Medicamentous Eruptions.

In his inaugural thesis for the doctorate, under the title of "Medicamentous Eruptions," Dr. Deschamps thus summarizes the common characters and the course of the eruptions which may follow the administration of a medicament. Among the medicaments the employment of which may determine erythematous eruptions, the list is headed by copaiba, then follow belladonna, sulphate of quinine, turpentine, stramonium, protoiodide of mercury, bromide of potassium, syrup of poppies, the preparations of arsenic, etc. Those which produce vesiculous affections are bromide of potassium, the alkaline iodides, cubebs, santoninate of soda. Those which give rise to pustulous affections are the iodides, arsenic, bromide of potassium. The papulous affections are produced by Fowler's arsenical solution, and by hydrochlorate of morphia in hypodermic injections. Bullous affections are produced by copaiba and sulphate of quinine. Hæmorrhagic affections are produced by sulphate of quinine and iodide of potassium. It may be seen from the above enumeration that the same medicamentous substances may give rise to different cutaneous affections, whence it may be concluded that the effects which are always due to the same physiological procedure, viz., the elimination of the medicament by the skin, vary a good deal as regards the different forms of eruption, according to the aptitudes of receptivity of individual idiosyncrasies. It goes without saying that the treatment of these eruptions should consist in the momentary cessation, or at least in the diminution, of the doses of the medicament, its suppression not being effected always without grave inconvenience.

Incense for Churches.-Gum olibanum, 9 ounces; benzoin, 5 ounces; storax, 2 ounces; sugar, 2 ounces; cascarilla, 1 ounces; saltpetre, 3 ounces. Powder and mix.Chem, and Drugg.

Snuff for Cold in the Head.-Rabow declares that a snuff made of 2 parts of menthol, 50 parts finely ground coffee, and 50 parts powdered sugar is a sovereign remedy against fresh colds in the head.

To Prevent Bumping during Distillation.-Parkhill (Pharm. Era) recommends roughening the interior of flasks used for distillation by introducing a small amount of fluorspar with sulphuric acid and then warming. As soon as the hydrofluoric acid has acted upon the interior surface, the flask may be emptied and washed. With such a flask, the writer says, bumping is entirely prevented.

Dextrin, free from sugar, is proposed as an efficient substitute for gum arabic, and a German patent covering its manufacture has lately been issued. Starch is mixed with cold water to a consistence of thick cream and treated with 1 per cent of mineral acid. After twenty-four hours the acid is removed by washing, and the starch is again mixed with water to a cream and heated to 160°-170° C. by means of superheated steam until all the starch is converted. The solution is then filtered and dried by evaporation.

M. et fiat pil. no. 1. Sig. Take after each meal.

Balm of Gilead Salve.-Mutton tallow, pound; balm of gilead buds, 2 ounces; white pine gum, 1 ounce; red precipitate, ounce; white sugar, 1 tablespoonful. Stew the buds in the tallow until the strength is obtained, and press out or strain, scrape the soap, and add it, with the other articles, to the tallow, using sufficient unsalted butter or sweet oil to bring it to a proper consistence to spread easily on cloth When nearly cool stir in the red precipitate, mixing thoroughly. This may be more appropriately called an ointment.

This is an old-time remedy, having been used in this country for about fifty years.-Formulary.

66

Composition of Washing Powders.-L. O. Janeck and E. M. Poset, of the Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, have examined a number of the popular washing powders sold in the United States, and report their results in the Western Druggist. · Pearline," sold in pound packages at 15 cents, consisted of anhydrous soda 52 per cent, soap 35 per cent, and the rest water lost in drying. Soapine," sold in 6-ounce packages at 5 cents, "Boraxine," "Gold Dust," "Ivorine, ""Babbitt's 1776 Soap Powder," and 'Acme Soap Powder" were all similarly composed, though the proportions of soap and soda varied to some extent. sample of a certainwashing crystal," retailing at 3 cents for 2 ounces, was effloresced soda simply.

