News and sundries. 
33 ? 
ulating principle of that kind ; but a nitrogenous compound, 
which appears to be an alkaloid, and for which Mr. Sanson pro¬ 
poses the name of avenine. It has hitherto proved to be uncrys- 
tallizable. It is a granular substance, of a brown tint, soluble in 
alcohol with a pale amber color, and yielding to analysis a compo¬ 
sition which corresponds with the formula: C 56 H 24 N0 18 . Some 
varieties of oats contain more of this active principle than other 
varieties, but they all yield a certain quantity of it. The grind¬ 
ing of the grain and simultaneous exposure to the air appear to 
modify it somewhat. Its effects on the nervous muscular action 
of the horse have been studied, and it has been found that for 
every two pounds of oats consumed there is set up an excitation 
lasting for about one hour. There appears to be somewhat more 
than one per cent, present in the dried grain.— Druggists' Circu¬ 
lar. « 
