A tablespoonful twice a day. Third formula. B. Cod liver oil..... ...... 250 grammes. A tablespoonful twice a day. Magnesia q.s. for saturation. But as it requires nearly double as much magnesia by weight as of oil for saturation, this mode of administration has the great inconvenience of obliging the invalid to take too large a bulk of medicine. The disagreeable taste of cod liver oil may be disguised likewise, by taking it in hot milk, or in very hot coffee; but we must confess that the best mode of administering this medicament is to give it without any mixture. We often succeed in making it tolerated, by prevailing on the patient to gargle the mouth with a spoonful of brandy, both before and after taking the oil. The papillæ of the mouth, rendered less sensitive by this means, will thus permit doses powerful enough for every good purpose. Finally, if the patient is much tormented by nauseau, or inclination to vomit; when the swallowing of the oil is followed, as we have sometimes seen, by so great a disgust as to occasion abstinence from all food, the cod liver oil may be given at bed time, and just before going to sleep; the digestion of the oil takes place during the night, facilitated by the horizontal position and the perfect stillness. We have ourselves thus succeeded in ren dering cod liver oil supportable to persons who could not become accustomed to it by other means. ON THE PREPARATION OF SYRUPS OF VALERIAN AND GENTIAN. BY M. MALFILATRE. FOR the purpose of simplifying the process *Journal de Chimie Medicale, June, 1850. peeled and bruised.. White sugar.... Cold water.. 50 grammes. 2,677 q.s. The root is put into a displacement apparatus, and is lixiviated with water, using the precautions employed in such circumstances, until a liquid is obtained of the density of 1350, in which the prescribed quantity of sugar is dissolved by a gentle heat in a close vessel. Syrup of gentian is prepared in the same manner, always retaining, as in the former' case, the proportions directed by the Codex, According to M. Malfilatre, products obtained in this way, would be better than those prepared according to the directions of the Codex. FEBRIFUGE AND ANTIPERIODIC PROPERTIES OF CHLOROFORM.* BY DR. DELIOUX. DR. DELIOUX, professor at the Normal School of Rochefort, addressed to the Academy a note in which he communicates the beneficial results which he obtained in intermittent fevers from chloroform administered internally. He gives it in a draught or mixture in the dose of 75 centigr. (11.576 grains) to 2.50 grammes (38.585). By following the same mode of administration as for other febrifuges, the draught is taken in three times, with an interval of a quarter or half an hour, in such a manner that the last dose be administered three or four hours before the anticipated return of the access. Dr. Delioux has not remarked that there was any diminution in the volume of the spleen: however, the fits were completely quelled in certain cases, and in others the treatment completely failed. Dr. D. does not propose chloroform as a substitute for quinine, to which he has found it very inferior; but he presents it as capable of rendering some service in cases in which the antiperiodic par excellence has failed. The chloroform draughts have a strong etherial and minty taste, which is not repulsive to the patients; some of them have experienced a transient sensation of heat in the pharynx extending to the stomach; but, except this sensation, nothing troublesome or painful. Sometimes a very slight and temporary intoxication is manifested, but it is rarely followed by intense cephalalgia. Archives Generales de Medicine. ON QUINOIDINE.* BY R. LEHMANN AND E. VOLLAND. The author found by direct experiments, that equal parts of quinoidine and pine resin very easily combine. The commercial qui R. LEHMANN, a pharmaceutist of Prenz-noidine in which this adulteration was dislau, has examined quinoidine, two drachms of which being treated with alcohol, left a residue of one-third. Of this undissolved portion, water took up two-thirds, consisting of sulphate of soda and sulphate of potassa. In the last undissolved residue, a considerable quantity of copper was discovered. Sulphuric acid dissolved the remainder, with the exception of five grains of earthy matter. The alcoholic extract contained no copper. covered, consisted of a four-sided prism, half a foot long, and weighing one pound. It was not so dark as that usually met with, and had a green tinge. It was very brittle, and a small piece kept in the warm hand, became soft, but with difficulty, whilst genuine quinoidine becomes so soft in the hand that it can be moulded. In spirit of wine it dissolved, leaving but a small residue; in diluted sulphuric acid the