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GUARANA. 
Vanderkleed, Charles E.. reports 3 assays of giiarana which varied 
from 3.15 to 4.91 per cent of caffeine. — Proc. Penna. Pharm. Ass., 
1905, p. 56. 
Dolime, A. R. L., reports that the alkaloid content of guar ana 
varied from an average of 3.75 per cent in 1902 to an average of 
4.18 per cent in 1904. — Apothecary, Boston, 1905, v. 17, p. 942. 
Lyons, A. B.. points out that in the assays of guarana and of its 
fluid extract, provision is made for the extraction of other alkaloids 
as well as caffeine (as in the case of kola), and the expression alka- 
loids from guarana ” is used in place of caffeine. In fact guarana is 
not known to contain any alkaloid except caffeine. — Proc. Am. 
Pharm. Ass.. 1905, v. 53, p. 261. 
HAMAMELIDIS CORTEX. 
Eberle, E. G., mentions Hamamelis virginiana among the medici- 
nal plants of Texas. — Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1905, v- 53, p. 304. 
AQUA BAAJAAIELIDIS. 
LaTCall. Charles H., found 15 samples of distilled extract of witch 
hazel, all of which contained formaldehyde, and one sample which 
contained wood alcohol. The alcohol strength varied from 9 to 13 
per cent by volume. — Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1905, v. 53, p. 190. 
Brooks, C. H., tested 21 samples, and of these 5, or 23.2 per cent, 
contained wood alcohol. The alcoholic percentage varied from 5.5 to 
14.5. — Proc. Massachusetts Pharm. Ass., 1905. p. 105. 
Francis. John M.. points out that the official directions for liama- 
melis water are practically useless, as the manufacture of this product 
is entirely in the hands of large distillers. He asserts that there is 
much inferior distilled extract of witch hazel sold, some of it having 
so little of the characteristic odor as to be hardly recognizable as 
such. Apart from the tests for wood alcohol and formaldehyde, he 
he believes that one can not go amiss by simply pouring the liquid on 
the hands or face, as the barber does, and thus providing a really 
practical test. — Bull. Pharm., Detroit, 1905, v. 19, p. 361. 
Lloyd. John Uri, discusses the properties and uses of the distilled 
preparation of witch hazel and of the astringent percolate extractive, 
and points out that the two are not infrequently substituted one for 
the other. — Pharm. Rev., 1905, v. 23, p. 329. 
Katz, J., reviews the description for hamamelis water, as given in 
the German Homoeopathic Pharmacopoeia by IVilmar Schwabe, and 
records some experiments with a modification of the process recorded 
in that book. — Pharm. Ztg., Berlin. 1905, v. 50, p. 642. 
