936 THANSACTIOXS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Dr. "Wriglit said that sweet oil is an antidote to the poison of 

 carbolic acid, as it absorbs part of the acid, which water will not. 

 He tried this in his own case many times. 



Thallium as a Medicine. 



This newly discovered metal has the property of entering into the 

 circulation and imparting the most offensive odor to the perspiration 

 of the person taking it. Dr. Bnnsen was compelled to absent him- 

 self from society for fonr weeks on this account. This very objec- 

 tionable property wall prevent its practical use in medicine. The 

 action of Thallium is similar to zinc and iron. It is a tonic and 

 produces, in large doses, severe headache, 



TuYMiLic Acid as a Disestfectant. 



This compound, an oxygenated constituent of thyme oil, is said to 

 be a powerful disinfectant, and is not, like carbolic acid, objectiona- 

 ble on account of its odor. It may be likewise obtained from the 

 volatile oil of horsemiut. Its odor is quite distinct from that of the 

 oil of thyme, and its flavor ai'omatic and peppery. It is homologous 

 with carbolic acid, and contains ten atoms of carbon, fourteen of 

 hydrogen, and one of oxygen. As an antiseptic, thymilic acid, which 

 is likewise known as thymic acid, and thymol, should be used by dis- 

 solving the crystals in about 1,000 parts of water, and adding thereto 

 a little alcohol. If chemistry can furnish a disinfectant so fragrant 

 as to be attractive, it will lead many to use a safeguard against dis- 

 ease, who generally pay no heed to tlie most solemn warning of the 

 dangers which lurk in an impure atmosphere. 



Peeservation of Wine. 

 S'ome time since we noticed J\I. Pasteur's plan of preserving 

 wine, which consists in heating it to seventy-five degrees C, equal 

 to 1G7 degrees Fahrenheit ; the eifect of heat being to destroy the 

 germs that lead to zjnnotic action. In 1866, a certain quantity of 

 wine thus prepared, was shipped on board of the Jean Bart, and, 

 according to Galignani, the result of this experiment was so satisfac- 

 tory that the commission has proposed and the minister decided that 

 three new trials should be simultaneously made ; the first on a quan- 

 tity of thirty-one barrels on board the Sibyille, which is about to 

 circumnavigate the world, under the command of Captain Brosselet ; 

 the second on 70,000 litres of wine heated in the presence of the 

 commission, and to be sent over to Gaboon, and the third, 100,000 