A

Address all communications relating to the business of the AMERICAN DRUGGIST, such as subscriptions, advertisements, change of Post-Office address etc., to WILLIAM WOOD & Co., 56 and 58 Lafayette Place, New York City, to whose order all postal money orders and checks should be made payable. Communications intended for the Editor should be addressed in care of the Publishers.

The AMERICAN DRUGGIST is issued in the latter part of each month, dated for the mouth ahead. Changes of advertisements should reach us before the 10th. New advertisements can occasionally be inserted after the 18th. REGULAR ADVERTISEMENTS according to size, location, and time. Special rates on application.

THE

HE proverb that although you may lead a horse to water you cannot make him drink, is applicable to the present situation; for, although provisions may be made for a proper representation of the medical profession in the revision of the Pharmacopoeia, no one can oblige its members to take part in the work.

HILE the number of articles on the subject of the W next revision which have appeared in pharmaceutical journals is already considerable, it is a matter of some moment that so few are of much practical importance, and that so many put the cart before the horse by discussing such matters as the price of and manner of publishing the book, or details which the Convention or committee will be quite competent to arrange when the time comes for doing so; whereas the matters of real importance-such as the articles to be included, nomenclature, details of working formulas, percentage of active ingredients, methods for assuring uniformity and permanence of products-receive comparatively less attention.

Much of this may be owing to the assumed necessity for a certain amount of editorial comment in each issue upon questions of the day; in other cases, it is evidently with a view to keeping the writer and his personality in the minds of the readers and for purposes of advertisement.

Those who remember the circumstances attending the Convention of 1880 know the effort then made to take the management of the Pharmacopoeia out of the control of a private publication, and it is to be hoped that in the Convention of May next it will be decided to distribute the responsibility for the character of the next revision over a still wider field.

It must be noted that the number of bodies entitled to send delegates is very considerably greater than ever before, not only under the former limits, but by the vote of the last Convention, and there is now no obstacle to prevent all the incorporated medical societies in the country-eclectic, homoeopathic, and others-having representatives in the Convention.

WIT

ITH the aid of the hektograph, it was demonstrated to the present Committee of Revision that it is no longer requisite that a majority of the Committee should be within convenient travelling distance of each other, and, by its use, that every member of a large committee can not only be kept informed of the progress of the work, and be able to freely express his views, but also have in his constant possession a complete record of all that is being accomplished.

EDISON'S phonograph has scarcely, as yet, passed the

period of "novelty and curiosity," but many practical applications of the instrument have already been suggested, and have in some cases been actually carried out. There is one application, however, which we have so far not heard mentioned, and that is the instruction in the pronunciation of foreign languages. It is impossible to learn to speak a foreign modern language by self-instruction, since the true pronunciation can only be acquired by personal intercourse with one who is a native or equal to one in linguistic perfection. In the future the publishers of manuals of instruction in foreign languages will find it, most likely, a paying undertaking to publish a phonographic key of the various exercises, thus enabling the learner to acquire the correct intonation and pronunciation by causing the phonograph to repeat the word or sentence until it has been perfectly imitated by himself. Perhaps this suggestion may be thought to be foreign to the purposes of a pharmaceutical journal. But our profession is so situated, in many parts of the country, that a knowledge of more than one language is almost a necessity. And while actual instruction by a competent teacher is certainly the best method, the substitution of the phonographic method appears to us to be the next best in choice. We can only throw out the suggestion here, and must leave the practical execution to those who control the phonograph.

T

HE latest addition to drugstore facetia was given to us quite recently by the proprietor of a store in a fashionable locality, to whom came a lady with a manner which indicated a belief on her part that her patronage was the most important thing connected with the establishment, and a request for "two postage stamps, please." The postage stamps being given her, she asked their cost, and, this being stated, her next inquiry was to ask if the clerk was "quite sure that they were perfectly fresh"!

