Miscellany. 
263 
The mass should be spread uniformly on chamois leather, and sprinkled 
with six, eight, ten, or twelve grains of tartar emetic according to the age 
of the child. This plaster applied within the first week of the attack, 
constantly produced, in the course of twenty-four hours, active rubifaction 
and the development of small pearly pustules, and occasioned a marked 
abatement of the number and violence of the paroxysms of coughing and 
Vomiting. Lancette. Francaise and N. A. Arch. Med. and Surg. Sci. 
Lactic acid as a medical agent. — M. Majendie thinks that as lactic acid 
is one of the efficient agents in the dissolution of the food in the stomach, 
that it might be employed with advantage in dyspepsia, or in cases of 
simple debility of the stomach. With this view he has administered it 
both in the form of lemonade and pastilles : 
Lactic Lemonade. R. Liquid lactic acid 3i — iv. 
Water, lb. i. 
Simple syrup, ^ij. M. 
Pastilles of Lactic Acid. R. Pure lactic acid, ^ij. 
Powdered sugar, gi. 
Gum tragacanth, q.s. 
Oil of vanilla, gtts. iv. 
To be made into pastilles weighing half a drachm each, which should 
be kept in a close vessel. As many as six of these pastilles may be ta- 
ken in twenty-four hours. Ibid and Ibid. 
Hydrosulphuret of lime in Itch. — M. Lutens has used the liquid hydro- 
sulphuret of lime as prepared by M. Deherde, with great success in the 
cure of itch. It is made as follows : Take one part of sulphur, two parts 
of sub-carbonate of lime, and nine parts of water, boil them in an earthen 
vessel to complete saturation ; then decant the liquid and filter. Fric- 
tions with this fluid are to be employed three times a day, an ounce and 
a half being employed at a time. The fluid is transparent, of a deep 
brown colour, and has the odour of sulphuretted hydrogen. When rubbed 
upon the skin, it leaves an orange yellow stain, which disappears in a 
few hours. On the first day it produces considerable itching, and all the 
pustules become cauterized as if with a strong acid, but no excoriation or 
exfoliation of the cuticle is produced, if common care be taken. 
Bull. Med. Beige et Ibid. 
Anhydrous formic acid. — M. Liebig states that an anhydrous formic acid 
may be obtained by decomposing dry formiate of lead by sulphuretted 
hydrogen. This acid is extremely corrosive, far more so than concen- 
trated sulphuric acid; the most minute drop when applied to the skin pro- 
duces the sensation of a red hot iron, and causes the formation of a vesi- 
cle and finally of an ulcer that heals with great difficulty. It crystallizes 
