MISCELLANY. 
— — 
Tannnte of Lead. — Autenrieth has recommended this salt strongly in 
gangrenous states ; it especially was beneficial in the case of a girl affect- 
ed with a nervous fever, whose back was attacked by deep gangrenous 
sores : it was applied in the form of ointment. The tannate was obtained 
by precipitating an infusion of oak bark by acetate of lead. The precipi- 
tate was collected on a linen cloth and dried. This is the bitannate, 
which is white. But there are two other tannates : the neutral tannate^ 
obtained by boiling the bitannate with distilled water; the odd atom of 
tannic acid is dissolved while the neutral tannate remains \ it consists of 
65.79 tannic acid and 34.21 oxide of lead. The basic tannate is procured 
by precipitating a solution of tannic acid, or tannate of potash, by disace- 
tate of lead; it is white, but by washing becomes yellowish. Dr. Tott 
employs the bitannate in the following form : — Dried tannate of lead, 2 
drachms ; rose ointment, 1 ounce. The ointment is to be intimately 
mixed, and spread on the sore. — British Ann. Med., June 2, 1837, from 
Journ. de Chim, Med. March, 1837. 
Clinical Researches on the in faience of certain Medicines upon the functions 
of the Heart. By H. C. Lombard.— 1. Jlssafoetida. M. L. states this to 
possess remarkable properties in combating the irregularity of the func- 
tions of the heart. Employed externally, in the form of plaster, it suc- 
ceeds in alleviating palpitations which have resisted a great variety of 
medicines. He has almost constantly obtained some alleviation in a great 
number of cases. Irregular contractions of the ventricles, occurring in per- 
sons affected with disease of the heart, are modified; and it likewise succeeds 
in those cases which may be considered only nervous. The following is 
the formula used by him : Assafoetida, 2 ounces ; gum. ammoniac, 1 
scruple; turpentine, 6 drops; yellow wax, a sufficient quantit)'-. Em- 
ployed internally, he has found it likewise to lessen and render regular the 
movements of the heart. In very small doses, it lessens the palpitations, 
and produces a remarkable calm ; and he considers it a very valuable re- 
medy in nearly all diseases of this organ. 
2. Camphor. — This medicine, given internally, in variable doses, from 
three to twelve grains in the day, acts in a special manner upon the heart. 
VOL. III. NU. 111. 33 
