NOTES AND ABSTRACTS IN CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY. 543 
time is do object, it may be allowed to stand and deposit. The oil thus pre¬ 
pared is used for dissolving the phosphorus. A small flask or phial, perfectly 
dried, and furnished with a well-fitting stopper, is filled to nine-tenths of its 
capacity with the oil, the weight of the oil introduced being noted. An amount 
of phosphorus, exactly the hundredth part of the weight of the oil, is then 
added, taking care to select good transparent phosphorus, freed from any 
white or red coating. Thus as many centigrammes of phosphorus are taken as 
there are grammes of oil in the bottle (or 4 4 grains for each ounce). The 
phial is then placed in a water-bath, and unstoppered two or three times, 
without agitation, to allow of the escape of the expanded air. When the tem¬ 
perature of the oil has reached 80° or 90° (180° F.), the phial is finally closed, and 
shaken strongly several times until solution is complete. The phosphorus dissolves 
rapidly, the oil remains unchanged in appearance, and no deposit is formed on 
cooling. The product is permanently clear and colourless, and will remain un¬ 
affected by exposure to solar light. It is perfectly definite in strength, contain¬ 
ing exactly one per cent, of phosphorus. 
M. Mehu has carefully determined the extent of solubility of phosphorus in 
almond oil at ordinary temperatures. He finds that the prepared oil can per¬ 
manently retain in solution one-eightieth of its weight (1-25 per cent.) of phos¬ 
phorus without crystallizing, but that with one-seventieth several crystals are 
ultimately deposited. 
The oil prepared as above is phosphorescent in the dark ; on opening the 
bottles containing it, the air-space is filled with a magnificent phosphorescent 
vapour, and even in strong light a whitish cloud is visible. 
The phosphorus must be reduced to the proportion of 1 part in 500 before 
this phosphorescence ceases. For several reasons M. Mehu appears to prefer 
this weaker solution to the stronger one. But the addition of a few drops of 
ether, of turpentine, or of certain essential oils is capable of entirely arresting 
the phenomenon. Ether answers especially well for the purpose. By replacing 
20 per cent, of the oil by the same weight of pure ether, a solution is obtained 
of the same strength, but which manifests no phosphorescence, and is conse¬ 
quently better preserved from the action of the air. Moreover it is better suited 
to patients who have to employ the oil in the night. When the solution is used 
as a lotion, the ether may be replaced by essence of turpentine. Of course in 
preparing the etherized solution, the phosphorus must be dissolved in the pre¬ 
pared almond oil in the proportion of 1 part to 80, and the ether added after 
this has cooled down again to the ordinary temperature. The essential oils of 
bergamot, citron, lavender, mace, mustard, rosemary, mint, and thyme have 
also the power of arresting phosphorescence ; but camphor and the oils of anise, 
bitter almonds, cajuput, citronel, fennel, geranium, and in fact all those which 
contain oxygen, have not this power. 
Phosphorized Cacao Butter. 
It is easy to dissolve one per cent, of phosphorus in cacao butter, but if this 
fat has not been previously heated to 150° C. (302° F.), and then filtered, the 
product obtained is yellowish-brown instead of being perfectly white. This pre¬ 
paration should therefore be made in the same manner as the phosphorized oil. 
M. Mehu recommends both the phosphorized cacao butter and the phosphorized 
oil to be administered in capsules as already described. 
Employment of Phosphide of !Ziinc in Medicine. 
M. Vigier and Dr. Curie have recommended the use of phosphide of zinc in 
cases where the administration of phosphorus is indicated. This substance is a 
grey crystallized body, perfectly definite in composition, unaltered by moist air, 
aud keeping well, either in powder or in pills; but nevertheless easily decom¬ 
posed in the stomach, aud capable of exercising an action on the system identical 
