392 Miscellanies 



To make white soup : — dissolve in water, afterwards add the usu- 

 al ingredients. 



It only remains to state, that the Carrageen or Irish Moss, as a do- 

 mestic article is peculiarly interesting ; it is the best thickener of milk, 

 broths &c. makes excellent jellies, and for Blanch-Mange is equal 

 to most expensive ingredients, whilst the cost is comparatively no- 

 thing ; it may be used instead of isinglass, jellies, &c. 



1 3. Oil of Copaiva as a test for the purity of the sulphuric 

 ether. — If ether is not fully deprived of water and alcohol, it forms 

 when united with oil of copaiva an emulsion without dissolving it 

 completely, whereas it is soluble, when pure, in every proportion. 



14. Discharge of the stain of indelible ink, by corrosive subli- 

 mate. — Dr. John Dickson, of South Carolina, in a letter to the edi- 

 tor, dated October 24, 1833, states that Mrs. Dickson, had accident- 

 ally observed the discharge by corrosive sublimate from a handker- 

 chief of the color produced by the nitrate of silver and it was soon 

 found that the same effect was produced upon linen, cotton and the 

 human skin. On the cloth* the stain partially reappeared after 

 washing, but on the skin it did not return. 



The following circumstances led to Mrs. Dickson's observation, 

 a weak solution of nitrate of silver, (warmly recommended in Eber- 

 le's Practice,) was used as a lotion in treating some cases of erysip- 

 elas ; its power of producing a dark tint was well known to Dr. D. 

 but as no caution is given in the above work, it was presumed that no 

 such consequence would follow from using so weak a solution : but 

 Dr. D. had the mortification to find the effect produced and a solu- 

 tion of corrosive sublimate was then successfully applied to remove 

 the stain produced by nitrate of silver. The following suggestions 

 are made by Dr. D. 



1. Not to use the nitrate on the face at all, especially in the case of 

 females. 



2. To take care that the solution reach only the portions of the 

 surface that are in a state of erysipelatous inflammation, since there 

 is reason to believe that it is less likely to stain the inflamed part, and 

 at any rate, vesication, desquamation or absorption will soon remove 

 the skin and stain together in the diseased surface, while this will not 



• It is not specified what cloth is intended but it is presumed that it is the fibre of 

 the linen and cotton. 



