July .30, 1870.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
89 
occur, notwithstanding all precautions ; and it seems im¬ 
possible to lay down any rule that would entirely pro¬ 
vide a safeguard, since even the cultivated Agariem cam - 
pestris may produce nausea. Still, there is good reason 
to believe that more casualties arise from carelessness 
than from ignorance; and attention to a few simple 
rules may prevent much unpleasantness and alarm. 
As a rule, the edible mushrooms may be distinguished 
from their poisonous brethren by their delicate sweet 
aroma, as contrasted with the heavy acrid smell of the 
false mushrooms. Secondly, the delicacy of the true 
mushroom—which is free, or almost free, from warts— 
contrasts with the scaly surface of the false. The true 
are either white or brownish; their flesh is brittle ; they 
grow in the open dry pastures, and usually are solitary, 
while the false often grow in clusters, in wet groimd and 
in the shade, are tough and watery, and highly co¬ 
loured. 
There can be very little doubt that many species now 
■avoided might be eaten, but are neglected for want of 
experiment. 
Experience has gone to show that, after pickling in 
vinegar, mushrooms, however indiscriminately they may 
have been gathered, rarely give rise to discomfort, pro¬ 
bably from neutralization of the alkaloid by the acid of 
the vinegar. 
Sufficient cooking also appears to render the alkaloid 
inert; and it is possible that good dressing would render 
many fungi, not only harmless, but nutritious articles of 
diet. Darwin found the inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego 
living on a bright yellow globular fungus, Cyttaria Dar- 
winii , found on the beach; and, in Australia, the Mylitta 
australis is used as a staple article of food, and called na¬ 
tive bread. 
It must not, however, be forgotten that there are cer¬ 
tain persons whose constitutions are obnoxious to fungi, 
the least possible quantity producing in them nausea and 
a sense of sinking, with a dread of impending dissolution, 
which are the characteristic symptoms of fungus poison¬ 
ing. But, with the exercise of care in selecting only 
those that are quite perfect and fresh, proper cooking, 
and by taking a reasonable quantity of some other food, 
such as bread or meat, at the same time,—above all, not 
indulging in them too plentifully,—mushrooms may be 
eaten with impunity; and they constitute at once a nu¬ 
tritious article of consumption, and, to many, a grateful 
luxury. 
REPORT OF EXPERIMENTS ON THE IODIDE OF 
POTASSIUM USED IN MEDICINE. 
With the object of ascertaining the degree of purity 
which may be looked for in the iodide of potassium as 
supplied by the druggist to the medical man, we procured 
six samples of the drug and submitted them to chemical 
analysis. These samples were obtained from hospitals 
and from druggists in various parts of London. 
The chemical examination was made as follows: 8-305 
grains of the iodide, in the undricd state and not previ¬ 
ously powdered, was dissolved in a little water, and to it 
a very little alkaline chromate of potash was added, and 
a standard solution of silver was then dropped into the 
liquid until the red tinge (the sign that the iodide of 
potassium was completely saturated with nitrate of silver) 
made its appearance. The quantity of standard solution 
of silver being noted, the quantity of silver was of course 
known. As will be seen from the tabular statement, the 
quantity of silver used up was that indicated by theory 
in the first five cases, while in the last only it was a little 
in excess of the quantity required for absolutely pure 
iodide of potassium. 
After noting the quantity of silver solution, the result¬ 
ing iodide of silver was washed first with very dilute 
nitric acid, then with pure water, and finally dried and 
weighed. The following is a tabular statement of the 
results thus obtained, viz.:—■ 
No. 
1 . 
2 . 
3. 
4. 
5. 
C. 
Quantity Quantity Quantity 
of Iodide oflodide of Silver 
of Potassium of Silver, em- 
Obtained from taken. 
(grains.) 
Moorfields Eye Hospital .... 8-305 
London Hospital ...8-305 
Skin Hospital.8 - 305 
Leo Lee and Co., Bishopsgate 
Street. 8-305 
Hancock, Fleet Street .8-305 
Warner and Co., Fore Street 8-305 
ployed, 
(grains.) (grains.) 
11-49 5-40 
11-68 5-40 
11-66 5-40 
11-66 5-40 
11-48 5-40 
11-68 5-51 
Theoretically pure iodide of 
potassium .8-305 
11-750 5-40 
From these results it appears, firstly, that the iodide of 
potassium is remarkably free from bromide and chloride; 
and secondly, that, as actually sold, it is very dry. Ac¬ 
cording to these analyses, 100 parts of commercial iodide 
of potassium contain from 99*3 to 97"7 parts of absolute 
iodide of potassium, the remainder being the inevitable 
“hygrometric moisture.” It is most satisfactory to find 
this drug to be commonly supplied in so high a state of 
purity. We cannot, however, forbear remarking on the 
high price which is charged for it. A druggist commonly 
asks two shillings an ounce for iodide of potassium. 
Now, iodine itself is dear at one shilling an ounce, and 
iodide of potassium ought not to cost more than iodine; 
it ought, indeed, to be cheaper than iodine. 
There are two varieties of iodide of potassium—the 
opaque crystals and the transparent. Fashion has led to 
the opaque kind being prefei'red ; but there is no other 
reason in favour of the opaque. The transparent crys¬ 
tals are just as pure .—The British Medical Journal. 
CHEMICAL EXAMINATION OF SEVERAL SORTS 
OF CONDENSED MILK. 
BY L. IvOFLER. 
The following samples, examined by the author, were 
exhibited at the Agricultural Show at Schwarzach:— 
I. From the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, 
in Cham, Canton Zug; in air-tight tin boxes containing 
one pound. 
II. From the manufactory at Sfissin; in square glasses. 
III. From the German-Swiss Milk Extract Company, 
at Vivis and Kempten; in glass vessels. 
IV. The same ; in tin boxes. 
For the purpose of comparison, a similar preparation 
was made with mi lk that had been examined during 
twelve days previously, with the following results :— 
15 October 
Specific 
gravity. 
1-034 
Amount of 
Cream. 
13 
16 
51 
1-036 
13£ 
17 
55 
1-040 
14 
18 
55 
1-034 
13 
19 
55 
1-034 
134 
20 
55 
1-034 
13 
21 
51 
1-035 
12 
22 
11 
1-033 
12 
23 
51 
1034 
134 
24 
15 
1-036 
12 
25 
55 
1-035 
15 
26 
51 
1-033 
15 
Mean results 
1-035 
13-1 
This preparation was marked V., and underwent the 
same examination as the other samples. 
Determination of Water .—By drying until the weight 
remained constant. 
Determination of Fat was made by extraction with 
ether, until the residue examined under the microscope 
presented no fat globules. 
Determination of Casein and Albuminous Material was 
made by slightly acidifying with acetic acid at a gentle 
I heat, filtering, and drying. 
