparation, use tincture of quinine instead of alcohol for moistening; the quinine tincture is prepared with alcohol of 96 per cent.

Basis for Effervescent Salts.—

Sodium bicarbonate, dried and powdered 53 parts Tartaric acid, dried and powdered 28 parts Citric acid, uneffloresced crystals 18 parts

Powder the citric acid and add the tartaric acid and sodium bicarbonate. This basis may be mixed with many of the medicaments commonly used in the form of granular effervescent salts, in the proportion which will properly represent their doses and such substances as sodium phosphate, magnesium sulphate, citrated caffeine, potassium bromide, lithium citrate, potassium citrate, and others, will produce satisfactory products. A typical formula for effervescent sodium phosphate would be as follows:

Sodium phosphate, uneffloresced crystals 500 parts Sodium bicarbonate, dried and powdered 477 parts Tartaric acid, dried and powdered 252 parts Citric acid, uneffloresced crystals 162 parts

Dry the sodium phosphate on a water bath until it ceases to lose weight; after powdering the dried salt, mix it intimately with the citric acid and tartaric acid, then thoroughly incorporate the sodium bicarbonate. The mixed powders are now ready for granulation. The change in manipulation which is suggested to replace that usually followed, requires either a gas stove or a blue-flame coal-oil stove, and one of the small tin or sheet-iron ovens which are so largely used with these stoves. The stove itself will be found in almost every drug store; the oven costs from $1 to $2.

The oven is heated to about 200° F. (the use of a thermometer is desirable at first, but one will quickly learn how to regulate the flame to produce the desired temperature), and the previously mixed powders are placed on, preferably, a glass plate, which has been heated with the oven, about 1⁠/⁠2 pound being taken at a time, dependent upon the size of the oven. The door of the oven is now closed for about one minute, and, when opened, the whole mass will be found to be uniformly moist and ready to pass through a suitable sieve, the best kind and size being a tinned iron, No. 6. This moist, granular powder may then be placed upon the top of the oven, where the heat is quite sufficient to thoroughly dry the granules, and the operator may proceed immediately with the next lot of mixed powder, easily granulating 10 or more pounds within an hour.

Sugar has often been proposed as an addition to these salts, but experience has shown that the slight improvement in taste, which is sometimes questioned, does not offset the likelihood of darkening, which is apt to occur when the salt is being heated, or the change in color after it has been made several months. It should be remembered that in making a granular effervescent salt by the method which depends upon the liberation of water of crystallization, a loss in weight, amounting to about 10 per cent, will be experienced. This is due, in part, to the loss of water which is driven off, and also to a trifling loss of carbon dioxide when the powder is moistened.

«EFFERVESCENT POWDERS:»

«Magnesian Lemonade Powder.»—

Fine white sugar 2 pounds Magnesium carbonate 6 ounces Citric acid 4 ounces Essence of lemon 2 drachms

Rub the essence into the dry ingredients, work well together, sift, and bottle.

«Magnesian Orgeat Powder.»—

Fine sugar 1 pound Carbonate of magnesia 3 ounces Citric acid 1 ounce Oil of bitter almonds 3 drops Vanilla flavoring, quantity sufficient.

Thoroughly amalgamate the dry ingredients. Rub in the oil of almonds and sufficient essence of vanilla to give a slight flavor. Work all well together, sift, and bottle.

«Raspberryade Powder.»—

Fine sugar 2 pounds Carbonate of soda 2 ounces Tartaric acid 2 ounces Essence of raspberry 4 drachms Carmine coloring, quantity sufficient.

Rub the essence well into the sugar, and mix this with the soda and acid. Then work in sufficient liquid carmine to make the powder pale red, sift through a fine sieve, and pack in air-tight bottles. {628}

«Ambrosia Powder.»—

Fine sugar 2 pounds Carbonate of soda 12 drachms Citric acid 10 drachms Essence of ambrosia 20 drops

Amalgamate the whole of the above, and afterwards sift and bottle in the usual manner.

«Noyeau Powder.»—