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mine, he proposes a structural formula, and points out that physostig- 
mine decomposes into eserolin and rubreserin. He also reviews the 
reported pharmacologic action of pliysostigmine, and reports on a 
number of experiments, which serve to demonstrate that the organism 
is not accustomed to the drug, and that the poison is at least partially 
eliminated through the urine. — Arch. f. exper. Path. u. Pharmakol, 
1905, v. 53, pp. 313-330. 
PHYTOLACCA. 
Eberle, E. G., mentions Phytolacca decandra among the medicinal 
plants of Texas. — Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1905, v. 53, p. 305. 
Lloyd, John Uri, points out that the question of quality, by reason 
of insect attack and age, is all important with this drug. — Pharm. 
Rev., 1905, v. 23, p. 331. 
PILOCARPINE HYDROCHLORIDUM. 
Siedler, P., believes that the melting point for pilocarpine hydro- 
chloride given in the Ph. Germ., IV (193-195° C.) , is rather low. He 
found it to require 196.5°, and in an air bath as much as 199° C. — 
Pharm. Post, Wien, 1905, v. 36, p. 568. 
Jowett, H. A. D., discusses the constitution of pilocarpine and the 
conversion of iso-pilocarpine into pilocarpine. He controverts the 
views expressed by Pinner that the isomerism is not solely stereo- 
chemical, but structural. — Abstr. in Chem. News, Lond., 1905, v. 
91, p. 268. 
Pinner, Adolf, presents an exhaustive study of the constitution of 
certain derivatives of pilocarpine, and of iso-pilocarpine. — Abstr. in 
J. Chem. Soc., Lond., 1905, v. 88, part 2, pp. 463-465 (from Ber. d. 
deut. chem. Gesellsch., 1905, v. 38, pp. 1510-1531. 
MacCallum, J. B., discusses the action of pilocarpine on the flow 
of urine. — (Univ. Calif. Pub. Physiol., Berkeley, 1905, v. 2, pp. 105- 
112.) Reference from Ind. Med., 1905, p. 675. 
PILOCARPUS. 
Rusby, H. H., points out that pilocarpus is a drug of great power, 
yet a majority of the drug sold is nearly inert. He states that a large 
manufacturing house was habitually using the spurious article. — 
Merck’s Rep., 1905, v. 14, p. 212. 
Dohme, A. R. L., points out that, up to 1901, jaborandi ran low in 
alkaloids, but that since then it has run up to and even higher than 1 
per cent. The laboratory report shows a variation of from 0.19 per 
cent in 1899 and 0.23 per cent in 1900 to 1.2 per cent in 1904 and 
1905. — Apothecary, Boston, 1905, v. 17, p. 942. 
