315 
Wiebelitz, H., points out that it is difficult to secure mercuric oxide 
free from the lower oxide, and that the majority of the available 
samples do not dissolve completely in diluted hydrochloric acid. — 
Pharm. Ztg., Berl., 1906, v. 51, p. 1003. 
Caspari, Chas. E., reports 3 samples examined — 2 U. S. P., 1 con- 
tained excess of red oxide. — Proc. Missouri Pharm. Ass., 1906, p. 100. 
Patch, E. L., found mercuric oxide to leave a large residue on 
ignition. — Proc. Am. Pharm. Ass., 1906, v. 51, p. 339. 
HYDRARGYRI OXIDTJM RUBRTJM. 
Caspari, Chas. E., reports 11 samples examined — 2 E. S. P., 9 con- 
tained nitrate. 
Mittelbach, Wm., says the two mecurial oxides are therapeutically 
and chemically the same ; the only difference he could observe was the 
color and degree of fineness. He asks why there should be any differ- 
ence at all, and thinks the Revision Committee could drop the red 
oxide. 
Hemm, Francis, thinks the nitrate would make the red oxide corro- 
sive in e}^e salves and that we should therefore stick to the yellow 
oxide which is the purer and finer. — Proc. Missouri Pharm. Ass., 1906, 
pp. 32, 51. 99. 
HYDRARGYRUM. 
Yale, C. G., (Eng. & Mining J., Jan. 6, 1906) notes that produc- 
tion in 1905 decreased by between 1,000 and 5,000 flasks. The grade 
of cinnabar ore, now being worked in California, is much lower than 
formerly ; seemingly the high grade ore deposits have been exhausted, 
except where small bunches are occasionally found. Many mines are 
now working on ore carrying 0.5 per cent of metal. The Texas mines 
have ore up to 2.5 per cent, and are doing well. — Abstr. in J. Soc. 
Chem. Ind!, Lond., 1906, v. 25, p. 125. 
Rupp, E., (Chem. Ber., 1906, v. 39, pp. 3T02-3T01) discusses the 
volumetric estimation of mercury, by means of formaldehyde, or an 
excess of iodine solution. — Biochem. Centralbl., Leipz., 1906-7, v. 5, 
p. 881. 
He also outlines a method for determining the amount of mercury 
in preparations, which depends on the dissolving of that metal in 
chlorine free nitric acid and titrating the resulting filtered and 
cleared solution with potassium sulphocyanicle. — Arch. d. Pharm., 
Berl., 1906, v. 211, pp. 537-510. 
Dunning, H. A. B., discusses the preparation of extemporaneous 
mixtures of mercury with various ointment and oil bases, using 
lanum (anhydrous) as an extinguishing agent. — Proc. Maryland 
Pharm. Ass., 1906, p. 70. 