Dr. George Buck, of Chicago, died on the 2d of October at the age of sixty-two years. Mr. Buck was born in Rochester, England, and came to the United States in 1855. His pharmaceutical training was acquired in England, and on his arrival here he became connected with the firm of J. H. Reid & Co., of Chicago, as prescription clerk. In 1859, with Mr. Raynor, also a clerk in the same house, he commenced business for himself. Mr. Buck was one of the charter members of the Chicago College of Pharmacy and its president from 1886 to the time of his death. He was a prominent actor in the movement which resulted in the enactment of the Illinois pharmacy law, and was the first president of the State Board of Pharmacy. He was well known by the public as well as by members of his profession as a man of great integrity and ability, and his death is a decided loss to the community in which he lived.

CORRESPONDENCE.

"Bromidia" and the United States Court. ST. LOUIS, Oct. 21st, 1889. GENTLEMEN:-We notice in the October number of the AM. DRUGGIST an article on the Bromidia cases, which was copied from the September number of the National Druggist. As the editor of the National Druggist has seen fit to make a correction in his journal of Oct. 15th, we hope you will be kind enough to do the same. The following is a copy of the correction (see Nat. Druggist, Oct. 15th, p. 131). Yours respectfully, C. A. BATTLE, V.-P. A very mistaken idea as to the scope of the recent decision in the United States Circuit Court in the so-called 66 Bromidia cases "" seeins to have gotten abroad, and unless corrected may be the means of costing some of our friends among the retailers considerable money and trouble. Judges Brewer and Thayer, before whom the case against August Koch came up, did not decide that "Bromidia" was not a valid trade-mark, as one pharmaceutical journal states editorially, nor did they decide that the owners of trade-marks have no recourse against infringers, as another journal puts it; but they did decide that such infringers could not be prosecuted under criminal indictments. The grounds upon which this decision was rendered were, as stated in our last issue, that the statute of 1876 (which prescribes the method of procedure, and the penalties, in cases of violation of the trade-mark law of 1870), under which the indictments of Koch and others in the Bromidia matter were drawn, was void; that Congress had no power to pass such a law, because at the time of its enactment there was nothing upon which the act could operate. In other words, the judges (Judge Brewer delivering the opinion) took the view that the statute of 1870 having become defunct, by repeal, the act of 1876 providing criminal punishment for its violation was inert and void. This is not a new view of the matter by any means, but, as noted by Judge Brewer in his decision, was but a reassertion of the decision in the " trademark cases" of 1882. The decision in the Federal Court cannot, of course, affect proceedings under the State laws on the subject, nor does it in any way prevent the owners of a trade-mark from suing infringers for damages.

QUERIES & ANSWERS.

Queries for which answers are desired, must be received by the 5th of the month, and must in every case be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, for the information of the editor, but not for publication.

No. 2,384. Chemical Journals (A. E. W., Raleigh, N. C.).

The Chemist and Druggist is published at 42 Cannon street, London, England, but has an agent, Mr. H. V. Dakers, at 45 Liberty Street, in this city.

The Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry is a monthly publication, especially valuable for those engaged in manufacturing. It should be addressed care of Eyre & Spottiswoode, East Harding Street, London, England. The Journal of the American Chemical Society, likewise a monthly publication, can be highly commended, and may be addressed at 32 Waverly Place, New York City. No. 2,385.-Metabisulphite of Potassium (Amateur). We have already given such information as was then accessible to us, in a former issue of this journal (see our last January number, page 20, and February number, page 39). Recently we learn that the salt was introduced into the market by Schuchardt, chemical manufacturer at Goerlitz, Germany. It may be had here from dealers in photographic chemicals.

No. 2,386.-Chloral-Urethane (Dr. F. G. S. and J. C. C. & Co.).

In our last number we answered a query (No. 2,373) referring to this substance. Since writing that answer, however, our attention has been drawn to the fact that there are at present not less than three different "chloralurethanes" in the market, of which we give a short account in the following (Nos. 1 and 2 after Merck's Bulletin, July, 1889, and No. 3 after Gehe's October Report and a note in the Chem. and Drugg.):

1. Chloral-Urethane, crystalline, insoluble in water. This is stated to be produced by the simple addition of 1 molecule each of chloral (anhydrous) and ethylic urethane (the ordinary urethane). Hence its constitution is represented by the formula:

CC1.CHO. NH, CO.OC,H chloral urethane

As we stated in our last number, this is insoluble in cold water, and when treated with boiling water decomposes into its two original constituents. Alcohol and ether readily

dissolve it, and water separates it again from these solutions. It melts at about 103° C. (217° F.), but begins to be decomposed already at 100° C. The dose, as a hypnotic, was found by Hübner and Sticker to be 1 to 4 Gm. (15 to 60 grains).

