PEROXIDE  OF  HYDROGEN,  NEW  REMEDY  FOR  DIABETES.  411 
passing  for  a  few  minutes  a  current  of  oxygen  through  the  same 
the  peroxide  is  then  added,  in  small  quantities,  to  an  aqueous 
solution  of  tartaric  acid,  and  the  filtrate  will  be  found  to  contain  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  the  peroxide  of  hydrogen  for  the  uswal  tests. 
Peroxide  of  hydrogen,  when  in  the  most  concentrated  aqueous 
solution,  is  a  colorless,  transparent  liquid  ;  it  has  never  yet  been 
frozen,  and  is  less  volatile  than  water.  Concentrated  solutions 
are  strongly  bleaching  in  their  action  on  coloring  matters,  have 
a  bitter  taste,  act  on  the  skin,  causing  it  to  become  white  and 
give  rise  to  itching  sensation.  Such  solutions  rapidly  decompose, 
especially  on  heating.  Dilute  solutions  will  keep  for  months  at 
ordinary  temperature.  The  peroxide  is  slightly  soluble  in  ether, 
and  this  solution  is  the  remedy  recently  brought  before  the  pub- 
lic as  "  ozonic  ether,"  and  is  used  in  similar  cases  as  the  aqueous 
solution,  and  in  doses  of  from  10  to  30  minims  three  to  four  times 
a  day  in  water. 
Peroxide  of  hydrogen  is  an  active  oxydising  body,  and  doubtless 
its  efficiency  in  diabetes  depends  on  this  circumstance.  Dr.  Rich- 
ardson proposes  to  use  it  as  a  substitute  for  iodine  and  mercury 
in  constitutional  forms  of  scrofula  and  syphilis.  The  strength 
of  the  solution  is  such  that  the  peroxide  on  decomposition  should 
yield  a  volume  of  oxygen  ten  times  as  great  as  the  volume  of  the 
solvent. 
There  are  numerous  good  tests  for  the  peroxide.  Two  of  the 
most  delicate  are  the  following :  I.  To  a  freshly  prepared  starch 
solution  add  iodide  of  potassium,  then  the  peroxide,  and  finally 
a  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron ;  a  blue  color  at  once  appears. 
II.  A  slightly  acid  solution  of  permanganate  of  potassa  is  at 
once  decolorized. 
This  latter  test  may  serve  as  the  basis  of  a  quantitative  test, 
by  using  a  solution  of  the  permanganate  of  known  strength,  and 
thus  the  practical  pharmacist  has  a  means  at  hand  of  readily 
testing  the  relative  strength  of  his  solution  of  the  peroxide  from 
week  to  week,  with  a  view  of  establishing  the  proper  dose.  This, 
for  an  aqueous  solution  of  the  strength  above  given,  is  one  to 
four  fluiddrachms  repeated  three  times  a  day. 
Chicago,  July,  1869. 
—  The  Pharmacist,  Chicago,  July,  1869. 
