318 



THE ALUMNl JOURNAL. 



also immediotely stops diarricea. It is yet too 

 early to pronounce definitely upon its ther- 

 apeutic efifects. 



ACETYIvENE AS AN EXPLOSIVE. 

 The demand for acetylene in the liquid state 

 will probably be influenced considerably by the 

 recent explosion at Paris, and some results in 

 a paper read by Professor Clowes at the British 

 Association meeting at Liverpool, tend to em- 

 phasize the fact that considerable and unneces- 

 sary risk is bound to attach to the use of the 

 illuminant in that form. He finds that acety- 

 lene gives a wider range of explosive propor- 

 tions than hydrogen, carbon monoxide, ethy- 

 lene or methane, and remarks that this is 

 probably due to its endothermic nature, 

 " which leads to the gas being able to generate 

 heat by its own decomposition. Heat thus gen- 

 erated would undoubtecly aid in causing ex- 

 plosion, and would thus extend the limits of 

 explosive mixtures." It was found that at 

 least 3 per cent, of acetylene must be present in 

 air before the mixture can be kindled by a 

 flame and caused to burn throughout. As the 

 proportion of acetylene is increased the explo- 

 sive character is augmented, but when 22 per 

 cent, is present carbon begins to separate dur- 

 ing the burning, and the amount of this carbon 

 increases until the explosive character of the 

 mixture disappears, 82 per cent, of acetylene 

 being then present in the air. Berlhelot and 

 Vieile {Comptes rendus) also report on their 

 investigation of the explosive nature of acety- 

 lene. They point out that as an endothermic 

 compound its decomposition sets free a quantity 

 of heat equal to that evolved by combustion of 

 an equal volume of hydrogen to water. In 

 connection with the industrial application of 

 acetylene the authors have studied the condi- 

 tions under which acetylene explodes with a 

 view to indicating the precautions to be ob- 

 served in its use. They have extended their 

 inquiry to the influence of pressure, concussion, 

 and heating. Hence they conclude that in the 

 use of acetylene the possible disadvantages do 

 not equal its advantages as a lighting material, 

 and cannot limit its application. Too sudden 

 discharge of the compressed gas must be 

 avoided and care must be taken to absorb heat 

 evolved during compression and by internal re- 

 actions, so as to prevent any considerable rise 

 of temperature. — Pharm.Jour. 



COLUMBIN. 



Hilger describes this constituent of columba 

 root as crystallizing in colorless needles, in- 



soluble in hot or cold water, cold alcohol or 

 ether, but readily soluble in boiling ether or 

 alcohol. Columbin melts at 182° C, is neutral, 

 anhydrous, and has a composition represented 

 by the formula, C21H24O7. By the action of 

 hydrochloric acid or dilute alkalies, columbin is 

 converted into a monobasic acid. — Zeitsch 

 ostetr, Apotheker. v., 1896, No. i. 

 Ergot Bases. 



Keller describes a method of preparing the 

 basis constituent of ergot, based upon the ob- 

 servation that it is extracted by simple treat- 

 ment with ether, and is of opinion that ergot 

 contains only one basic substance, the ergoti- 

 nine of Tanret, the cornutine of Kobert, and 

 the picrosklerotine of Dragendorfi'and Podwys- 

 sotski, being according to him identical or 

 somewhat altered forms of the same sub- 

 stance. The sphacelotoxin or spasmotin of 

 Jakoby is considered to owe its activity to the 

 presence of some alkaloid. The production of 

 an intense orange color by the reaction of the 

 ergot alkaloid with ferrichloride is considered 

 to be very characteristic. — Schweiz, IVochensch, 

 f. Chentie und Fhartn.. xxxiv., 65. 



EthylENEDIAMine Creosol. 



This compound was described by Dr. Baer at 

 the Frankfurt Naturforscher meeting as being 

 especially useful in the treatment of ulcerated 

 wounds. It is a colorless liquid which has the 

 property of penetrating the skin very readily, 

 and it is said to be but slightly poisonous. 



OXYCAMPHOR. 



A product of the oxidation of ordinary cam- 

 phor, prepared by Dr. Manasse, of Munich, and 

 recommended as useful for relieving difiiculty 

 of breathing. It is soluble in water and is 

 stated to have the composition represented by 



the formula. 



/CHOH 



\co 



— Phar. Zeitung, xli., 696, 



Anusol. 



Anusol is a preparation of the bismuth salt of 

 iodo-resorcin-sulphonic acid, employed in the 

 form of suppositories, for the tieatment of piles. 

 — Phar. Journal. 



Alcohoi, in Digestion. 



According to Drs. Chittenden and Mendel, 

 alcohol taken in moderation at meal times does 

 not retard proteid digestion, and may even 

 facilitate it. In four out of nineteen experiments 

 made with absolute alcohol, the digestive fluid 

 being allowed to act upon various food sub- 