2. Uralium (so called by its originator, Gustavo Poppi). This is reported to be likewise a chloral-urethane of the same ultimate chemical composition as No. 1. But as its properties differ, the grouping of the constituents must be different.

This substance is crystalline, of a bitterish taste. It is somewhat soluble in water, and readily so in alcohol. The hypnotic dose was found to be 2 to 3 Gm. (15 to 45 grains).

3. Somnal. This is also reported to be a chloral-urethane, but its composition is given as C,H12Cl,O,N, thus containing 2 more atoms of carbon and 4 more of hydrogen than chloral-urethane No. 1.

This is a liquid, clear and colorless, easily soluble in water and alcohol, according to Gehe & Co., who quote it in their price-list at 3.75 marks per 100 Gm. According to the Chem. and Drugg. it has a melting-point of 40° C.,' which would imply that it is a solid at ordinary temperatures. We have not seen it yet, and cannot say which is correct. The hypnotic dose is stated to be 2 to 6 Gm. (30 to 90 grains).

All of these new hypnotics are quite expensive as yet, and not sufficiently tried to justify their promiscuous use. If "chloral-urethane," without further specification, were ordered, we would dispense No. 1, as this seems to be known under no other name.

No. 2,387.-Tincture of Nux Vomica (J. M. D.).

A dispute has arisen between one of our subscribers and a physician regarding what should be the proper tint or color of tincture of nux vomica prepared in accordance with the U. S. Pharm. of 1880.

Evidently one of the gentlemen interested had been accustomed to the comparatively pale color of the tincture as made, in accordance with the previous Pharmacopoeia, by percolation of alcohol through the powdered seed. This always yielded a pale tincture, about the tint of pale sherry, and sometimes even lighter. The U. S. Ph. of 1880 directs the tincture to be made from the extract, so that the product will contain 2 per cent of the dry extract. Now, in preparing an extract of nux vomica, much more soluble matter including coloring matter (but not necessarily more active constituents) is taken out of the seed than is done when making a tincture by percolation. Hence by dissolving the directed quantity of extract in alcohol, the tint of the resulting tincture is very much darker than that of the tincture prepared by direct percolation. Besides, while both the tincture and the extract of nux vomica of the U. S. Ph. of 1870 were prepared by means of strong alcohol, the menstruum directed by the Pharm. of 1880 consists of 8 parts of alcohol and 1 part of water. Such a menstruum dissolves much more of the "extractive" and coloring matter than strong alcohol. It is difficult to describe a color without having a definite standard to refer to. But the tincture which we make according to the U. S. Ph. of 1880 has about the same depth of color as old port wine, and the tint is reddishbrown.

No. 2,388.-Hair Tonic (M.).

The popular notion of a hair tonic is this: that the preparation will prevent hair from falling out, make hair grow faster, and even cause hair to grow on bald spots of the scalp. In many cases there is, indeed, some benefit derived from the use of judiciously selected preparations, but when the vitality of the follicles is once destroyed there is no remedy which will restore it. When the skin is very dry and the scalp not kept clean, hair will often break off close to the scalp, and this may lead to the supposition that the hair is falling out." Whenever the hair of the head has a tendency to become " dry" and brittle, and when the scalp feels hot and dry, the application of a preparation like the following will often be beneficial:

Castor Oil....

Alcohol....

Tincture of Cantharides.

Borax..

Water..

Oil of Lavender..

"Bergamot...

66 "Cloves...

66

Dissolve the oils in the alcohol, add the tincture and the castor oil. Dissolve the borax in the water by the aid of heat, and gradually add it to the other liquid, shaking well after each addition.

