426         ON  THE  OINTMENT  AND  SPIRIT  OF  CUCUMBERS. 
With  the  knowledge  of  these  facts  we  may  conclude  that,  al- 
though soda  water  may  be  retained  in  a  well-tinned  copper  con- 
denser, and  discharged  through  a  thoroughly  tinned  lead  pipe, 
without  poisonous  impregnation,  yet,  as  any  imperfection  in  the 
tinning  of  either,  or  long  or  careless  usage,  may  expose  the  cop- 
per or  the  lead  (or  both)  to  the  solvent  powers  of  this  carbonic 
acid,  and  thus  render  the  beverage  dangerous,  therefore  these 
vessels  should  be  discarded  or  only  permitted  in  the  hands  of 
trustworthy  persons. 
Condensers  of  stone,  of  iron,  or  of  the  purest  block  tin,  sup- 
ported by  iron  bands,  or  of  gutta  percha,  aided  in  a  similar 
manner,  would  be  free  from  poisonous  impregnation.  Conduct- 
ing pipes  of  these  latter  materials  are  likewise  unobjectionable. 
In  another  paper  I  shall  present  the  results  of  more  extended 
investigations,  and  shall  be  indebted  to  any  physicians  or  phar- 
maceutists who  feel  disposed  to  assist  in  this  work  of  common 
interest,  by  favoring  me  with  reports  of  cases,  or  samples  of  sus- 
pected liquid  for  analysis.  If  those  engaged  in  the  fabrication 
of  this  article  would  afford  an  opportunity  of  examining  some  of 
the  old  soda  fountains,  it  might  aid  materially,  and  perhaps  re- 
sult in  the  suggestion  of  better  methods  of  protection. — American 
Medical  Monthly. 
PRACTICAL   OBSERVATIONS  ON  THE   OINTMENT   AND  DIS- 
TILLED  SPIRIT  OF  CUCUMBERS. 
By  M.  Emile  Mouchon,  of  Lyons. 
M.  Mouchon,  after  observing  that  the  process  of  M.  Buron,  for 
cucumber  ointment,  made  from  the  distilled  spirit  of  cucumbers, 
is  better  than  that  made  from  the  juice,  as  proposed  by  Lemery 
and  MM.  Henry  and  Guibourt,  proposes  the  following  formulae 
for  the  two  preparations. 
Distilled  Spirit  of  Cucumbers. 
Take  of  Cucumbers,  of  medium  size,        sixteen  pounds. 
Rectified  alcohol  (36°  B.)  one  pound. 
Reduce  the  cucumbers  to  a  pulp,  without  rejecting  the  rind,  in- 
corporate the  alcohol  in  the  liquid  mass,  place  the  whole  in  a  still 
furnished  with  a  diaphragm,  and  after  macerating  twenty- four 
