264 
Progress  in  Pharmacy. 
(Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
I      Juue,  1910. 
has  never  found  any  bad  effects  from  the  use  of  large  doses  of 
ergot.  He  prefers  the  less  refined  preparations,  since  some  principle 
seems  to  be  removed  by  standardization  (The  Pharm.  J.  and 
Pharmacist,  London,  1910,  p.  496). 
Mucilage  of  Acacia. — A  correspondent  calls  attention  to  the 
need  for  preserving  mucilage  of  acacia  and  asserts  that  the  addition 
of  10  per  cent,  of  alcohol  will  serve  as  an  efficient  and  unobjection- 
able preservative  (Pharm.  Ztg.,  Berlin,  1910,  v.  55,  p.  232). 
Nux  Vomica. — Planchon  and  Tuillet  (Repert.  Pharm.,  1910,  v. 
22,  p.  97)  discuss  the  identity  of  "  Corozo  "  which  has  frequently 
been  found  as  an  adulterant  of  powdered  nux  vomica.  They  point 
out  that  large  and  increasing  quantities  of  so-called  Australian 
corozo  are  now  imported  into  Hamburg. 
Opium. — Frank  Browne  discusses  the  nature  and  composition 
of  the  several  varieties  of  opium  and  the  methods  of  consuming 
the  drug  and  its  several  preparations  (Pharm.  J.,  London,  1910, 
v.  30,  pp.  452-453)- 
The  Susceptibility  of  Children  to  Opium. — A  recent  edi- 
torial, in  the  British  Pharmaceutical  Journal,  1910,  v.  30,  p.  230, 
discusses  the  general  belief  that  children  are  more  susceptible  than 
adults  to  the  toxic  effects  of  opium ;  it  is  pointed  out  that  children 
respond  as  readily  as  adults  to  the  therapeutic  action  of  opium, 
and  are  really  less  susceptible  to  its  toxic  effects. 
Sterilizing  Ampoules. — Baroni  considers  that  steam  at  1120 
C.  is  indispensable  for  effective  sterilization  of  ampoules.  In  the 
case  of  adrenalin  chloride  and  eserine  salicylate  a  tint  sometimes 
develops  owing  to  the  presence  of  an  air-space  in  the  ampoule.  This 
has  been  obviated  by  filling  the  space  with  a  harmless  gas,  such  as 
carbon  dioxide,  but  the  apparatus  required  is  somewhat  more 
complicated  than  is  needed  for  filling  ampoules  in  the  ordinary  way 
(Chem.  &  Drug.,  London,  1910,  March  26,  p.  68). 
Standards  for  Brandy,  Whisky,  and  Rum. — Regulations  that 
have  been  made  by  the  Governor-in-Council  and  published  in  the 
Hong  Kong  Government  Gazette,  providing  standards  for  brandy, 
whisky,  and  spirit,  define  brandy  as  a  spirituous  liquid  distilled  from 
the  wine  of  grapes,  and  "  Cognac  "  as  brandy  made  in  the  Cognac 
region  from  grapes  grown  therein.  Whisky  is  defined  as  a  spirit 
obtained  by  distillation  from  a  mash  of  cereal  grains  saccharified 
by  diastase  of  malt.    Rum  is  defined  as  a  spirit  distilled  direct 
