888 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE- 



the rest of the leaves may be removed from the solution and 

 treated in the same way ; but if not, then the boiling must be con- 

 tinued for some time longer. To bleach the skeletons, mix about 

 a drachm of chloride of lime with a pint of water, adding suflS- 

 cient acetic acid to liberate the chlorine. Steep the leaves in this 

 about ten minutes, or until they are whitened, taking care not to 

 let them remain too long, otherwise they are apt to become brittle. 

 Let them float on pieces of paper in clean water; remove them 

 from the paper before they are quite dry, and place them in a book 

 or botanical press. 



Lime Juice and Scurvy. 



The editor of The London Chemical Kew8, in drawing attention 

 to a discussion which has been going on for some time respecting 

 the value of lime juice as an antiscorbutic, concurs in the opinion 

 expressed by Baron Liebig, and other high authorities, that the 

 specific in lime juice is actually the potash it contains. Lime juice 

 is used in the English navy and merchant service as an efficient 

 antiscorbutic. Among American seamen scurvy is almost unknown 

 and this immunity has been ascribed to the very general use of 

 potatoes, while in France and Russia the rareness of this disease 

 is ascribed to the almost universal consumption of light w'ines as 

 a beverage. Rice, which has been frequentlj' proposed as a sub- 

 stitute for potatoes, has, however, been proved to be utterly value- 

 less as an antiscorbutic. Again, the evil effects of salt meat are 

 notorious, but fresh beef alone is capable of preserving health 

 for almost any length of time. Fresh vegetables, as a rule, are 

 rich in potash salts; potatoes, which may be placed at the head, 

 containing from 51 to 55 per cent in their ash. Grape juice 

 which may be considered as the representative of the light wines 

 used in the French and Russian marine, contains in its ash from 

 60 to 70 per cent of potash. Rice, however, contains only two 

 per cent in its ash; lime and lemon juice about half as much as 

 the potatoes. 



Assuming, as will most likely prove to be the case, that the 

 potash salts are the specific agents against scurvy, chemical analysis 

 is seen to be insensible in the selection of antiscorbutics for use on 

 board ship. It then, however, becomes a question whether the 

 active agent could not be stored and administered with far more 

 econom}^, ease and efficacy in the form of some convenient phar- 

 maceutical preparation (such as the granulated effervescing citrate 



