402  THERAPEUTICAL  APPLICATIONS  OF  PROTEIN. 
SALTPETRE  IN  HYOSCYAMUS. 
By  F.  Mahla,  M.  D. 
During  the  preparation  of  the  alcoholic  extract  of  Hyoscya. 
mus  niger,  according  to  the  directions  of  the  U.  S.  Dispensatory, 
I  observed,  after  the  obtained  tinctures  were  evaporated  to  about 
Jth,  the  formation  of  copious  crystalline  masses.  I  separated  a 
portion,  and  after  purifying  them  by  repeated  crystallizations,  I 
obtained  large  transparent  crystals.  These  crystals  were  subject- 
ed to  analysis,  and  proved  to  be  nitrate  of  potassa.  I  cannot 
state  in  what  quantitative  proportions  saltpetre  is  obtained  in  the 
leaves,  but  think  if  I  had  separated  it  carefully  I  would  have 
obtained  from  50  lbs.  of  leaves  at  least  1  lb.  of  the  dry  salt. 
Chicago,  June  21,  1859. 
THERAPEUTICAL  APPLICATIONS  OF  PROTEIN. 
By  J.  C.  Hupp,  M.  D. 
[Note. — We  have  received  the  following  note,  with  the  copy  of  the  one  that 
elicited  it,  from  Mr.  Booking,  of  Wheeling,  Virginia,  in  reference  to  Protein.  It 
appears  that  certain  correspondents  of  that  gentleman,  desirous  of  knowing  to 
what  uses  Protein  was  applied,  had  written  to  him  for  information,  which  he 
obtained  by  application  to  the  prescriber. — Editor  Am.  Jour.  Pharm.~\ 
Wheeling,  Va.,  July  20th,  1859. 
E.  Booking,  Pharmaceutist': 
Dear  Sir :  In  answer  to  yours  of  14th  inst.,  I  cheerfully  com- 
municate the  "uses"  to  which  I  have  applied  the  Protein, 
which  you  have  been  ordering  for  me.  As  a  remedial  agent,  I 
have  used  it  with  results  the  most  satisfactory.  Two  causes 
prevented  me  from  using  it  more  generally  than  I  have  done, 
namely :  the  scarcity  of  supply  and  the  cost  of  the  article.  When 
I  have  desired  an  aid  to  the  assimilative  process,  I  have  invari- 
ably found  a  reliable  adjuvant  in  Protein.  When  the  nutritive 
system  was  at  fault,  I  have  not  failed  to  find  the  appetite  rapidly 
improve  from  its  use.  I  have  employed  it  with  satisfaction  in 
various  forms  of  skin  diseases,  combining  in  the  treatment 
alteratives  and  tonics  as  indicated.  Those  inveterate  and  other- 
wise vexatious  and  annoying  skin  diseases  incident  to  childhood, 
such  as  eczema  and  impetigo  capitis,  I  have  seen  rapidly 