residue was considerable, and melted in a porcelain capsule, forming a dark brown resinous mass, which, on being heated in a platinum spoon, evolved an odor at first slightly of burning quinoidine, but afterwards like strongly heated resin or pitch, and on igniting the vapors it was consumed with a After incineration, strongly sooty flame. A second specimen of quinoidine left, on being exhausted by alcohol, a calcareous residue, which formed a sixth part of the whole quinoidine. This residue was insoluble both in hot alcohol and in water, but was dissolved by diluted sulphuric acid. The filtered solution on evaporation yielded crystals, and a dark precipitate, which pre-scarcely any residue was left. This quinoicipitate always reappeared when the solu- dine is said to have been imported from Bavaria. tion ceased to have an acid reaction. The crystals appeared to be sulphate of cinchonia, from which, however, quinine was obtained by means of ether. From two other sorts of quinoidine, the author obtained inconsiderable residues of sulphate of potassa and soda, phosphate of soda, ammoniacal salts, and lime. One specimen also yielded a trace of copper. The variations in the qualities of commercial quinoidine gave rise to much inconvenience, as medicines prepared with them are not uniform in their appearance. Thus the author often received prescriptions ordering Tinct. chinoidini c. aq. menth. pip. et acid. sulph. dil., the latter in a small quantity; and also Tinct. et aq. menth. in such proportion, that precipitation must take place. This happened with every tincture prepared with fresh quiniodine. Sometimes the precipitate settled at the bottom, sometimes it remained for a length of time at the surface, The other sort, from Basle, had the conand adhered gradually everywhere; at one sistency of a thick extract, a blackishtime the mixture was dark brown, another brown color, and appeared to be the inlight brown, and sometimes brownish-spissated mother-liquor obtained in the prewhite, almost milky. paration of the sulphate of quinine. Two other sorts of quinoidine, one from England, the other from Basle, were examined by Volland. The first was darker than the usual quinoidine: small quantities of it held for some time in the warm hand, became soft and shapeable, even more so than is the case with good dry quinoidine. In alcohol and diluted sulphuric acid, it was dissolved with only a slight residue. The filtered solution of half a drachm of this quinoidine in diluted sulphuric acid, gave by precipitation with carbonate of soda by heat, twenty-eight grains dry quinoidine=93333 per cent. dissolved 73 33 per cent. dissolved by the ether, was treated with water, and then with spirit of wine, by which 17.5 per cent. more were dissolved, and a residue of about four per cent. insoluble in these solvents remained behind. Ether The residue not CHLOROFORM IN THE TREATMENT DR. DEVERGIE has employed chloroform in * Bulletin de Therapeutique. He mentions among others a case in which 12 drops of chloroform poured on a hand-kerchief, placed under the nose of a patient, not only caused the termination of a violent fit of hysteria, but also cured the patient who had previously had 4 or 5 fits per month, and which had never before yielded to any treatment. Dr. Devergie, likewise tried chloroform in cutaneous diseases with great success: however, his conclusions are that this medicine, in diseases of the skin, is exactly similar to camphor; it is a sedative in itchings, and it has the advantage over camphor of acting on the nervous system in general by the atmosphere with which it surrounds the patient; it is even more sedative than camphor, but it has a less marked resolutive action on the skin. However it has scarcely appeared to be useful, except in papulous affections in which it is employed in the form of pommade in the proportion of 2 or 3 grammes to 30 grammes of lard. PRESUMED POISONOUS EFFECTS OF GUANO.* BY J. WEARNE, ESQ., HELSTON, CORNWALL. PHILIP W aged sixty, a robust and industrious husbandman, required Mr. Wearne's attendance on the 1st June; he found that from some cause he was suddenly attacked by a general tumefaction of the eyelids and lips, and with all the symptoms of the most acute quinsy, together with a total inability to articulate. The general aspect of the man seemed to indicate that some animal poison had gained admission into the circulation. The tumefaction, under nitric acid and myrrh gargle, leeches and enemata, gave way by the third day sufficiently to enable the patient to tell, that two days previous to his attack he had been sowing guano in drills in his field, and that the wind blowing hard at the time, and the guano being light and dry, he had great difficulty in accomplishing his work, the guano so affecting his breathing as nearly to suffocate him. On the fourth day symptoms of pneumonia set in, accompanied with extreme debility, and, in spite of the treatment usual in such cases, the patient quickly succumbed. *The Lancet, June 29, 1850. VOL. I. ON THE OXIDE OF SILVER AS AN AGENT FOR THE EXPULSION OF TAPE-WORM.