Some add a small quantity of quinine. If this is desired, it is best to use the oleate of quinine in such proportion that each fluidounce contains about 20 grains of quinine.

If desired, the preparation may be colored slightly by caramel.

No. 2,389.-Wine of Coca (W. S. M.).

The National Formulary-which you do not seem to possess as yet, but which you will find of great service

contains a very good formula for this preparation. It is, briefly, as follows:

Dissolve 1 troy ounce of sugar in 10 fluidounces of claret wine, add 1 fluidounce of alcohol and 1 fluidounce of fluid extract of coca (U. S. Ph.), and then add enough claret wine to make 16 fluid ounces. Let the mixture stand a few days, if convenient, in a cool place, then filter, and pass enough claret wine through the filter to restore the original volume.

No. 2,390.-Sulphonal and its Congeners (Albany).

The pharmaceutical management of sulphonal is somewhat difficult, since it is so little soluble in water. If it is dissolved with the intervention of an alcoholic vehicle, it is more or less precipitated when it comes in contact with the contents of the stomach. It has been shown by Kast and many others that the hypnotic effect of sulphonal is greatly accelerated by giving it in such a form that it will be quickly absorbed. For this purpose, it may be administered in warm tea, or soup, or mulled wine, about an hour or two before bedtime. If it is given in substance, it will usually become so slowly dissolved that the hypnotic effect is either feeble or almost wanting, since it appears to be eliminated quite rapidly. In its passage through the organism it appears to be completely, or almost completely, decomposed, since sulphonal is found in the urine only under certain circumstances-for instance, when given in dilute solution. Incidentally we may remark that there is no reaction known by which sulphonal can be definitely detected. It is one of the most obstinate organic compounds known, resisting strong acids and alkalies, even bromine and chlorine. By fusion with alkalies, certain reactions may be produced, but these it shares in common with a whole class of bodies.

The derivation of sulphonal from alcohol, C.H.OH, may be explained in the following manner:

By treating alcohol with sulphuric acid, sulphethylic acid is produced. On distilling the sodium salt of this acid with a strong solution of sulphide of potassium, the principal product obtained is C.H.SNa (sodium mercaptide), which, by treatment with benzol and dilute sulphuric acid, is converted into the sulphur alcohol of ethyl, CH.SH, usually known as mercaptan. This has a most disgusting and penetrating odor. On treating 2 molecules of mercaptan with 1 molecule of acetone, there is produced 1 molecule each of "mercaptol" and of water. CH.O+2C2H,SH = C1H6.2C2H6S + H2O

in which one pair of bonds is saturated or satisfied by methyl, and the other pair by ethyl.

Recently the discoverer of the therapeutic action of sulphonal, Dr. A. Kast, in conjunction with Dr. E. Baumann, has studied a series of analogous compounds in which the several bonds of the group C(SO2)2 were saturated with various radicals of the fatty series, and very interesting and important results were obtained. The method by which these several compounds were obtained need not be given here. Among these substances, the following two deserve special mention:

It is probable that one or two of these bodies will shortly make its appearance on the market.

By varying the radicals, either derived from the fatty or from the aromatic series, a large number of combinations may be prepared, among which there may be found still more useful therapeutic agents than those above mentioned.

No. 2,391.-Creosote (J. M. S.).

The tests given by the U. S. Pharm. are sufficient to distinguish between genuine wood-tar creosote and carbolic acid. The latter has, unfortunately, been carried on the price lists of many manufacturing and wholesale houses as "coal-tar creosote," and it has been the custom, particularly among European Continental houses, to supply this (carbolic acid) when "creosote" without further specification was mentioned. Indeed, this is even now done by one of the most prominent makers of chemical products, to judge from the fact that his price list quotes three kinds of creosote: one, designated as "pure," made from beech-tar, and the other two, respectively as "pure, white, true," and "chemically pure, white, true," made from coal-tar. It is under all circumstances advisable, when ordering creosote from a dealer, to specify particularly either "U. S. Pharm." or "from beechwood tar.' The sale of "coal-tar creosote" in place of the officinal article is, at the present time, almost criminal, since creosote is now being largely used in the treatment of phthisis, and often in doses which would be dangerous if phenol or carbolic acid were substituted for it.

