Januaet 7, 1910] 



SCIENCE 



31 



Pheiiolphthalein and its halogen products, 

 phenoltetrachlorphtlialein and tetrabromphen- 

 ■oltetraclilorphthalein do not differ markedly 

 in their pharmacological behavior. Both 

 phenolphthalein and its tetrachlor derivative 

 are non-irritant when applied to the mucous 

 membraiie, to open vrounds, and when injected 

 ■subcutaneously. A subcutaneous injection of 

 'OAO g. in man causes a laxative action lasting 

 four to six days. This prolonged action along 

 ^ith its low degree of toxicity makes it a 

 lij^odermic purgative of much promise. 

 "When subcutaneously injected the tetrachlor 

 ■derivative is absorbed and finally excreted 

 into the bile only. Phenolphthalein adminis- 

 tered in the same way escapes in part in the 

 urine, when given per os it may appear in 

 small quantities in both bile and urine, but 

 when the tetrachlor compound is given by 

 mouth none of it appears in the bile or in the 

 urine. The large intestine may absorb these 

 drugs from their solution in bile and become 

 thoroughly saturated with them. 



6. " Clavin, Vahlen's Active Constituent of 

 Ergot," by D. Vanslyke. A sample of Vah- 

 len's " clavin " showed upon analysis the fol- 

 lowing content: leucin, 39.1, iso-leucin, 22.3, 

 and valin 37.1 per cent. 



Y. " The Eilect of Collodion on the Amanita- 

 hemolysin." Amanita-hemolysin when di- 

 alyzed in collodion sacs loses its hemolytic 

 action completely. Likewise when in contact 

 24 to 36 hours with granular collodion previ- 

 ously boiled in one per cent, sodium chloride 

 solution and washed with dilute alkalies the 

 hemolysin loses its hemolytic action. Solanin 

 is not affected, but saponin sometimes is. 



8. " The Distributions of Poisons in the 

 Amanitas," by W. W. Ford. Nearly twenty 

 species of amanitas were examined and the 

 three most important poisons found in these 

 fungi are muscarine, hemolysins and toxins. 

 By the methods used even one or two plants 

 furnish sufficient analytic material to establish 

 the properties of the fungus suspected of 

 being poisonous. 



9. " On the Pharmacological Action of lod- 

 iodoso- and oxyiodosobenzoic Acids," by A. 

 S. Lovenhart and W. E. Grave. Intra- 



venous injections of K/20 solutions of sodium 

 iodosobenzoate or oxyiodosobenzoate acids 

 cause an immediate and marked depression of 

 the respiratory center, which seems to be 

 identical with ordinary apnoea caused by ex- 

 cessive ventilation. This and other physio- 

 logical phenomena seem to indicate that the 

 oxygen bound to the iodine in iodosobenzoie 

 acid is physiologically active. 



/ 



AN EARLY NOTE ON FLIES AS TRANS- 

 MITTERS OF DISEASE 



In these days when we are just coming to 

 realize what powerful agents insects are in the 

 dissemination of infectious diseases, it is in- 

 teresting to read on pages 385 and 386 in 

 Edward Bancroft's " An Essay on the Natural 

 History of Guiana in South America," pub- 

 lished in London in 1769, concerning a disease 

 called " Yaws " very prevalent in Guiana : 



The Yaws are spungey, fungous, yellowish, cir- 

 cular protuberances, not rising very high, but of 

 different magnitudes, usually between one and 

 three inches in circumference. These infest the 

 whole surface of the body, and are commonly so 

 contiguous that the end of the finger can not be 

 inserted between them; and a small quantity of 

 yellowish pus is usually seen adhering to their 

 surface, which is commonly covered with flies, 

 through the indolence of the Negroes. This is a 

 most troublesome, disagreeable disorder, though 

 it is seldom fatal. Almost all the Negroes, once 

 only in their lives, are infected with it, and some- 

 times the Whites also, on whom its efi'ects are 

 much more violent. It is usually believed that 

 this disorder is communicated by tlie flies who 

 have been feasting on a diseased object, to those 

 persons who have sores, or scratches, which are 

 uncovered; and from many observations, I think 

 this is not improbable, as none ever receive this 

 disorder, whose skins are whole; for which reason 

 the Whites are rarely infected; but the backs of 

 the Negroes being often raw by whipping, and 

 suffered to remain naked, they scarce ever es- 

 cape it. 



The " Taws " according to the Standard 

 Dictionary is : "A contagious tropical skin- 

 disease characterized by small, dusky red spots 

 that develop into raspberry-like tubercles, 

 sometimes ulcerating: often of long continu- 

 ance: framboesia." 



