THE ALUMNI JOURNAL, 



137 



distinguished colleague, Prof. Charles 

 Tichborne. Another preparation which 

 is not always satisfactory when made by 

 the official process is liq- gutta-percha. 

 Indeed, I know that some practitioners 

 are of the opinion that lead carbonate is 

 contained in solution in this preparation. 

 Those present who have prepared it know 

 that the lead carbonate takes a long time 

 to subside, and that even when the bulk 

 is deposited the solution does not clear. 

 I adopted the following plan, using dried, 

 clean sand as a filter. I diluted with 

 about half as much more chloroform, 

 then dissolved and filtered, with the re- 

 sult — a bright solution which was easily 

 concentrated. 



Lastly, as a medical practitioner, I 

 ask for standardized preparations when- 

 ever it is possible to obtain them. I look 

 with distrust on most of the aqueous and 

 green extracts; they must be of uncertain 

 strength, and the prolonged processes by 

 which they are obtained must seriously 

 alter the nature of their constituents. I 

 consider that Fowler's solution is at pres- 

 ent an unsatisfactory preparation, as the 

 leading authorities are not agreed as to 

 its chemical condition, whether the 

 arsenious oxide is dissolved in potassium 

 carbonate, or a true arsenite of potassium 

 is formed, I consider that the doses of 

 Donovan's solution are too high. The 

 dose of arsenious iodidi is given at ^th 

 part of a grain, and the solution contain- 

 ^°S TTT^h part of a grain in each minim 

 is given in doses of 10-30 minims. I have 

 have too much respect for the idiosyn- 

 crasies of doctors, and perhaps also a 

 kindly feeling to all the substances that 

 are official as old friends to become a 

 strong advocate for the removal of any 

 of them. What harm do poor mastic 

 and pyrethrum, and hoc ille genus do to 

 anyone by being allowed to retain official 

 distinction ? I do. however, recommend 

 that some preparations known to be used 



in enormous quantities be made official, 

 such as chemical food, Easton's syrup, 

 syrup of hypophosphites, syrup oflacto- 

 phosphate of lime, and boroglyceride, 

 and I think that fresh juices and abstracts 

 are the types of medicines that when 

 used will be likely to procure good results. 



APPARATUS FOR THE DETECTION OF 

 BORIC ACID. 



BY W. M, DOHERTY. 



The milk, wine or other substance is 

 made slightly alkaline with sodium car- 

 bonate, and after drying it is thoroughly 

 charred, not burned to an ash. The 

 charred mass is extracted with boiling 

 water, and the solution obtained made 

 acid, with hydrochloric acid, and evapo- 

 rated gently over the water bath in a 

 small porcelain boat, which is placed in 

 an apparatus of the following description: 



A piece of glass tubing, about 9 in. 

 long and >4 in. in diameter, is turned 

 over at right angles at one end and 

 drawn to a fine aperture. A second piece 

 of tubing about 2^ in. long and a ^ in. 

 in bore is provided with a hole in the side 

 and placed over the aperture and ar- 

 ranged so as to form a glass Bunsen 

 burner. 



The porcelain boat or other vessel con- 

 taining the properly prepared substance, 

 supposed to contain the boric acid, is 

 placed in the larger tube, which is at- 

 tached at the wide end to the gas sup- 

 ply, the whole being supported by a 

 clamp. The gas is regulated so as to 

 produce a clear flame about y^ in. long, 

 and free from luminosity at the extrem- 

 ity of the upright tube. The vicinity of 

 the por<?elain boat is heated by an ordi- 

 nary Bunsen burner, and if boric acid be 

 present, even in the most minute quan- 

 tity, the small flame will show it dis- 

 tinctly. It will be found desirable to 

 apply the heat gently, increasing it 

 slowly, and carefully observing the 

 flame in the meantime. — Proc. Chem. 

 Soc. 



