THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY 



23 



cases of myocarditis the effect was tran- 

 sient, while in a second after repeated 

 attempts it produced good results where 

 all other means had failed. In cases of 

 valvular insufficiency the action began 

 four or five honrs after administration. 

 In the case of arterio-sclerosis with pas- 

 sive congestion of the kidneys the result 

 was better, especially as regards the 

 diuresis, than with any infusion of digi- 

 talis. In one case of mitral stenosis, 

 after eight doses had been administered 

 in three days, marked symptoms of digi- 

 talis-intoxication were shown, the pulse 

 falling to forty-six beats per minute. By 

 the use of camphor- injections the patient 

 soon rallied, recovering completely in four 

 days, was enabled to leave his bed, and re- 

 mained well for three months afterward. 



The Preservation of Ether. — The 



loss caused by the evaporation of ether 

 from unsealed containers during hot 

 weather, and in shops that are kept 

 very warm in winter, amounts to quite a 

 neat little sum in the course of a year. 

 It can be prevented, to a certain extent, 

 by the following ingenious contrivance 

 (Nat. Dr.): Fill your container nearly 

 full of ether, and then pour in sufficient 

 glycerin to bring the surface of the ether 

 nearly to the bottom of the stopper. 

 Insert the latter carefully, and with a 

 piece of twine of sufficient length suspend 

 the bottle neck downward, from a nail or 

 other support, letting the cord pass over 

 the stopper and take a turn around the 

 body of the bottle from each side so that 

 it will hang perpendicularly and safely. 

 The glycerin, being heaviest, falls down 

 and fills the neck of the bottle, sealing 

 the latter hermetically. When required 

 for use the glycerin dropping to the bot- 

 tom allows the ether to be poured out, if 



care be used, almost to the last drop. Of 

 course the neck should be carefully wiped 

 before poring. 



Peronin Therapeutically. — Its act- 

 ion has been studied by Dr. S. Nowak ( The- 

 rap. Woch., No. 21, '897) in 18 cases, com- 

 prising ten of pulmonary tuberculosis in 

 the stage of infiltration and cavern-form- 

 ation, four of chronic bronchitis and pul- 

 monary emphysema, three of acute bron- 

 chitis, and one of capillary bronchitis. 

 The result of these investigations showed 

 that in all of these cases the cough, irre- 

 spective of the cause or complaint, became 

 less frequent and intense, sleep being 

 thereby rendered easier; it became drier, 

 however, expectoration being rendered 

 more difficult. By-effects, such as head- 

 ache, lassitude, and drowsiness were never 

 observed. At times patients complained 

 of a burning sensation in the bronchi, 

 and of copious perspiration. The writer 

 found that peronin is best given in solu- 

 tion or in pill-form. Doses of 0.01 gme. 

 were found to be too small at times, but 

 as no by-effect occurs these may be in- 

 creased to 0.05 gme. single, o. 1 and 0.15 

 gme. for daily dose. It possesses an ad- 

 vantage in that it may be given for a long 

 time, there being no tendency to forming 

 a habit, as in the case of morphine. 



Dr. Jakob Munk {Aerzt. Ce?itr. An- 

 zeiger, No. 22, 1897) has also experi- 

 mented with peronin, and states, as a re- 

 sult of his investigations, that the reme- 

 dy given to adults is doses of 0.02 gme. 

 causes no untoward effects, indisposition, 

 or drowsiness, but acts as an analgesic 

 and checks cough. Doses of 0.04 gme. 

 yield a quiet night's sleep, even in cases 

 where morphine and codeine were inac- 

 tive and without any by-effects. It is easily 

 borne by the most debilitated patients. 

 The writer records the case of an epileptic 

 girl who suffered from frequent attacks of 

 frenzy, and on which peronin had an im- 

 mediately calmative effect. It all recent 

 cases the writer employed peronin ex- 

 clusively wherever morphine or codeine 

 were indicated, and with uniformly good 

 results. The dose of 0.02 gme. was re- 

 peated three times daily. 



