580 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



Bacterins as an aid in wound healing, C. H. Jewell {Amer. Vet. Rev., 

 JiO (1911), No. 1, pp. 14-25). — ^According to this author, one-half the time 

 usually necessary, and the labor, expense of drugs, and dressings required for in- 

 fected wounds may be saved by treating all such wounds with bacterins. In 

 chi-onic suppurative conditions bacterins will bring about healing where all 

 other methods have failed. 



A description of 14 cases treated by the bacterin method is given in detail. 



A new cell proliferant: Its clinical application in the treatment of ulcers, 

 C. J. Macalister (Brit. Med. Jour., 1912, No. 2662, pp. 10-12) .—Analyses have 

 shown that the common comfrey {8ymp1iytum officinale) is rich in allantoin, 

 which has been discovered to be a potent cell proliferant. 



The new cell proliferant: A note on the Symphytura officinale or common 

 comfrey, W. Bramwell (Brit. Med. Jour., 1912, No. 2662, pp. 12, 13, fig. 1).— 

 The author reports that on more than one occasion he has cured old ulcers, 

 which have resisted other treatment, by the simple extract from the root of 

 8. officinale, applied on lint. 



The role of antithrombin and thromboplastin (throniboplastic substance) 

 in the coagulation of blood, W. H. Howell (Amcr. Jour. Physiol., 29 (1911), 

 No. 2, pp. 187-209). — The following summary is drawn from the investigations 

 reported : 



" By the use of solutions of pure fibrinogen and thrombin it is shown that 

 an antithrombin is present in normal mammalian plasma, as well as in bird's 

 plasma and in the so-called peptone plasma. Tissue extracts contain a sub- 

 stance (thromboplastin) which neutralizes the effect exerted by antithrombin 

 upon the reaction between fibrinogen and thrombin. On the basis of the fore- 

 going results the following hypothesis is suggested to explain the normal coagu- 

 lation of blood. Circulating blood contains noi'mally all the necessary fibrin 

 factors, namely, fibrinogen, prothrombin, and calcium. These substances are 

 prevented from reacting, and the normal fluidity of the blood is maintained, 

 by the fact that antithrombin is also present, and this substance prevents the 

 calcium from activating the prothrombin to thrombin. In shed blood the re- 

 straining effect of the antithrombin is neutralized by the action of a substance 

 (thromboplastin) furnished by the tissue elements. In the mammalia the 

 thromboplastin is derived, in the first place, from the elements of the blood 

 itself (blood platelets). In the lower vertebrates the supply of this material, in 

 normal clotting, comes from the external tissues." 



Newer therapeutic agents, P. A. Fish (Amer. Vet. Rev., JfO (1911), No. 1, 

 pp. 26-34). — A discussion in regard to the nature, use, and value of acetone- 

 alcohol, acidum nucleinicum, afermol, bacterins or bacterial vaccines, basedow- 

 san, camphora, chromii sulphas, cocainre hydrochloridum, cupri sulphas, echina- 

 cea augustifolia, fibrolysin, formaldehyde, gallogen, hordenin sulphate, horsine, 

 iodipin, perhydrol, radium, serum leucocygenic, and yohimbine. 



In regard to the treatment of parturient paresis with adrenalin and 

 suprarenin, R. Metzger (Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 21 (1911), No. 16, 

 p. 285). — The animals recovered much quicker when 5 cc. of a 1:1,000 solution 

 of adrenalin or suprarenin hydrochlorid (synthetic) was injected subcuta- 

 neously than when given the usual air-infusion treatment. 



Detection of colchicine, H. FIthner (Arch. Expt. Path. u. Pharmakol., 63 

 (1910), No. 5-6, pp. 357-373; ais. in Chem. Zenthl., 1910, II, No. 25, p. 1838; 

 Analyst, 36 (1911), No. 419, pp. 73, 7^). — The author could isolate colchicin from 

 animals poisoned by this substance by extracting the stomach and intestinal con- 

 tents and excreta with ether, extracting the residue thus obtained (after evap- 

 orating off the ether) with water, removing the fat with petroleum ether, and 



