DRUGS, NEW. 



290 



Borate of Quinine, an amber-colored, crystal- 

 line powder, of a not unpleasant odor, bitter, 

 and soluble in an equal quantity of water. It 

 is said to be equally valuable, as a remedy, with 

 sulphate or hydrochlorate of quinine, and to 

 possess the advantage of being less bitter and 

 of causing less ringing in the ears. 



Cannabinon, derived from Cannabis indica, 

 is a soft extract when cold, but when heated 

 becomes a viscid, brown balsam, transparent 

 in thin layers; of a strongly aromatic odor, and 

 sharp, bitter taste. It is insoluble in water, 

 easily soluble in alcohol, ether, petroleum ether, 

 chloroform, benzol, bisulphide of carbon, ethe- 

 real and fixed oils. The solutions are golden- 

 yellow when dilute, brown when concentrated. 

 Its true chemical nature is unknown. It acts 

 as a sedative, and produces sleep in doses of 1 

 to 1| grain without disagreeable after-effects. 

 For convenience of dispensing, a 10 per cent, 

 trituration is made, which is a dry, brown 

 powder. 



Cathartic Add, the active principle of senna- 

 leaves, has been separated by Ralph Stockman, 

 of Edinburgh. Its salts have the following 

 characteristics : Cathartate of lead is a non- 

 crystalline, grayish powder. The neutral salt 

 is readily soluble in water, the basic salt is in- 

 soluble, or nearly so, and on treatment with 

 water the former splits into an acid and basic 

 salt. Cathartate of barium behaves in the same 

 way. When in mass, the latter is nearly black, 

 but when finely powdered becomes yellowish 

 red. (Details of Stockman's experiments are 

 contained in the " Pharmaceutical Journal " of 

 March 14, 1885.) Experiments have proved 

 the acid to be the active element of the drug. 



Choline (otherwise known as bili-neurine or 

 sinkaline, or trimethyloxyetJieneliydrinammo- 

 nium hydroxide) has been found by L. Brie- 

 ger (" Ber. d. deutsch. chem. Gesel.") to belong 

 to the poisonous substances called ptomaines, 

 produced in the human body during the early 

 stages of decomposition, which in their effects 

 resemble muscarine, the alkajoid of poisonous 

 mushrooms. 



Cola-nnts (or kola-nuts), fruit of the tree Ster- 

 culia acuminata, Sch. and Endl., obtained from 

 western Africa (where the negroes use the seeds 

 or kernels as a nerve-stimulant), are coming 

 into use as a substitute for guarana, the quality 

 of which has become unreliable. The kernels 

 have been found to contain 2 '35 per cent, of 

 caffeine and 0'02 per cent, of theobromine. 

 They are, when stripped of their envelope, 

 of about the size of a chestnut, and taste similar 

 to the coffee-bean. When fresh they are mucli 

 more bitter than when dry, and are correspond- 

 ingly more active. 



Colehidn. A. Hondas having announced in 

 1884 the discovery of a crystallizable colchicin 

 in colchicum, and the results obtained being so 

 much at variance with previous observations 

 by others, 0. J. Bender undertook a review of 

 his processes, and finds Hondes's crystalline 

 colchicin mythical. The colchicin is an amor- 



phous powder, melts at 145 C., is neutral, and 

 can not combine with acids. 



Condurango, a drug that was some years since 

 introduced from Ecuador, through the efforts 

 of the Department of State, as a cure for can- 

 cer, but soon fell into disuse owing to the 

 numerous failures reported, has, of late, been 

 growing in favor in Europe. 



Coroutine, a new principle discovered in ergot 

 by a German, Dr. Robert, is believed by him 

 to be the agent that acts most powerfully upon 

 the involuntary muscle-fiber of the uterus. 



Enpnymin is the name heretofore applied to 

 a resinoid substance obtained from Euonymm 

 atropurpureus, used as a laxative and as a 

 stimulator of the function of the liver. Hans 

 Meier and Romm, of Dorpat, have recently 

 given it to a crystallizable glucoside obtained 

 from the plant. This substance is an intense 

 heart-poison, and experiments are being made 

 to determine its fitness as a substitute for digi- 

 talin. 



Euphorbia pilulifera, or pill-bearing spurge, in- 

 digenous to Queensland and the tropical por- 

 tions of Asia, Africa, and South America, has 

 lately attracted attention as a remedy for asth- 

 ma. It contains a gum-resin, soluble in water 

 or dilute alcohol. A half-ounce of the dry 

 weed, steeped in two quarts of water, is re- 

 duced by simmering to one quart, and one to 

 four wineglassfuls are to be taken after the 

 evening meal. 



Gnaehamaea. Recent studies of this drug, de- 

 rived from Malonetia nitida, Spruce, growing in 

 Venezuela, indicate it as the possible source of 

 the arrow-poison, curare, the nature of which 

 has long been unknown. Its effect in causing 

 paralysis of the muscles without affecting sen- 

 sibility is quite similar, and guachamacine (or 

 malonetine} resembles curarine in being com- 

 pletely insoluble in alcohol, in which respects 

 it differs from all other curare alkaloids. 



Hydriodate of Hyoselne (Ci 7 H ai NOaH,j aq.), 

 prepared from amorphous hyoscyamine, is in 

 the form of yellowish crystals, easily soluble 

 in alcohol, less so in water ; is a recent addi- 

 tion to agents that dilate the pupil of the 

 eye (mydriatics). Its cost, $7.50 a gramme 

 (15 grains), will interfere with its popularity. 



Lactate of Quinine is recommended as the best 

 salt of quinine for hypodermic use, on account 

 of its solubility and neutral character. 



Parabnxinidine, a newly discovered alkaloid in 

 the leaves of the box (Buxw sempervirew), 

 consists of microscopic, colorless, transparent 

 crystals, insoluble in water but very soluble 

 in alcohol. It is bitter, melts at a low tem- 

 perature, burns completely, with smoke, on 

 platinum, and is strongly acid, with litmus, in 

 dilute solution. 



Paraldehyde is a clear, colorless, neutral, or 

 faintly acid liquid, of an ethereal odor, and a 

 burning and afterward cool taste ; sp. gr. 0*992- 

 0-998. It becomes crystalline at a low tem- 

 perature, melts at 10-5 C., and boils at 123- 

 125 C. Soluble with six times its weight of 