* BY H. T. WHITTELL, ESQ. THE high price of Kousso as a vermifuge, and his success in two cases, have led Mr. Whittell to suggest the use of oxide of silver. He had occasion to prescribe as a remedy for menorrhagia, one grain of the oxide of silver three times daily, with an ounce of mixture containing six drachms of bitartrate of potassa in the half pint. The fourth dose was followed by the evacuation of a large quantity of tape worm, with which the lady had long been troubled; and she was better than she had been for months. In the second case, the medicine was prescribed expressly to destroy the worm, and with similarly beneficial results. Second formula. Valerianate of zinc.... 50 centigr. 50 99 1 gram. 1 "" Extract of belladonna.... 10 centigr. F. S. A. and mix to form 10 pills, which will then be silvered. One pill morning and evening in the case of continued neuralgia with irregular fits. In intermittent neuralgia, the two pills are given some hours apart, and the second administered five or six hours before the next attack is expected. Observations.-The first formula is only suited to continued neuralgia without exacerbation. The second formula is useful in continued neuralgia with irregular attacks; experience has shown me that it succeeds perfectly likewise with regularly intermittent neuralgia, following the same rule as in the administration of sulphate of quinine. *The Lancet, June 29th, 1850. + Repertoire de Pharmacie, July 1850. Q Q I give two or three coffee cupsfull of a sweetened infusion of valerian in the course of the day, sometimes even I order an enema of a strong infusion of the same root, footbaths with mustard in them night and morning, moderate vesication on the course of the nervous filaments and trunks, finally, the general health must not be neglected. exhibits in some cases, a great tendency to ON VAPORS OF ACETIC ACID AS A and cause a slight modification on the mucous membrane, but still sufficient to dry up at its source the flow, or nasal flux; that this means should succeed, it is only necessary that it should be used as nearly as possible at the first appearance of the coryza. THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL. BY DR. SAINT MARTIN, OF MORT. CORYZA is certainly an affection of benign nature. It is probably to this circumstance that must be attributed the little anxiety hitherto shown to find a really efficacious treatment. It is nevertheless very certain that its development may occasion serious complications among the lacrymal, or air passages. It is not un-Journal will in future appear without Mr. common, for example, to see inflammation Bell's name: we warn our readers not to of the pituitary gland reach the posterior be satisfied with this disgraceful comproorifice of the nasal fossa, and extend progressively to the larynx, the trachea, and mise. So much having been conceded, all bronchial ramifications. Besides, coryza that is desired may be obtained by perseThe monopoly should be put *Repertoire de Pharmacie, July 1850. verance. IV. REVIEWS, NOTICES OF BOOKS, &c. the subject of the Pharmaceutical Society, we reply that they have success in their own hands, and if they persevere, victory is quite certain. THE COMMERCIAL HAND-BOOK OF "M. P. S., (Liverpool):" "M. P. S. G. B., TO CORRESPONDENTS. If "CHEMICUS" will send his address, a reply will be given to his note in a few days. Owing to its not having been directed to Messrs. W. and T. Piper's, some delay took place in its reaching us. "MEDICUS" is referred to the article by M. Van den Corput in this number. We acknowledge communications from "TYRO." Brande's Manual, or Turner's "N. B." Trisnitrate of bismuth. NOTICE.-All Communications, Books for Review and Substance for Notice must be addressed "To the Editors of THE CHEMIST, care of Messrs. W. & T. Piper, Paternoster Row, London." Communicasent before the 15th of each month. Letters tions for insertion must be prepaid, and will in future be received as late as the 24th. requiring a reply in the following No. vapors of, as a remedy on the quantitative 8 on the separation of 342 -, pyrogallic on the use of in 360, 450 S. Muspratt, F.R. S.E., 232 59 boracic, influence of in vitre- 255 racemic, M. L. Pasteur, on, sulphuric, and bichromate of and ethers, certain, and certain -, hydrosulphuric and sulphurous, sulphurous, and hydrosulphuric, 488 Agent, anaesthetic, new, by M. Rames, 283 |