THE ALUMNI JOURNAL. 



that is very distinct for such minute structures. 

 — Amer. Journ. Pharm., 1894, 369. 



Tussol. — The preparation introduced under 

 this name as a remedy for coughs is a saline 

 compound of antipjrine and mandelic acid 

 (C 8 H 8 3 ). It is stated to be very much more 

 effectual than antipyrine. For children under 

 one year the dose is from one third of a grain to 

 a grain and a half two or three times a day ; for 

 children over four years, seven grains several 

 times in the day. — Pharm Centralh,, 1894, 532. 



Purity of Flour and Yeast. — M. Rondelet 

 proposes to examine flour and yeast for mineral 

 matters by a process akin to those employed in 

 microbiology. A little of the suspected material 

 is placed on a slide, and one or two drops of 

 an aqueous solution of anilin and alcoholic 

 fuchsin solution are then added, and followed 

 by an equal quantity of tincture of iodine and 

 distilled water. On applying a cover glass and 

 examining, the cellulose appears reddish-brown 

 and starchy matter black ; but any mineral mat- 

 ter present will be yellowish, like the back- 

 ground of the preparation. The addition of a 

 drop of water clears the preparation, crystals 

 appearing with their normal tint and sharply 

 defined. It is stated that in less than five min 

 utes it is thus possible to decide whether flour 

 contains plaster, barium sulphate, china clay, 

 etc-Joum. de Pharm. d'Anvers, 1., 363 (P.J.T) 



Filtration of Water. — P. Miquel publishes the 

 results of a series of experiments bearing upon 

 the sterilization of water by filtration, performed 

 with a modified arrangement of the Chamber- 

 land bougie. The space between the bougie and 

 its enclosing case was filled with coarse sand, 

 and before the water was admitted it was passed 

 through a cylinder, o. 10 M. long, which con. 

 tained a layer of fine sand, 0.07 M. thick, and 

 another of animal charcoal, 0.03 M. thick. The 

 water was sterilized at ioo° C. prior to the ex- 

 periments, and for purposes of comparison a 

 second Chamberland bougies was used in the 

 ordinary way, the filtered products from the 

 two being tested side by side. Whilst the filter 

 enveloped in sand delivered water showing no 

 trace of bacteria until the twelfth day, when 60 

 per C.c. were present, that passing through the 

 other was found to contain 20 per C.c. on the 

 second day, and the number increased rapidly 

 subsequently. Again, whilst the flow of water 

 from the naked bougie was reduced to half by 

 the fifth day, that from the sand-enclosed one 

 had increased on the fifteenth day to double 

 what it was on the first.— Journ. de Pharm. et 

 de chim., [5 J, 1894, 129. {P.J. Tr.) 



Carissa Ovata. — A variety of this somewhat 

 rare plant ( var. stoloni/era, F. M. Bailey) has 

 been subjected to examination by T. L,. 

 Bancroft, of Brisbane. He has extracted from 

 the plant a crystalline principle which is very 

 bitter, and is apparently a glucoside. The 

 crystals are very soluble in water, less so in 

 dilute spirit, slightly soluble in absolute alcohol, 

 and insoluble in ether or chloroform. Strong 

 sulphuric acid gives no coloration with the 

 crystals, but ammonia gives a yellow color. 

 Auric chloride and tannin give slight precipi- 

 tates with the solution of the crystals, but 

 mercuric chloride gives none, nor does potassio- 

 iodide of mercury. The crystals are deliques- 

 cent, and when exposed in a thin layer to the 

 air for a few days they assume a green color. 

 They reduce an alkaline solution of cupric oxide. 

 At first Bancroft suspected that this princi- 

 ple might be identical with ouabain, since the 

 genus Carissa is closely allied to Acokanlhera, 

 and the alcoholic extract of the bark rapidly 

 killed frogs when subcutaneously injected, the 

 heart stopping in systole and the muscles being 

 pale and paralyzed. He now believes, however, 

 that it is quite distinct chemically. Bancroft 

 suggests that the allied species, C. xylopicron> 

 which is used in the urinary organs, might be 

 worth a trial in Europe, the Brisbane plant 

 being scarce. — Pharm. Jour. Tran., 1894, 253. 



Thermophilic Bacteria. — A. Macfayden 

 and F. R. Blaxall have made experiments with 

 a view to studying the range of temperature at 

 which it is possible for bacteria to grow. After 

 inoculating agar-agar with garden soil, they 

 found that an abundant growth of bacteria was 

 obtained at the comparatively high temperature 

 of6o°-65°C. To such organisms the term 

 "thermophilic bacteria" is applied. They are 

 widely distributed in nature, being found in 

 faeces sewage, Thames water and mud, surface 

 soil, and soil at a depth of five feet. Dust from 

 the streets invariably contains them, and they 

 are also present in sea water. In fact, they may 

 almost be termed ubiquitous. About twenty 

 different forms of thermophilic bacilli, have been 

 isolated all, with one exception, being spore- 

 bearing organisms. They will not grow at or 

 below blood heat. Some liquefied gelatin, others 

 did not. A number of them curdled milk, and 

 one converted starch into sugar. In broth and 

 agar cultures putrefactive decomposition took 

 place, iodol and sulphuretted hydrogen being 

 produced. The organisms also produced an 

 active decomposition of meat and blood alumin, 

 and several of them produced a fermentation of 



