14 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
GLEANINGS  FROM  FOREIGN  JOURNALS. 
By  the  Editor. 
True  method  of  keeping  the  Syrupus  Ferri  lodidi. — Mr.  J. 
Hughes  (of  St.  Leonards-on-sea,  Sussex,  England,)  after  various 
experiments  in  keeping  the  syrup  of  iodide  of  iron  in  glass- 
stopped,  cork-stopped,  and  parchment-stopped  bottles,  and  in 
cold,  dark  and  light  places,  and  in  a  warm  place,  arrives  at 
the  conclusion  that  this  syrup  keeps  perfectly  if,  after  being 
well  made  of  thick  syrupy  consistence,  it  is  covered  with 
parchment  and  kept  in  a  warm  place.  He  decidedly  condemns 
cold,  dark  cellars,  as  causing  the  syrup  to  darken  in  color,  and 
objects  to  corks,  owing  to  the  tannin  they  contain. — -Pharmaceuti- 
cal  Journal,  Nov.  1868. 
Poisonous  Anilin  Dyes.  Several  statements  have  appeared 
in  the  London  Times  tending  to  prove  that  some  of  the  brilliant 
dyes  derived  from  anilin  are  poisonous  to  the  skin.  So  long 
as  these  colors  were  used  only  for  dress  goods  this  was  not  dis- 
covered, but  recently  socks  and  stockings  have  been  dyed  with 
them  and  worn  to  the  detriment  of  some  individuals.  A  report 
by  Dr.  Farrel  to  the  Times,  in  May  last,  in  the  case  of  a  Mr. 
M  — ,  states  : 
"  The  question  now  rises,  how  fuschine,  which  has  been  used  largely  in 
dyeing  for  ten  years  past,  has  never  been  discovered  to  possess  any 
poisonous  property.  The  reply  would  be,  that  up  to  the  present  time 
it  has  been  used  only  for  articles  of  dress  not  coming  in  direct  contact 
with  the  skin.  The  present  is  the  first  case  in  which  I  have  met  with  * 
fuschine  used  for  stockings.  The  stocking  is  of  all  others  ^he  article  of 
dress  brought  most  in  contact  with  the  skin,  around  which  it  is,  more- 
over, compressed  tightly  by  the  shoe.  I  must  remark  also  that  fuschine 
is  soluble  in  weak  acids.  Perspiration  is  acid,  and  is  nowhere  more  pro- 
fuse than  in  the  feet,  where  confined  within  the  shoe  it  is  absorbed  by 
the  tissue  of  the  socks." 
It  was  thought  possibly  that  arsenic  was  concerned  in  the 
poisoning,  as  magenta  (arseniate  of  rosein)  oontained  it  largely  ; 
but  Mr.  Crookes  states  that  arsenic  has  nothing  to  do  with  it,  as 
for  several  years  they  have  ceased  to  use  arsenic  in  anilin 
colors,  Imt  that  all  the  injurious  compound  dyes  contain  anilin 
orange,  which  is  the  poisonous  substance,  having  acid  properties 
and  rendered  soluble  by  an  alkaline  solution ;  and  directly  con- 
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