350 
MISCELLANY. 
Take of Alcoholic extract of the bark of 
Daphne Gnidium, ^i. 
Rectified Alcohol, giv. 
Dissolve and filter. 
Take the orange wood peas from the thread and plunge them for five 
minutes in the solution, then remove them and allow them to dry in the 
air. Repeat this twice more, permitting them to dry each time ; when 
completely dry, rub them with a linen rag to restore their shining surface. 
Place them in bottles, or re-string them. 
If they be not detached prior to immersion, they will but imperfectly 
imbibe the solution ; and if allowed to remain in it longer than the time 
specified, they will swell too much and become irregular. The peas of 
orris cannot undergo this operation, in consequence of their porosity, 
which causes them to dilate too much, and lose their spherical form, 
which should be preserved. 
The suppurative peas are useful whenever it is wished to produce 
abundant suppuration without irritant action. It is sometimes the practice 
to alternate their use with those ordinarily employed ; for example, every 
two, three, four, or even six hours, or upon alternate days. 
Journal de Pharmacie. 
Oxalliydric Add of M. Guerin. — Professor Erdmann, of Leipsic, has 
made the remarkable discovery, that the particular acid obtained by the 
treatment of sugar, (oxalhydric acid of M. Guerin, artificial malic acid,) 
possesses the composition of tartaric acid ; if a solution of this acid be 
allowed to stand a long time, it is transformed into ordinary tartaric acid. 
All theoxalhydrates are changed into ordinary tartrates ; and crystallized 
oxalhydrate of ammonia, described by M. Guerin, is a pure tartrate of this 
base. The salts contain upon 2 at. of base 3 (C^, H^, 0^.) 
A later examination has demonstrated that this acid is identical with 
the isomeric tartaric acid of M. Braconnot, which is obtained by the 
fusion of ordinary tartaric acid. M. Liebig had already obtained, long 
since, clear and well formed crystals of tartaric acid from the acid syrup 
which remains after the preparation of oxalic acid, by means of sugar and 
nitric acid, which he allowed to remain a long time by itself. All the 
anomalies, as to the modes in which the oxalhydrates exist, disappear with 
this beautiful and important discovery. — Journal de Pharmacie, 
Iodine ia the oleum jecoris ascelli, C oil of the liver of the codfish. J — Dr. 
Kopp, of Hanua, having for a long time suspected the presence of iodine 
in this oil, engaged M. Hopfer, of Orme, to determine the fact by experi- 
ment. The experiment was made in the following manner: — A pound of 
the oil possessing a reddish brown colour, was saponified with an excess 
of a solution of caustic soda. The soap obtained was carbonized, and 
