38 
THE AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACY. 
COCAINE IN SEA-SICKNESS AND CHOLERA NOSTRAS. 
Although all bacteriological researches have hitherto failed to discover the 
“ bacillus of sea-sickness,” the long-looked-for infallible remedy and even 
preventive of this wretched malady is at last claimed to have been secured. 
The “ claim-every thing” policy which has of late infested professional journalism 
is to be totally abandoned before we can again accept with confidence a 
therapeutic commendation from every quarter. “ They have been weighed and 
found wanting” can with propriety be said of most therapeutic novelties ; but 
as the remedy eulogised in sea-sickness is cocaine ( vide report of Dr. Manas- 
seiu, of St. Petersburg, in the Berlin Klin. Wochenschrift of 31st August, 
1885), and this drug has asserted nearly all of its alleged virtues, it may be- 
worth while to give it a trial. The following is the mode of administration, in 
which the drug in Dr. Manassein’s hands has proved a cure and preventive of 
sea-sickness : 
II Cocain. muriatis, gr. ii ; 
Spir. vini rectific., q. s. ad solv. ; 
Aquae dest., f 3 v. M. 
S. — f5i every two or three hours. 
The same author reports two cases of cholera nostras marked by symptoms 
of collapse and such intense vomiting that no medicines could be administered 
internally. Both cases were relieved by an ice-bag placed upon the medulla 
oblongata and the administration of cocaine, which was thus rendered admissible. 
COLOURING MATTER OF WINE AND OTHER VEGETABLE JUICES. 
Me. M. Terrell, in U Union Bharmaceutique for August, and Bharm. Journ. t . 
19th September, states that the colouring matter of wine and the red colouring 
matters of plants are almost entirely precipitated from their solutions by excess 
of hydrochloric acid. The colouring matter is precipitated mixed with an 
insoluble ulmic matter, but is readily separated from the latter by solution in 
alcohol. This colouring matter is insoluble in water, but dissolves freely in 
alcohol, to which it imparts a yellowish red-brown colour. Acids change it to 
an intense red, but alkalies turn it green and dissolve it, the oxygen of the air 
soon changing the solution to yellow brown. Ether does not dissolve a 
trace. 
In order to recognise quickly the nature of the red colouring matter 
contained in any vegetable substance, the author crushes the vegetable matter 
between leaves of unsized paper, and exposes the coloured paper to ammonia 
vapour. Operating in this way, he has ascertained the changes in colour which 
take place with the juices of the following plants : rose changes to bright 
green; cherry laurel, bright yellow green; dark violet marguerite, dark green; 
fuchsia, violet petals, green, and sepals, azure blue ; geranium, greenish blue 
pomegranate flower, violet blue. 
Submitted to elementary analysis, the colouring matters of wine and of 
Campeachy wood and the ulmic matter referred to were found to have the 
following composition : 
Colouring of 
Colouring of 
Ulmic 
wine. 
Campeacliy. 
matter. 
c ... 
55*63 
56-27 
56-70 
H ... 
5-50 
4*68 
4-73 
0 ... 
38*37 
39*05 
38-57 