The constituent upon which the special therapeutic effect of creosote depends-and which is utterly absent in carbolic acid-is guaiacol. This is the methylic ether of pyrocatechin:

It is, when pure, a colorless, oily liquid, highly refractive, of a peculiar aromatic odor, and having a spec. grav. of 1.1171 at 13° C. It boils at 201° C. [394° F.], is soluble in 200 parts of water, and is clearly miscible with alcohol, ether, or carbon disulphide. On adding a little ferric chloride to its alcoholic solution, the latter turns blue. A larger quantity of the reagent produces a green color. According to Merck's Bulletin (No. 8, from which we take some of these notes), 1 volume of guaiacol, when added to 2 volumes of petroleum benzin, produces a turbid mixture, which, however, becomes clear at 15° C. (59° F.) on adding 6 more volumes of benzin. One volume of guaiacol with 2 volumes of soda solution makes a clear mixture. mixture is soluble in ten times its value of water to a clear and colorless liquid. On adding 2 volumes of solution of potassa [of about 15 per cent] to 1 volume of guaiacol, the mixture soon solidifies to a white, crystalline mass. Among the formulæ recommended for its administration are the following:

This

.fl. oz. 8 .fl. oz. 1 (Nobili.)

It is stated that creosote from beechwood tar contains between 60 and 90 per cent of guaiacol. If this is so, then it would certainly pay to prepare guaiacol from this source. But so far as is known, guaiac resin is still used as source, the process of preparation being the following: Guaiac resin is subjected to dry distillation. The heavy oily distillate is dissolved in solution of potassa, diluted, and the volatile oils distilled off. The residue is not quite neutralized with sulphuric acid, the separated oil again dissolved with solution of potassa, and the mixture distilled in a retort. When the milky distillate becomes clear upon addition of a little potassa, it is decomposed by an acid, when crude guaiacol separates. This is dried on a water bath over sulphuric acid. It is next subjected to fractional distillation, the portion boiling between 190° and 210° C. being received separately. This consists of guaiacol and cresol. To separate the latter, ammonia gas is conducted into the mixture, which converts it into a crystalline mass (only due to the guaiacol). This is quickly pressed, dissolved in a little warm ether, and mixed in a close vessel with alcoholic solution of potassa. The resulting crystalline mass is pressed, washed with ether, then decomposed with sulphuric acid, the oil separated, dried, and rectified.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

UEBER DIE VERBREITUNG CHEMISCHER VERBINDUNGEN IN DER PFLANZENWELT. Von ED. SCHAER [of Zurich]. Reprint from the Schweiz. Wochenschrift f. Pharmacie.

AN able review and classification of the chemical compounds occurring in the vegetable kingdom, according to the various groups: alkaloids, acids of the fatty and of the aromatic series, phenols, quinones, ketones, ethereal oils, specific coloring matters, glucosides, bitter principles, etc.

PHARMACOGRAPHIA

INDICA. A History of the Principal Drugs of Vegetable Origin met with in British India. By WILLIAM DYMOCK, Brigade Surgeon Bombay Army, Principal Medical Storekeeper to Government; C. J. H. WARDEN, Surgeon Major Bengal Army, Professor of Chemistry in the Calcutta Medical College; and DAVID HOOPER, Quinologist to the Government of Madras, Ootacamund. Part I. 8vo. London and Bombay, 1889. IN our review of Prof. Dymock's "Vegetable Materia of Western India" (see NEW REM., 1883, page 319), we already expressed our hope that the author would, at some future time,

THIS is an enlarged edition of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Ear Diseases" which appeared in 1880, but has undergone such alteration as to be practically a new work. It is not often that a medical treatise exhibits such painstaking thoroughness regarding all its details, or leaves so little to be desired in the man ner of treating the subject referred to