with 0.35 per cent of the same alkaloid found in Egyptian and 
European specimens. No other alkaloids present in any of these 
specimens. — J. Soc. Chem. Ind., Lond., 1905, v. 24, p. 149. 
An abstract from Helfenberger Annalen points out that stramo- 
nium leaves corresponding to all of the requirements of the Pli. Germ., 
IV, gave the following amounts of extract when exhausted with: 
Alcohol (90 per cent), 8.88-9.13 per cent; alcohol and ammonia, 
9.55-9.62 per cent; water, cold, 29.68-30.06 per cent; water, hot, 
28.40-29.04 per cent. — Pharm. Ztg., Berlin, 1905, v. 50, p. 672. 
STRONTIUM. 
Richards, Theodor William, discusses the atomic weight of stron- 
tium and records experiments made to determine the correct weight, 
which the author concludes should be given as 87.662 (translated 
from the Proc. Am. Acad., v. 40, 1905) Ztschr. f. anorgan. Chem., 
1905, v. 47, pp. 146-147. 
STROPHANTHUS. 
Gilg, Ernst, discusses the pharmacognosy of strophanthus and the 
literature of this drug. He devotes particular attention to the con- 
sideration of Strophanthus grains, which he illustrates. — Arb. a. d. 
Pharm. Inst. d. Univer., Berlin, 1905, v. 2, pp. 59-72. 
An editorial (in Pharm. Ztg., 1905, p. 178) asserts that the seeds 
of Strophanthus gratus are less liable to be mistaken or substituted 
than are those of S. hombe , and are characterized by uniform and re- 
liable activity. — Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1905, v. 53, p. 600. 
Rusby, H. H., points out that no drug is more certain or prompt in 
its action, or used in more urgently vital cases than strophanthus, yet 
more than 75 per cent of that used is probably spurious. One 
spurious variety is nearly inert and another appears to exert a 
toxic action out of proportion to its therapeutic effect. — Merck’s Rep., 
N. Y., 1905, V. 14, p. 212. 
Dohme, A. R. L., points out that while Strophanthus hombe was 
hailed as being the best variety, figures show that in reality the re- 
verse is true and that Strophanthus hispidus is somewhat richer in 
strophanthin than the hombe variety. The laboratory records show a 
variation from 2.1 per cent of strophanthin in 1901 to 3.0 per cent in 
1904 in the hombe variety. During the same period S. hispidus 
varied from 2.66 per cent of strophanthin in 1900 to 3.60 per cent in 
1904. — Apothecary Boston, 1905, v. 17, p. 942. 
Thoms, H., discusses the chemistry of strophanthus and reviews the 
literature relating thereto. Also discusses the several strophanthins 
that have been isolated and includes a proposed description for 
g-Strophanthinum crystallisatum. — Arb. a. d. Pharm. Inst. d. 
Univer., Berlin, 1905, v. 2, pp. 74-87. ’ 
77439— Bull. 49—09 18 
